Minneapolis politics have taken a sharp turn to the left and I'm not sure I recognize my own city anymore.
I don't make that statement lightly, and I don't base that sentiment solely on the political positions that seem to have the wind in their sails for the time being. There is an undercurrent to this shift that feels different than other political differences and disagreements I've seen in the past. And to be honest, it's the shift in tone that concerns me more than a potential shift in policy. Politics do make leftward and rightward shifts over time, and in the long arc of history I like to think the push and pull of those tides helps us to get it right.
I still consider myself a liberal and a progressive, certainly a Democrat. On a national scale I probably favor government regulations and spending more than most, but locally I would be to the right of many of my compatriots in that regard. Still, this sentiment of a political sea change for the worse does come from an understanding of left-wing activism and tactics.
My first job out of college was working for Minnesota ACORN, the predecessor to Neighborhoods Organizing for Change. I've been on my share of marches, most recently to protest the Philando Castile verdict. I've organized a direct action that once got my organization sued - a badge of honor of sorts in that world. Which is to say I've been in the far-left activist sphere before and I understand its philosophy and methods perhaps more than others who would self-identify as moderates.
I'm not sure exactly when the left-wing meanness started to manifest itself, but I first noticed it during...
