My hometown

Last week the Washington Post published an article about my hometown, Worthington, Minnesota, https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/immigration/immigrant-kids-fill-this-towns-schools-their-bus-driver-resents-the-system-that-brought-them-here/2019/09/22/861c0fb4-d321-11e9-9610-fb56c5522e1c_story.html.  Reading the article about my hometown prompted me to think of Bruce Springstein’s song, “My Hometown.” First, I’m amazed that the Washington Post would do an article about Worthington.  That’s very cool.  But the content is disturbing.  I’m not sure it reflects an accurate picture of what is happening in Worthington, but it leads me to ask the question, “What’s happening in my hometown?”  I think Bruce Springstein could write a song about Worthington.  Though I haven’t lived there since I graduated from college, my parents still do and I go to Worthington at least twice a year.  I pay attention and care about what’s happening there.

Worthington is a much different place compared to when I graduated from high school.  According to Census information, in 1980 the percent of non-Whites was one or two percent; in 2010 the percent of non-Whites in 2010 was 34 percent.  In thirty years the number of non-Whites has gone from about 200 to 4,000. 

The changing racial demographics of the City has garnered people’s attention. Worthington has become one flashpoint of the debate happening in the United States about Immigration.  Just last week Veena Iyer (http://www.startribune.com/immigrants-make-our-community-stronger/561470552/) and Michelle Bachmann (http://www.startribune.com/washington-post-article-shows-that-open-borders-rip-our-towns-apart/561470512/) wrote articles in the Start Tribune in response to the Washington Post story. 

Combine issues around Immigration with Race and the Washington Post and many others in the media will pay attention.   

For three weeks I’m sharing a sermon series on the topic of race at the church I serve. They can be found at: https://vimeo.com/chainoflakes. I’ve shared the story in the series how I learned about race when my parents moved for a year to Kansas City. We lived a hundred yards from the “projects.” In Kansas City I had friends for the first time in my life whose skin color was different than mine and friends who spoke a different language. It was a whole new world about which I loved learning. In my sermon yesterday I shared that in 4^th grade I went to Kansas City to learn about race while today I could learn the same lessons in my hometown.  

Change is hard and some of the quotes in Michael Miller’s article were disturbing. Don Brink and Dave Bosma were quoted in a way that made them sound like White Supremacists. Whether that is true or not I don’t know.  I’ll give both Brink and Bosma the benefit of the doubt.  However what I do know is the schools in Worthington are bursting at the seams and more space is needed. The sixth referendum for expanding the schools will be voted upon in November.  If I was living in Worthington, I would vote for it and encourage others to do the same. Quality education has always been one pathway to a better life—whether it was for the Norwegians in the 1890s, the Vietnamese in the 1970s or the Hispanics in the 2010s.

 These changes are hard because race is at the center of them.  I’ve been preaching to the people of Chain of Lakes that we are called to create an environment where race can be discussed openly and honestly. Healthy discussion without charges of racism or tinged with guilt or judgment can untie the Gordian know that race can cause. 

And I get it, the call to healthy conversations about race seems small when the issues are so large.  “Let’s talk in a healthy way” doesn’t seem to resonate when the schools are overcrowded and unaccompanied minors are arriving in large numbers.  But these short-term crises don’t need to mask the long-term issue. 

America has never been and quite frankly will never be a white country. The changing demographics of Worthington represent the changing demographics of the United States.  Until America comes to term with race and its racial history more stories about towns like Worthington will continue to be published.  It’s time to stop being “Minnesota Nice” when it comes to race and have the difficult conversations that differences in race cause.

Attending the Minnesota State Fair

This past Friday, August 30, Amy, Hannah, Hannah’s friend, Carter and I joined 209,785 others at the Great Minnesota Get-Together, known as the State Fair.  Amy & I haven’t missed a State Fair since we were married. Most times we go more than once. This year Amy & Hannah went on Opening Day while I waited until Friday for this annual celebration.

