Counter points, "Don't all stampede at once"

Here are all the letters and opinion columns that resulted from
my column about the North Side called "Don't all stampede
at once."

http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2008/02/06/72165372

http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2008/02/06/72165371

In this one above, please note the letter which says,
"We have closed down a number of corner stores and
pulled their welcome mats for drug dealers and
prostitutes. I guess when they say "a number" they
mean the work is not yet done? That matches my
recent observations on Penn Ave. N., for sure!

http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2008/02/07/72165399

My favorite part of this one above is, "For decades,
city officials had been complicit in allowing North Minneapolis to
function as the designated red-light district for
Minneapolis. Residents, with the help of the current
City Council, are working to undo years of neglect
in inspections, zoning and policing which allowed the
current situation to develop. Yes, this process can
be agonizingly slow..."

How does my column contain harsher criticisms than
"designated red-light district" and "years of neglect?"
In this case, the spirited defense seems to be a
harsher critique than what was said by me in the first
place!

And then this:

http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2008/02/08/72165446

My favorite part of this letter is just a few lines:

"Although I do not doubt the stories that John Hoff
told in his article..."

Yes, that has been one wonderful constant about all
this negative feedback. Nobody doubts the initial
observations one bit.

Nobody says, "You didn't see as many as 20 young
men standing on a corner, drinking directly from
a bottle of what appeared to be gin..."

Nobody says, "There aren't squatters inside
any empty North Side houses. You've misinterpreted
the items you found in that house."

Nobody says, "The police didn't tell you that this
was a 'bad neighborhood.'"

No, rather all the criticisms are about my emphasis,
my selection of what to tell. I should be a cheer
leader, instead, and talk about the "spirit" of the
North Side while I meet a guy who is virtually
barricaded in his house, sign for Ron Paul on the
yard and pictures of Jesus Christ in his living
room, saying he is afraid to walk to the gas station
on the corner because of the drug activity taking place
openly, in broad freaking daylight.

Not all the feedback I received was negative,
but those who agreed with my emphasis on the
overwhelming need for safety and security
felt more comfortable sharing their thoughts
by email.

And, ah, yeah...I have the emails. I sure do. Here
they come.