Racists in Hurley, Wisconsin Bar: Mother-f***ing Indians, Get Out

William Brown

Scholarship and activism come together in Wisconsin following an ugly racist incident

Updated—Racism is thriving in Hurley, Wisconsin, specifically  Freddie's Old Time Saloon and Hall of Fame where "fu**ing Indians" are not welcome.

The rightwing is active in Hurley, Wisconsin: Koch brothers, Americans for Prosperity and GTac make quite the unholy trinity, or if you like, half a six-pack of a**holes.

They are supported by racists and corrupt local officials, including Iron County District Attorney Martin Lipske and Iron County Circuit Court Judge Patrick "Madman" Madden.

Racism and corruption when combined make a combustible compound.

William Brown is a Native American and he and three friends were visiting Freddie's Old Time Saloon and Hall of Fame Saturday night in Hurley (in Iron County) on Silver Street,  a quarter-mile-long stretch of road with some 20 bars and half a dozen strip clubs.

Mr. Brown describes what happened next (see also Mr. Brown's Facebook page):

So. Pardon the rant. But me and three others were just chased out of this establishment [Freddie's Old Time Saloon & Hall of Fame] and called 'fucking Indians.' In the owners words.... you mother fucking Indians get the fuck out of here....we paid our bill after we noticed their policy on supporting mining. I asked the owner how they felt about mining on ceded territory and she said fuck you Indians...and this owner put her hands on me. Being the better man I walked out of the establishment and we are well down the road. Please make this aware and do not support this establishment. The owner called 911 and reported a gang of drunk and disorderly Indians because I asked a service and or business......for those that doubt....racism is alive and well in the world and it apparently resides strongly in Hurley, WI. I will tell all those reading this that this only Strengthened the Ogichidaag resolve..... I have never felt more like a warrior than today...by resisting the urge of my Dna to react in a negative way. For ourselves, for my children, for your children..... For all...... I say burn the fires! No mine, no disrespect.... one love! !!!!!!!

Appropriate an activist with the spirit of Brown runs into extraordinarily vile racism, just after I just sent some fellow activists up north an email I received last Summer from Charles F. Wilkinson, Moses Lasky Professor of Law at the University of Colorado Law School.

Katie Kloth - Environmental Activist

I had been corresponding with these folks on the eve of the arraignment of Katie Krow Kloth, a woman whom the corrupt Iron County district attorney is trying to have thrown in prison for her action at a political rally. [Point of fact, Ms. Kloth is an environmental activist who deserves a civil citation for disorderly conduct at a political rally, but the DA who has a history of this kind of crap is charging her with four criminal offences.]

I first met Charles F. Wilkinson on April 20, 1990, covering a symposium for the Capital Times he and human rights activists, scholars and jurists were giving on racism and spearfishing up north in 1990 (Rundell Lecture Series, sponsored by the Oliver Rundell Fund and the UW-Madison Law School's Institute for Legal Studies).

Wilkerson said the hunting and fishing rights controversy in northern Wisconsin at the time is "an epic case study in race relations, a symbol of the age-old threshold between the majority society and racial minorities.''

Among those in the audience were Wisconsin's most distinguished jurists and Native American rights activists, all coming together to denounce repulsive developments up north.

Charles Wilkinson

"Racism is detestable and virulent,'' said Wilkinson. "My guess is the people of Wisconsin will not allow it to continue in this vicious and senseless fashion for many more years.''

On the eve of Katie Kloth taking on the same forces of corruption, hate and racism, Wilkinson may not know it, but his good will and scholarship live forever in northern Wisconsin.

And the spirit and resolve of William Brown has already won the war for peace against vicious, senseless racism, though I suspect Brown knows this.

Monday, many will stand in solidarity with Katie Kloth, a warrior for peace not even the lies of Martin Lipske can slander.

Lipske can be certain many people and I will be monitoring these legal proceedings closely.