Michael Cavlan endorses Farheen Hakeem

I have been incredibly busy, being a Street Medic treating the victims
of police brutality, doing Indy media journalism and telling the stories
that the local and national corporate media refuse to do, exposing our local elected officials complicity in the RNC police abuse etc etc. I have wanted to answer this post and finally get time and the chance.

I will answer as a Trade Union activist, Registered Nurse, having worked organizing with the MNA, proud former member of the Michigan Nurses assoc, ITGWU (Irish Transport and general Workers Union) IVG&ATA (Irish VintnersGrocers & Allied Trades Assoc) and I come a family with a long history of Trade Unionism. I also speak as male feminist and social justice activist.

I proudly and gladly endorse Farheen Hakeem and will be delighted when she becomes my representative. Rest assured, she will in all likelihood win this election.

Recently, the psuedo-progressive organization Take Action Minnesota (formerly
Progressive Minnesota) endorsed, supported and helped Mayor Coleman in his
election. This is the same "progressive" who, along with RT Ryback stood
with the police, giving them the legal authority to brutalize protestors.

This means that those "progressives" in Take Action Minnnesota now have
some serious egg on their faces. Once Farheen Hakeem wins this seat we can
assume that the MNA and Social Workers Union will likewise have egg on their
faces.

Taking this to a deeper level though, there are other questions that must be
asked. The MNA and Social Workers Union both represent professions that are
primarily women. Yet they choose to not endorse Farheen Hakeem, who is a woman.
Can it be that Farheen Hakeem represents people who will not accept the classist,
racist and sexist status quo?

Florence Nightingale was a radical activist for the poor and in opposition to the war of her time, the Krimean War. Farheen Hakeem best represents the spirit of Florence Nightingale in 61B. Sadly, that spirit seems to have been crushed, a long time ago in the Minnesota Nurses Association.

This Nurse, who has walked picket lines during the June 2001 Nurses strike and long time Union activist proudly stands with my sister Farheen Hakeem. She will make history, being the first Green and first Muslim woman elected to the Minnesota House.

The MNA, Social Workers Union and Take Action Minnesota will all be far too busy washing the egg off their faces to notice.

Michael Cavlan RN
Powderhorn