Opinion | What Minnesota CEOs could do meaningfully in this time of crisis

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An open letter to Minnesota’s corporate leaders:

I want to speak to you as corporate leaders, but also as human beings and members of our community.

Many of you signed a statement issued by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce calling for an “immediate de-escalation of tensions” and for “state, local and federal officials to work together.”

I know that I speak for many in our community when I express our deep disappointment with that letter. To put it bluntly, you have failed to show the moral courage and clarity we expect from our state’s corporate leaders.

At a time when our cities are under siege by a lawless army of occupation, committing countless acts of brutality and flagrantly ignoring the rule of law, we need and expect more.

Our immigrant neighbors have contributed enormously to the vitality of our city. They are also a vital part of your workforce and customer base.

The response of their fellow citizens has been overwhelming and inspiring. Many thousands of Twin Citizens have organized themselves into mutual aid networks, contributing money, buying groceries and delivering tens of thousands of food boxes to their besieged neighbors.

The response from you, our corporate leaders, has been for the most part a deafening silence.

We understand the responsibility you feel to maximize shareholder value. But recent history has shown that corporations ignore their responsibilities to their other stakeholders — their employees, their customers and their communities — at their peril.

It would have been nice if your letter had acknowledged in a more explicit way the pain and violence that is being inflicted on our community. But at this point a more courageous statement is not what we need. What we need is concrete material support for our cities, and especially the people in our immigrant communities who are in desperate situations, running out of food and unable to pay their rent.

The funds could be administered by one or more of the local foundations that have built outstanding reputations for integrity and accountability — the Minneapolis Foundation, the St. Paul & Minnesota Foundation and the McKnight Foundation all come to mind.

We aren’t asking you to “take sides.” We are simply asking you to meet the humanitarian needs of a community in crisis. Your community. It’s the least we can ask from our leaders. Four hundred million dollars would have an enormous impact. And you could regain the respect of the community. You would become local heroes.