By Farheen Hakeem
First, as a Green Party endorsed candidate, I would like to thank all who supported me in my efforts to run for Mayor. Second, I am not endorsing or supporting R.T. Rybak or Peter McLaughlin. I thought the title would keep
the “Anybody but Rybak” McLaughlin supporters quiet for a while.

I met with Peter last weekend, where he tried to convince me that I have more in common politically with him than with R.T. So, I decided to make a quick analysis of whether this is true. Let us take the four issues that I focused on in my campaign.

First is sustainable economics. My vision for the city is to become
financially independent from state and county funding by creating more revenue. This included organizing community members to start a Wind Energy Cooperative, which would be managed by the city. This has been extremely successful in many cities throughout the US, and makes sense given that Minnesota is the second highest wind producing areas in the nation. Peter stated that he has started co-ops in the past. Cooperatives, by definition, can not be started by an individual; rather they are a creation of community based economics made up of community members. I have never witnessed R.T.
Rybak say anything about cooperatives.

Second is a living wage. I fully support the living wage ordinance and will continue to fight for this outside of city hall. Peter has shown up to events where a living wage is the topic of discussion but has yet to make a commitment. I do not know his record on the county level, which is worth investigating. R.T. stated in his Democracy for Minnesota screening that there was no issue with a living wage, and we have a living wage policy.

Third, is affordable housing. I have no idea if Peter has worked on any of this as Hennepin County Commissioner, but do know that his good friend, Jackie Cherryholmes is a lobbyist for developers. R.T. is clueless about the potential crisis we are heading towards. Neither of them have talked about how homelessness and affordable housing are linked, how 30 percent of the people who live in Minneapolis can not afford any type of housing, and the many overpriced condominiums that are randomly being built.

Lastly, there was an anti-racist approach to public safety. The nicest way I can put this is both of these candidates just don’t get it. The Federal Mandate, the shooting of Abu Kassim Jelani (R.T. still can’t pronounce his name correctly), and the fact that only 1 of the 40 discipline recommendations which were given to Chief McManus by the Civilian Review Authority were acted upon, shows R.T. is completely incompetent in this area. Peter wants to increase the police force, has not stated anything about reforming the police, and does not see the difference between diversity and racism. In his own words, he explains that if we diversify the police force, then we are fighting racism. I know plenty of situations where there is diversity and rampant racism (like the South African Apartheid). For those of us that have worked hard for years to fight racism find this approach to be frightening. To be honest, all three of us are guilty of not mentioning one important point, which we have Marcus Harcus to
thank: Police accountability. In the history of Minneapolis, no police
officer has ever been indicted for excessive force. Yet, we have paid
millions of dollars in settling law suits against the city.

So in the final analysis, politically, I don’t think that I have too much
in common with either of the two DFL candidates. As for whom I will be voting for as mayor, I am writing in myself. Anyone that is willing to spell F-A-R-H-E-E-N H-A-K-E-E-M is welcome to do the same. Most importantly, please remember to vote! Don’t let the usual suspects assume they have power they have never earned. Every person that lives in the city of Minneapolis is the boss to the Mayor of Minneapolis. Your vote enables you to be part of the hiring committee. My candidacy proves that people are thirsty for the issues and want to see action and results. So please, vote on November 8th, and watch for me in next year’s elections. The movement
has only just begun, and I’m not done yet.