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| For a period of time in the spring and summer in 2008, following Obama's victory in the February 2008 Wisconsin Democratic Primary, hope defined black and brown Milwaukee. This writer has never encountered such a phenomenon, not like '08 and it was palpable, before or since. |
The slow-motion pogrom of segregation in Milwaukee
Stupid white people in Milwaukee will call for the restoration of "order" soon, amid calls to police their way out of "violence". Lots of atonal whitesplaining to come.
Updated - See Callen Harty, On the Milwaukee Riot.See Miles Brown, Madison365 for rational commentary devoid of whitesplaining.
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Woke up this morning to reports police killing a man in Milwaukee was met with violent objection, CNN.
First things first, the Milwaukee police officer who killed a man will be cleared of any wrongdoing.
Report Aaron Mak, Jacob Carpenter and Ashley Luthern in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
A standoff between police and an angry crowd turned violent Saturday night in the hours after a Milwaukee police officer shot and killed an armed suspect during a foot chase on the city's north side.
After an hours-long confrontation with officers, police reported at 10:15 p.m. that a gas station at N. Sherman Blvd. and W. Burleigh St. was set on fire. Police said firefighters could not for a time get close to the blaze because of gunshots.
Later, fires were started at businesses — including a BMO Harris Bank branch, a beauty supply company and O'Reilly Auto Parts stores — near N. 35th and W. Burleigh streets, a grim and emphatic Mayor Tom Barrett said. He spoke at a midnight news conference at the District 3 police station at N. 49th St. and W. Lisbon Ave. [Google Map link added]
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| The slow-motion pogrom of Milwaukee. Victims are black and brown. Image: George Grosz, God of War, 1940 - Fear of the Other |
This entire community has sat back and witnessed how Milwaukee, Wis., has become the worst place to live for African-Americans in the entire country. Now this is a warning cry. Where do we go from here? Where do we go as a community from here?Here is what you will not read: Greater Milwaukee is the most segregated urban area in the country, a segregated dynasty. Philly? St. Louis. Those two cities are fountains of integration and equality compared to Milwaukee.
Do we continue – continue with the inequities, the injustice, the unemployment, the under-education, that creates these byproducts that we see this evening? … The black people of Milwaukee are tired. They’re tired of living under this oppression. This is their existence. This is their life. This is the life of their children.
Now what has happened tonight may have not been right; I’m not justifying that. But no one can deny the fact that there’s problems, racial problems, here in Milwaukee, Wis., that have to be closely, not examined, but rectified. Rectify this immediately. Because if you don’t, this vision of downtown, all of that, you’re one day away. You’re one day away.
Republicans armed with their toxic, racial politics want violence and the current titular governor of Wisconsin has made his political career on appeals to racism. No Republican is going to give up what works, and demonizing and preventing the lives of black folks is good politics.
"Love and rage. Righteous rebellion," reads a tweet from the Coalition 4 Justice, Lamont Lilly, early Sunday morning.
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| "Love and rage. Righteous rebellion," reads a tweet from the Coalition 4 Justice, Lamont Lilly early Sunday morning. |
Too many white people are vested in social arrangements just the way they are.
Racial problems that have to be closely examined, and rectified? Not going to happen in Milwaukee. Not in Wisconsin. And Alder Rainey, you know this is the truth.
Maybe after decades and decades, the horror of racism and worsening police oppression will bend under the weight of a supportive white Milwaukee community, cheering civil liberties and putting their bodies on the line against hate and social injustice.
And maybe the Milwaukee Brewers will take the World Series this year. Maybe Scott Walker will hold a no-rules, anybody-can-come townhall-style listening session in the black areas of north Milwaukee, say wards 1-280, (pp. 74-84; Wisconsin Elections Commission). Have a look, (pp. 74-84; Wisconsin Elections Commission), and contemplate the question, why do Republicans want to suppress Milwaukee voters where most of Wisconsin blacks live.
Take it easy in the sun, folks, because Milwaukee is utterly, irretrievably, fucking hopeless.
Thought about the housing-segregation UW-Madison scholar Karl Taeuber the year Scott Walker assumed office, the enlightened nature of today's youth, and other such matters after talking with some folks on Madison Wisconsin's black Leland Drive.
Good talks. But forget what I said about hope, if you are black and brown you are crazy indeed if you move to Wisconsin.
Better think about rural Georgia or some other urban center. Like my Aunt Jerre said, "Mikey, it's more matriarchal than racist, here, sweetheart," referring a cultural referent emphasizing the values of motherhood and a generic feminism in the rural south.
The slow-motion pogroms of northern United States cities such as Milwaukee are more invidious today than the most vile rural, southern community.
Stop killing us, said some black folks in Milwaukee in 2014. The Milwaukee
Police and the Milwaukee community had a simple reply: No.
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| Milwaukee in one image. Never has one major political party, white Republicans, so inflicted one community in modern history. Source: MacGillis and Schulberg, The New Republic |
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