The Somali story (Mentor: public schools, gangs, activities)

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by brikag

We wanted to hear from the general MSP population about the Somali gangs. Is the situation that dire we should be concerned of moving to MSP? We don't look for trouble. We would stay out of troubled or questionable areas. Is the whole situation blown out of proportion due to fears and MEDIA ratings? Or is it a genuine concern that my family members should carry protection?

Any feedback of these questions is greatly appreciated.

If by media you mean Fox News, then yes avoid MPLS at all costs. While you are at it you might as well stay in your cave and get a couple of bazookas and M-1's to ward off the inevitable dark army that wants nothing more to take over the US for no other reason except that they hate freedom.

Give me a break dude. Carry protection!?! Seriously!?! I'll tell you this; you have more of a chance of getting robbed, raped, murdered, assaulted, etc. by white people in the TC then anyone else.

Most Samoli gangs seem rather harmless and as I far as I can tell they do not operate in the same manner as 'traditional' US gangs in that for the most part they only banded together to protect themselves from getting jumped by Americans (both black and white). Yes, some do mug people and sell drugs, but for the most part they keep it among themselves.

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by internat

Minneapolis may have also received Somalians of a different social background. In any case, it's good to know they are doing better in Minneapolis. One must also take discrimination, immigration policies, and entreprenurial opportunities into consideration.... ....In Minneapolis on the other hand, around 800 companies are run by Somalians. The number of companies is also increasing. It's in the field of road carrying, restaurants, grocery stores, and even Somalian malls.......In conclusion, one doesn't feel good or part of society without a job. I think many social problems are related to long-term unemployment.

I took some blurbs from your original narrative, internat. As far as Mpls receiving Somalians of a different social background (implied better/ higher), this may have been/ was the case in the early to mid 90s when those that had the means to leave the country did (and you do see a number of these folks now working in positions of authority/ high level of responsibility); in recent years, however, many of the refugees that come here do so with little or no previous education and/or means (although i don't want to blanket as there are still quite a few who do have a lot of education).

One should not overlook the acceptance that immigrant groups get in Minnesota compared to many other states. Aside from resettling a lot of refugees in MN, there is a very large "second migration"(and third, fourth) from other states in the US of Somalis and other immigrant groups that come to Minneapolis/ st. Paul as they have heard about it, have friends/ family from their homeland that live here, and many persons that have started out in MN and do leave for another state often end up coming back to their "home" in MN. One should not also overlook the Metro area's impressive human service and specifically workforce development/ employment service systems - we are often the "model" in these categories (despite a lot of budget cuts in recent years) for the rest of the nation - they play a BIG role in the employment rates of Somali and other refugee/ immigrant groups here in MN.

Somalis are somewhat known for their work ethics, but it is more their persistency, motivation, and determination that I think one could stereotype about.

Lastly, in regards to the other posts on here... there is nothing to be afraid of. Most Somalis here are happy as hell to be here and just want a better life for themselves, their families, and their people; I don't want to get into talk of "assimilation" or being "respectful" as I find it offensive that these get used so often in our "nation of immigrants" - they imply that persons need to "act like" and/or "be respectful" (e.g. subservient) of the dominant culture...- many studies/ reports/ news stories have found that immigrants and refugees in America today are much more keen to picking up the language and learning how to fit in than Americans' grandparents ever were.

And sure, there are a number of younger kids in their teens who are little punks that are up to no good, but how does that differ from any/ all other groups in America?

[AQUEMINI331]

So I'm curious - why did Somalis come to Minneapolis in the first place? Usually there's a logical reason for certain ethnicities or immigrant groups to settle in certain cities - for example, a lot of Ethopians are in Washington, D.C. because it's the only U.S. city with a direct flight to Ethopia (via Rome on Alitalia Airlines). So is Northwest running flights from Minneapolis to Somalia? Why Minneapolis? Hell, for that matter, why Sweden? As far as I know, Sweden never colonized Somalia or anything like that. Why someplace so cold, someplace where the climate is so different from Somalia?


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[BRMan]

Originally Posted by AQUEMINI331

So I'm curious - why did Somalis come to Minneapolis in the first place? Usually there's a logical reason for certain ethnicities or immigrant groups to settle in certain cities - for example, a lot of Ethopians are in Washington, D.C. because it's the only U.S. city with a direct flight to Ethopia (via Rome on Alitalia Airlines). So is Northwest running flights from Minneapolis to Somalia? Why Minneapolis? Hell, for that matter, why Sweden? As far as I know, Sweden never colonized Somalia or anything like that. Why someplace so cold, someplace where the climate is so different from Somalia?

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I think the Minneapolis/Minnesota political leadership invited Somalis to come to Minneapolis as refuge from the political instability.

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by BRMan

I think the Minneapolis/Minnesota political leadership invited Somalis to come to Minneapolis as refuge from the political instability.

And, as I posted in a thread that has been deleted, because Minneapolis houses one of two national Centers for Victims of Torture and Genocide.

[AQUEMINI331]

Where's the other one?


BTW that's great that Minneapolis has opened itself up for those seeking political refuge. It seems to me that struggling cities in the U.S. such as Detroit and Buffalo should do the same since many Americans are leaving those places.


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[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by AQUEMINI331

Where's the other one?



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Washington DC.

[Camden Northsider]

It's a collaboration of state-level government and the Volag (voluntary agencies - e.g. Lutheran Social Services, World Relief, Council of Churches, etc. - there are 7 large organizations here), deciding to accept (state) and resettle (volag) refugee populations. Minnesota has been in a very good position to do so in part due to its prosperity here- we have a well developed social and human service system, a good job market and economy, available housing, etc....

[StPaulEastSider]

As you can see by my online name, I don't live in Mpls, but St. Paul is part of the Twin Cities.

I do know of one unsolved murder in North Minneapolis which the police attribute to a "gang initiation". I knew the young man, he was active in my church and he was an immigrant. He was from from Ghana. His name was Gerald Khan.

I honestly do not believe, to this day, that Gerald was personally involved in any gang activity. He was in the back alley garage of his own home, a home he and his brothers built on land their father purchased. There dad bought this land shortly after he first immigrated here. It was his "American Dream" purchase.

The land was located on Penn Ave in North Mpls. That is where Gerald was murdered, in his garage, in his back alley, while working on his car with a friend.

Because I know of that case, I cannot say gang violence never affects innocents. But I still believe it to be extremely rare.

Note - the persons who did this to Gerald, while they have not (to my knowledge) ever been brought to justice, were very likely NOT immigrants.

Gerald had a friend at his side when this all went down, he didn't see faces but he heard voices. The perps asked for their wallets. So It was either a poorly executed robbery (they ended up leaving the wallets behind) or, as the police said, a gang-initiation murder.

If it was a gang-initiation murder, I find it interesting that we don't hear about this happening in Minnesota too often. I wonder if the victims are often immigrants.

I wonder, if the young man left for dead had been a white, suburban kid, might the case be solved by now? I'm sure it would have gotten a lot more coverage. The gangs don't want a lot of coverage, so I suspect they pick their innocent victims accordingly.

As for the immigrant community, they have my utmost respect. Where would St. Paul be without the Hmong community? It would be a ghost town, especially the east side!

~Susan

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by StPaulEastSider

If it was a gang-initiation murder, I find it interesting that we don't hear about this happening in Minnesota too often. I wonder if the victims are often immigrants.

You don't hear about too often because the Twin Cities, while having many gangs and members, have been relatively lucky in that TC gangs are rather tame compared to other major US cities. I think that this is all changing though as more and more younger kids are joining gangs as well as the recent arrival of Southern Californian gang Sur 13.