Kenosha Speaks

 

My father-in-law, Gregg, is an amazing man. He's done auto repair and restoration as a profession for many years, but also does custom builds and dwarf-racers that blow me away. He's gifted. He's also a pretty good writer, as I've seen in various "Letters to the editor" he's written for the local papers. So when he wrote a touching email to all of us expressing what it felt like living in Kenosha, the epicenter of the Cultural Cold War, I couldn't help but be impressed yet again.

I asked his permission to re-print the email in my blog, and he consented. He also gave me an update: "Kenosha Sheriff David Beth announced (news video) that there have been 200+ arrests since the Blake shooting.  Beth says that more than half of those have been non-residents ... which begs for more details surrounding this 'imported' conduct.  A news media opportunity, says me."

Indeed. It confirms what we intrinsically knew to be true already - these agitators are largely coming in from outside Kenosha.

Gregg references the six arsonists who set the Danish Brotherhood building ablaze, and they have become a focus of my interest as well. They seemed a little too coordinated, too polished, too prepared, even. And I can't prove whether these arsonists were right-wing or left-wing agitators, but Gregg is right - we need to be far more interested in finding out.

What that introduction, I present the words of one of Kenosha's finest residents. Most people hate their in-laws. I love mine. You're about to see why.

Eric

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Family, 

I do read the exchanges .... as well as the blathering links, the templates of expressions of sympathy, and the political posturing.  It does little for me.  

What I'm feeling is pain and rage - akin to discovering that a dozen friends have been rounded up and killed.  It is that kind of shock, a body-blow, and it spawns fear in me.  Am I next?  

I'm invested here - 74, arriving in Kenosha in 1952, entering the third grade.  I have supported this city, behaved myself, paid my taxes, I married 'up', raised two trophy kids, and I proudly picketed George Wallace in Library Park.   Kenosha is home to me.  This week, one man survived a police shooting and multiple sole-proprietorships were deliberately burned or looted.  The losses were aimed at local business owners, not corporations.  Personally, a slice of my history was destroyed.   

Since the outset of these assaults, the government's collective response has been reactive - it's been defensive and behind the curve.  The community is vocal - it wants change, within an envelope of security.  A panel of our 'leaders' sat before the media and made toothless promises - "We're committed to protecting Kenosha", say the mayor, county exec, police chief, Nat Guard commander -  but I feel no safer. The city didn't realize it was (... and  maybe still is) at war with itself.  Credit the mayor, who vowed to listen.  Damn, I hope so, because law enforcement has an attitude problem that needs fixing, and it's not just local.          

As the days unwound last week, sadly, Kenosha mistakenly lumped peaceful-but-outraged citizens (exercising free-speech) together with violent rioters who disregard law.  They are not one group.  

The mother of the victim of police gunfire pleaded with everyone for unity, equal justice, and peace - an amazing display of character and restraint.  In contrast, six athletic arsonists bound out of the Danish Brotherhood building, setting a consumate blaze.  These people represent two distinct groups - one peaceful, one not.   

Was Kenosha the victim of an imported semi-pro team, or were the burners home-grown?  We don't know who's responsible for these photos, and personally it's perplexing that I've seen little interest in finding the answer.  Our collective indifference manifests itself as finger-pointing, division, and hate,  ... but I believe that's misplaced and fixable.  Kenosha's truer character has shined thru.  Immediately, volunteer cleanup crews pitched in - no one asked.  Boarded-up store-fronts have become billboards of hope.   Owners' commitments to re-build have raised our defeated emotions.  That is this city's character, emerging.   

From the Racine Times editorial, on Kenosha:  "It cannot happen to a city like this ever again. Never."   Well, that's an interesting  post, but it's empty unless change happens.  

We are all human beings.  No group is superior to another.  We are created equal.  Every one here is endowed with the right to life, to liberty, and to the pursuit of happiness.  If we can agree to that much, then policing can shift to genuine law enforcement and community protection, away from posing a threat to any one group. Civility can be restored, so that one faction can hear and understand another.  Justice can be ensured, so that arsonists can be held to account for destroying both property and the spirits of communities like Kenosha.  And the right of those who speak out against oppression must be guaranteed - by the police if necessary - not crushed or lumped in with anarchists.    

If inclusive democracy is what Racine's paper meant with their editorial, then I'm on board. If it's intended as an executive order, count me out - I've had my fill of noble and aspiring autocrats, who neither recognize an attack on society when they see it, nor seek out those responsible.  A little justice and peace in the valley, please.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to find joy where little is to be had.  

Gregg

Two examples, of the dozens to pick from: