Search Results for: Doug McGill

Minnesota Ethiopians Rally to Free an ‘Icon of Democracy” by Doug McGill 2010-01-16

Posted on by ovithanos

In churches, schools and meeting halls around Minnesota, the state’s sizeable population of Ethiopian refugees is rallying to free a political heroine  who is wasting away in prison in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. The woman is Birtukan Mideksa, a 35-year-old mother and charismatic political leader who has been attracting millions of young followers – and … More Minnesota Ethiopians Rally to Free an ‘Icon of Democracy” by Doug McGill 2010-01-16

At Last, the Minnesota Oromo Share Their Secret by Doug McGill 2009-12-19

Posted on by ovithanos

Who knows the Minnesota Oromo? Who knows their dark secret? Fifteen thousand Oromo live in Minnesota but they blend in almost invisibly, like a stealthy, anonymous population in the state. They are teachers, doctors and lawyers; they run retail shops and corporations; they attend Viking games, relax at coffee shops and stroll at malls. They … More At Last, the Minnesota Oromo Share Their Secret by Doug McGill 2009-12-19

The Horn of Africa is Dying. Who Cares? by Doug McGill 2009-12-16

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For all its vivid detail, the picture painted by one after another speaker was almost too abstract and too distant – not to mention too evil — to fully take in. Anyway, could such an extreme scenario, of serial societal extinction no less, really be happening in the world today? An apocalypse of nations falling … More The Horn of Africa is Dying. Who Cares? by Doug McGill 2009-12-16

Ethiopian Despot Hijacks Copenhagen Leadership Role by Doug McGill 2009-12-05

Posted on by ovithanos

I’m going to break one of my own writing rules today. In the six years that I’ve written about Ethiopian immigrants and politics in Minnesota, I’ve never editorialized directly against the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi. Instead, I’ve limited myself to reporting on the experiences, outlooks and opinions of Ethiopian immigrants who live in Minnesota, … More Ethiopian Despot Hijacks Copenhagen Leadership Role by Doug McGill 2009-12-05

Stared Down by neo-Nazis, She Battled Back with Love by Doug McGill 2009-11-19

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When Giselle Stern Hernández finished writing her one-woman show, “The Deportee’s Wife ,”  not in her wildest dreams did she imagine she’d one day perform it for neo-Nazis. That would have been like a sick joke or an awful nightmare.After all, Stern Hernández is the daughter of a Polish Jewish father and a Mexican mother … More Stared Down by neo-Nazis, She Battled Back with Love by Doug McGill 2009-11-19

The Idiot Monster and the News by Doug McGill 2009-11-07

Posted on by ovithanos

That our news media is busted will come as no surprise to consumers of vanishing newspapers, shoutfest TV “news shows” and the unchecked political soapbox called the Internet. But the devolution of our news media has now reached a point that is in some ways so extreme, and with the stakes for democracy so high, … More The Idiot Monster and the News by Doug McGill 2009-11-07

The Politico Paradox: Feeding the Media we Hate by Doug McGill 2009-10-30

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For just a brief moment before Politico.com co-founder John Harris spoke last Friday at his alma mater, Carleton College, he might have allowed himself to think that finally – finally! – he would safely be able to relax in the warm embrace of a completely friendly and appreciative crowd. After co-founding the gossipy, sensation-loving, successful … More The Politico Paradox: Feeding the Media we Hate by Doug McGill 2009-10-30

A Journey from War to Football and First Snow by Doug McGill 2009-10-24

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Since Feras Alkaisi, his wife Sulaf and their two young children moved here four months ago, they’ve experienced a lot of firsts – backyard barbecues, a casino (Treasure Island), carnival rides (at the Mall of America), watching football on TV, and last week, falling snow.  “I saw snow once before but it was on the … More A Journey from War to Football and First Snow by Doug McGill 2009-10-24