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It is difficult to read front-page articles such as "A chaotic night of 'idiot behavior'" (July 6) and not believe the city is going to hell. Fortunately, there is another, more beautiful reality.
Let us begin by acknowledging the ugly and horrific madness that was perpetrated upon the streets of downtown Minneapolis on July 4th. In no way do we condone or excuse the heartless violence that took place, and we fully support efforts to bolster law enforcement as well as punish those guilty of crimes. Our purpose, rather, is to portray Minneapolis in another light.
We frequently walk the City of Lakes, and here are just a few things we encountered in the first days of July. On the evening of July 1, we met Lonnie, a teacher at Burroughs Elementary who, on his own initiative and with no pay, quietly chose to spend his Friday evening watering young saplings on the school grounds in the hopes that future generations of students will someday sit and play under the oaks and maples he was nourishing.
On Saturday, we spotted Keith, a middle-aged man, who has tirelessly jogged around Bde Maka Ska for years, selflessly picking up trash. The next day, we witnessed Mary diligently cleaning the rain drains at our corner to keep debris out of Minnehaha Creek and Lake Harriet and, thus, help those waters stay a tiny bit cleaner for humans, fish and wildlife.
What we are less familiar with but are confident is happening all around Minneapolis is that thousands of other, similar actions are taking place. Grandmothers in north Minneapolis are reading to and tutoring children in their neighborhoods. Elderly neighbors are voluntarily watching other people's children so their parents can go to work in order to put a roof over their family's heads. Other working parents are using what little free time they have to voluntarily coach young boys and girls not just in the nuances of their particular sport but also in what it means to be respectful, play fair and be a good sport. Still others are humbly driving the city streets at night to deliver meals — and a little bit of hope — to the forsaken and homeless.
Countless Minneapolis business owners and entrepreneurs are also playing their part. In addition to paying a livable wage, many are mentoring employees so that someday soon they, too, might have the means and skills to start their own small business.
