http://www.startribune.com/local/270535 ... aDiaMDCiUT

Mingle with the soldiers of the enemy. These folks have been bamboozled into believing that all gun owners are criminals (gang members and drug sellers) and "gun control" will bring salvation.

Did you notice the person the article quotes as starting this whole thing wont even be there?

Could be fun. I'm betting Chunk will be there.

I'd love to, but Fridays are the worst day for me. Still, I'll try.

5-9 PM, 400 block of 22nd Ave N

I'm working, so I'll keep an eye out for calls in the area. It's no secret that ain't a great neck of the woods . . . just a couple blocks north of West Broadway on 4 St.

Just thinking about that area sends shivers down my spine . . . . .

And even if there are a lot of people, I would not want to be in that area with out several firearms, several friends with firearms and maybe even a detachment of Marines.

I didnt' see any empty lot on Google's street view. perhaps they'll hang out here:

Google streetview can have some dated pics. It's quite possible that the one you showed has been bulldozed.

I found the empty lot across the street. I guess I didn't look close enough the first time, but when I used local.live.com in bird's eye view mode, it was easy to see.

I spent the evening on the 2900 block of 3rd Ave. Nice friends, iffy neighborhood. Safe event.

I, for one, plan on going. Carrying, to be sure. As will, I suspect from the postings of several of this get-together's instigators, several others. But a detachment of Marines? C'mon, get real. Northside's got plenty of problems, to be sure- there's no need to engage in a bunch of media-style hyperbole.

The Strib article, as usual, missed a *lot* about this gathering. In essence, a member of the Minneapolis Issues email forum continually complains about her neighborhood and the gangsters. A few folks got tired of hearing her bitch, and said, "let's have a get-together, and start taking the neighborhood back." She wants no part of this- maybe it's easier to kvetch. I don't know. But it just might be the start of something.

BTW, I'd encourage any of you (Chunk... Andrew... Joel... anyone? Bueller...?) to sign up for the Minneapolis Issues list- it tends to overpopulated by far-left types, and a bit more balance wouldn't hurt anyone. I can't do it all alone.

Check it out at

http://forums.e-democracy.org/groups/mpls

See you there.

Wish I could go, but turns out I have work obligations. Please report on it, especially any conversations about guns you have or overhear.

After being a resident of N. Minneapolis (specifically, the aforementioned neighborhood) for 3+ years, I have to push back on this comment. Everyone has a right to be afraid, justifiably. I wouldn't chastise anyone's fear of the Northside. Owning well over half the murders, not to mention a majority of the violent crimes committed in city limits, well, lets just say the proof is in the numbers.

Of course there are better parts of the Northside (i.e. Camden) that shouldn't necessarily be grouped in with the other neighborhoods. But we aren't talking about Camden here, we're talking about 22nd and 4th.

After spending the first roughly 25 years of my life as a resident of North Minneapolis, and having a mother who still lives there, and working 40+ hours a week in North Minneapolis, I'm going to push back, as well. The proof may be "in the numbers", as you say, but you're still more likely to die in a car crash than to be attacked in North Minneapolis. As I said before, prudence dictates carrying, if you feel the need, but certainly not cowering in fear.

The folks at this picnic weren't doing that, for sure. We were having some bulgogi, conversing with folks from all over the city, and walking around the neighborhood to see what could be done. We were making connections with some of the people who will be needed to turn Minneapolis around- the common folks who live and work there, not just pie-in-the-sky elected officials.

Fear gets you nowhere. Figuring out what to *do* gets something accomplished.

To quote a guy I read about once, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

(Full disclosure: Mom lives in Folwell, just north of the intersection in question, and all of two blocks from Moby. I work in Near North, south of the intersection in question. I'm pretty darn familiar with the issues.)

I'm not doubting your familiarity with the neighborhood. I'm simply saying don't chastise peoples right to feel how they want. If someone chooses to be afraid I certainly won't berate that person, especially in cases like this when its justifiable.

Live and let live, some people say.