June 26, 1990 - Gays and lesbians in St. Paul have gone without legal protection from discrimination since 1978, when voters repealed homosexual rights legislation that had been in effect for four years. And though the new measure easily won the approval of a council majority the specter of that defeat was raised by council member Roger Goswitz’s lone dissent. The group Citizens Alert says it will collect the 5200 signatures needed to put the measure on a general election ballot, but may not do it this year.
July 4, 1990 - Benjamin Barber, American political theorist, speaking at a G. Theodore Mitau Lecture at Macalester College in St. Paul. Barber’s address is on the topic “How Democratic is the Constitution?”
July 10, 1990 - Barry Commoner, author, environmentalist, and director of the Center for Biology of Natural Systems, speaking at an environmental conference sponsored by Clean Water Action in St. Paul. Commoner told his audience of environmental activists that during the past 20 years, pollution control has been a total failure, and stated that society must challenge corporations to do business in an environmentally responsible way.
July 13, 1990 - Mikhail Gorbachev, president of the Soviet Union, speaking with leaders in business and agriculture at the Radisson Hotel in Minneapolis. Following speech, Gorbachev answered audience questions. (Gorbachev’s speech and answers were translated) Dwayne Andreas, CEO of Archer Daniels Midland Company, chaired the meeting and introduced President Gorbachev. The meeting at the Radisson Hotel was part of Gorbachev’s one-day visit to the Twin Cities on June 3rd.
July 17, 1990 - Dries van Agt, European Community ambassador to the United States, speaking at Minnesota Meeting. Van Agt’s address was titled "Economic Superpowers: European Community, Japanese and U.S. Relations in the '90s." He talked on the political situations within former Eastern-European communist countries. After speech, van Agt’s answered audience questions. Minnesota Meeting is a non-profit corporation which hosts a wide range of public speakers. It is managed by the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.
July 18, 1990 - Gloria Steinem, editorial consultant and writer for Ms. magazine, giving keynote address for the anniversary celebration of CHART/WEDCO, a non-profit organization that provides career development and business consulting for women. Celebration was held in Minneapolis. Steinem co-founded the national feminist monthly Ms. Magazine, in 1972. She is the author of the book, "The Bedside Book of Self-Esteem."
July 19, 1990 - MPR’s Chris Roberts reports on the challenges Southeast Asians face in finding employment and social services in St. Paul. Roberts looks into a city plan that provides better access and avenues for those in the Hmong community to utilize.
July 23, 1990 - Nien Cheng, author of the book "Life and Death in Shanghai", speaking at the Fargo Town Hall. Cheng told her audience about Chinese history and politics, her experiences during the Cultural Revolution, and her views about the Communist party and conditions in China today. Cheng is the widow of a former Kuomintang diplomat and executive at Shell Oil Company's Shanghai subsidiary. She was a target of the Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution in China, and was arrested, placed in solitary confinement, and tortured. After nearly seven years of imprisonment, Nien Cheng was released - only to find that her only child had been killed by the revolutionaries.
August 9, 1990 - Andrei Codrescu speaking at the Walker Art Center as part of its American Icons Series. His speech was titled, "Where is Abroad?: The Disappearance of the Outside in the Age of Collapsed Ideologies". Codrescu talked about literature, religion, politics, history, imagination, and the necessity of exile.
August 22, 1990 - Ralph Nader, consumer activist, speaking about at the Early Warnings Conference in Minneapolis, a meeting of print and broadcast journalists, environmental scientists and consumer activists. Nader's address was on the topic "Media and the Solar Age."