Alright – so, if you read my blog or know me then you understand why I am not a big fan of MN DFLers – not all of them. Since I started autism advocacy over 15 years ago, the seeds of our support have been the GOP’s. We started with Gov Pawlenty then to at least one body was controlled by the Republicans. Well, there was those couple of years when the dflers controlled all three branches of Minnesota Government during Dayton’s administration. Those were some tough times. It seems we are back to that, ok maybe worse because Walz is horrible. At least Dayton was fair, but his gatekeepers, particularly Tina Smith was yuky.
I have no idea why we in minority communities cannot learn to use our voices and votes wisely. We just vote and then go to sleep. We do not hold them accountable, we do not ask for any significant policy changes, and we certainly do not make sure their staff reflects us. So depressing. I am still in a state of shock at how Walz and Angie Craig won. Seriously, what the heck.
Under Walz, our kids have failed in schools, and our students have been suspended and kicked out disproportionately by the unions he supports and protects. Black and brown health disparities have not decreased. Black and brown providers have been screwed with by DHS. Black and brown employees have been fired and retaliated against by his administration, particularly DHS. Yet we hire him again, what the heck?
Insanity is voting for the same politicians and expecting different outcomes and policies. Walz has appointed judges and no one looks like us. He hired kazilian commissioners and no one looks like us, at least not one with a spine and backbone who fights for our needs, not just pander to him. When will we learn. Craig has completely ignored our needs willingly and purposefully. When will we learn. They always hire our highly educated and qualified people as useless….wait for it… it is original…. not really —- that is right – outreach coordinator. This is an offensive title and simply means getting them more minority votes. When will we learn. Equally important when will the other side learn that if they don’t approach and campaign hard in minority communities, they will keep losing with mere few thousand votes.
You can see here who won and who lost by how much. Craig won by a little over 17,000 votes. Imagine, if her opponent – Kistner connected with black and brown voters in the 2nd district. I think he would’ve won. GOPs will not win if they do not learn how to authentically court and engage with black and brown voters. Walz won by a little less than 193,000. That can seem a lot, but imagine how many black, brown, and underserved communities are here. Any city, district, and county where dflers control in Minnesota and even nationally, we are at the bottom of the pit from education to housing to you name it, yet we keep hiring the same people.
The above words do not reflect any candidate, agency, or committee.
Idil – Somali Autism Mom & Advocate