The first challenge of the Fair is where to park. We’ve done park-and-ride before, but this year we decided to drive. I dropped off the three at the gate and went searching for street parking east of the main entrance.  While I’m looked for parking I’m kept asking myself the question, “How much is my time worth?”  Parking right across Snelling is $30; parking about a quarter mile away is $20.  Do I keep looking for free parking or do I pay?

I’m basically cheap at heart, so I kept driving east until I found a free spot on Como & Midway Parkway.  It was only a mile walk.  That’s worth $20, right? Right????

How did people stay together at the Fair prior to cell phones? The app that kept the red-heads and I near each other this year was Find Friends.  All I had to do was click that app, and I could find the lovely red-heads in my life.

When we found each other we couldn’t help but sing? The Giant Sing Along is a fun place to stretch our vocal cords. Each of us found a microphone and added to the cacophony of sound at the fair. I found out later that the playlist is voted on the previous year and is on the State Fair web site.  https://www.mnstatefair.org/

Amy & I then walked to the grandstand.  I even went up the stairs to check out what was there.  While walking I thought about what would happen if the Presbytery had a stand in the grandstand or somewhere else in the fair.  A terrific way to share information, develop a list of people who might be interested in a local congregation, and have fun. 

Yesterday was Rotary Day at the Fair—along with MPR Day and many other organizations’ days. I’m part of the Blaine, Ham-Lake Rotary club. At our meeting this past Wednesday I was told about Rotary Day, so I wore my Rotary shirt. They had a stand near the grandstand—great idea for a non-profit to have a stand!—and I enjoyed talking to people at the stand.

We met-up with a high-school classmate of Amy’s and her husband and spent the rest of the day trying to stay together. Not easy when over 200,000 people have joined the party. 

During the afternoon the group, Cantus sang at the Minnesota Public Radio Booth. Their singing was divine and inspired me to go to one of their concerts this year. 

I walked over to the KFAN booth and listened to Dan Cole and Mark Rosen riff on the local sports scene.  At their stand I saw a Vikings shirt that I couldn’t help but notice. In yellow color on a purple shirt the slogan read, “54^th time’s the charm.” I’m not sure how the number 54 came up.  But I understand the sentiment.  I’ve written before about the pain of a Vikings fan—four Super Bowls, Gary Anderson, Brett Favre interception when we were in field goal range, wide left. The Minneapolis Miracle helped for a week—until we were thrashed by the Eagles. 

When I saw that shirt I thought, “I’m going to regret not purchasing that.” So for only $15 I had another shirt to wear during the fair. 

And the rest of the day I received a large number of comments from Vikings fan.

One of the best parts of the fair is running into people. My nieces met us for a bit at the Eco building. I saw some Presby pastors and kept seeing friends. Going through Facebook I saw that many others were there. With over five percent of the Metro is in one place I’m bound to run into some people I know.

Of course, we ate—and the number on the scale on Saturday affirmed how much I ate.  

Sweet corn—tasty as always

Walleye in a boat—too expensive at $9

Chicken and artichoke fajita at the Food Booth—nothing too special;

Cinammin almonds—there is no way to stop eating these once they are purchased

Stuffed Cabbage Role—thanks, honey for sharing with me!

Cheese Curds—I didn’t think I was going to have this treat I eat every year. But as I left the fair and walked by the Food Building I realized I still had $6 in my pocket. I know they aren’t good for me and would increase the number on the scale on Saturday morning. But eating cheese curds isn’t rational, right?

Thelma’s Handmade Ice Cream sandwich—A new food that I hope stays—yumm!

Key Lime Ice Cream Bar—oustanding

And plenty of water and a glass of lemonade

I’ll be taking off these pounds for at least a week. But it was worth every bite!

Other miscellaneous items about the fair. 

·       I took three surveys at the U of MN building.  One on the flu shot, one on different types of milk, and one on sex. I could have had three U of M backpacks.

·       The semi-finals amateur talent contest was delightful. I had the opportunity to watch the 12 & under division. Any kid who is 12 & under who will get in front of at least 500 people deserves applause.

·       During the evening we spent a half hour at the Midway. That was one big party of high school kids. If I was that age, this would be the place I would want to be.

I love the fair. Despite eating too much and walking 23,576 steps I’m already looking forward to next year!

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