Don Allen Of IBNN Confirms A Ceasefire In North Minneapolis "Blog Wars," Tenuous Internet Peace Appears To Be Holding Among The Two Major Players In Widespread, Complex Social Media Conflict That Spanned Years...

Image from IBNN blog, original images were from another media source, (left) and
Don Allen Facebook (right) and have both been used extensively under Fair Comment
and Criticism by various entities, blog post by John Hoff

A ceasefire in the vicious North Minneapolis "blog wars" has been called by the two major players, JNS blog and Don Allen of IBNN, as first announced here on JNS blog and now subsequently announced by Don Allen upon IBNN. With the ceasefire now publicized by both parties, it is becoming more and more of a reality. 

"Don and John" (or "John and Don?") have discussed the possibility of mediation or other direct and formal talks...

...and these private preliminary talks can be characterized as cordial. 

After all, Don and John were quite friendly at one time. It was Don Allen who taught JNS blog how to access and make use of the jail roster, and both of us saw a great deal of possibility in the defunct Northside Marketing Task Force and the "rebranding" of North Minneapolis. It was the question of "how can we make some decent money while trying to help our neighborhood through social media?" which first brought us together. 

And it was conflicts within social media that tore us apart. I will note that Mr. Allen is incredibly pleasant and gregarious in person and a sharp dresser who takes pride in his appearance. He is a bon vivant who loves the good life and believes everybody deserves a chance to live the American Dream, a sentiment he often articulates when talking about oppressed groups. 

Mr. Allen is obviously informed about all sorts of issues, a quality Mr. Allen shares with Johnny Northside. In many ways (it's scary how many ways) we are more alike than different. It is a shame we have been bitter for so long. Even a kind of strained neutrality would be better than such bitterness. 

For the historic record, JNS blog wishes to preserve the "ceasefire" posting on IBNN as follows:

IBNN’s Don Allen and The Adventures of Johnny Northside’s John Hoff call a ceasefire

Written by Donald Allen on 18 August 2014

No, it’s not Bagdad, it was #BlogWars. The peace treaty has been negotiated and the rebuild is starting.

I’m not saying it’s a “team,” just good intentions.
(Photo: John Hoff and Don Allen – fair use from the web)

By Don Allen, Founder of IBNN NEWS, Black Politics in Minneapolis and USA Radical Black

Minneapolis, Minn. – I don’t care what you say, who you think you are or where you live in Minnesota, at some point in time; you have read “The Adventures of Johnny Northside” or “The Independent Business News Network.

There are times when men must move to a different level. Sometimes the move involves looking at the mission and the steps we take  to complete the mission. I have discovered a power far beyond the Star Tribune, WCCO-TV and the Insight News and hopefully, used wisely, the face and game in north Minneapolis as well as the City of Minneapolis can be reset and put on a track for success.

I extend the olive branch to Mr. John Hoff and his multi-media news network, “The Adventures of Johnny Northside.”

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To which JNS blog replies: I extend the olive branch right back, Mr. Allen, and look forward to discussions about how we can all help North Minneapolis move forward by leveraging the amazing power of social media wisely and responsibly.