Feds Take on Racism in Wisconsin

[kpete]

Source: Courthouse News Service

Feds Take on Racism in Wisconsin
By LISA BUCHMEIER

MILWAUKEE (CN) - A Wisconsin city in the most segregated region in the nation buckled to racist pressure and shut down an affordable housing project, federal prosecutors say. New Berlin has no affordable housing for general occupancy or families - just for seniors - and truckled to fears that affordable housing would draw minorities to the city, which is 95 percent white, according to a Fair Housing complaint.

The city approved a 180-unit project, but "Immediately afterward, and over the next several weeks, city officials received numerous emails, calls, and other communications from residents of New Berlin, the large majority of whom voiced opposition to the ... project. Some of the opposition was based in part on fear that the prospective tenants would be African American or minority. The Mayor, Aldermen, Plan Commissioners, and staff at DCD were aware that community opposition was based in part on race," according to the complaint.

"The communications they received over several weeks contained express and implied racial terms that were derogatory and based on stereotypes of African American residents. These communications referenced 'niggers,' 'white flight,' 'crime,' 'drugs,' 'gangs,' 'families with 10 or 15 kids,' of needing 'to get a gun,' of 'slums,' of not wanting New Berlin to turn into 'Milwaukee,' of moving to New Berlin 'to get away from the poor people,' of not wanting to provide housing to people 'who work but do not live here.'"

New Berlin Mayor Jack Chiovatero initially supported the project, but was worn down by being called a "nigger lover," having his property vandalized and a failed recall effort against him. The pressures upon Chiovatero were revealed in an email he sent to a friend, indicating that he condemned racism, but found himself surrounded by it.

Read more: http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/06/27/37691.htm

[Drale]

1. Isn't New Berlin on the moon?

http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/New_Berlin

[keroro gunsou]

32. ha ha.

no. it's in wisconsin. and i live there.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Shameful. Sometimes I don't understand the level of ignorance that makes people racist.

[CatholicEdHead]

3. Well, Milwaukee is the most segregated metro in the country

http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/mollysnyder/segregatedsalon.html

[No Elephants]

23. From reading the wiki of Milwaukee, you'd think the African American and Mexican American popula-

tions were growing, although the historic larger populations were German and Polish.

[msongs]

4. when will "the fed" investigate the voter suppression laws WI has passed? nt

[midnight]

22. Touche!

[defendandprotect]

5. Violence succeeds in moving the rightwing forward once more ...

[TxVietVet]

6. I worked in New Berlin a few times.

9 chances out of 10, if you see a cop with a vehicle pulled over on Moreland, the car's driver was probably an African American. That's how New Berlin is. Wisconsinites are just as prejudiced or more prejudiced as some of the most racist Southerners I know. I received more respect from African Americans in Wisconsin than I did from the bigoted a$$holes there, especially the conservanazi lovers.
Milwaukee is the most racially divided city in America, I believe. I've worked in the ghettos there also. When all the manufacturing left, there were no jobs for all those laid off, especially minorities.

If you move to Milwaukee, just find any white Wisconsinite and bring up anything about the "core" and they will probably go on a rant about the blacks or bring up the "south side" and they will rant about Hispanics.

I'm from Texas. Most of the idiots I worked with treated me as if I were an idiot before they got to know me. Being a Vietnam veteran, I'm use to being insulted and ignored and I did the same thing back to them. There are a few cheese heads I wouldn't give a cold piece of monkey shit for. BUT, there are many Wisconsinites and cheese heads I still enjoy as friends. I had great times up there.

Lots of those folks up there, especially conservanazi lovers, don't believe how bad they are. I heard some vicious attacks against Hillary Clinton and President Obama especially from gun nuts.

Waukesha isn't much better.

[jwirr]

7. Just a guess but is New Berlin close to Milwaukee or another city?

Rural communities are often afraid that if they set up housing the city will move in.

[mysuzuki2]

12. it's a very near suburb

[TxVietVet]

16. New Berlin is on the western edge of Milwaukee.

People move to Waukesha County, where New Berlin is, so they can bitch about all minorities. They move to Waukesha so they can bitch about the Mexicans. :rofl:

[provis99]

11. Dude, you're from Texas. Glass houses and all...

[TxVietVet]

15. Does that mean I don't know discrimination or racism when I see it?

It's here in Texas.
Stupid people vote with their fears. That's what the conservanazis play.
I'm an American. I've lived in other parts of the World and the US. I still know discrimination and racism when I see it.

[Rebubula]

8. Wait Just a minute!

From what I read on DU - the South is the only place in the country where racism is a big problem....what gives?

Am I to understand that racism rears its ugly head in places that were NOT on the wrong side of the Civil War?

[TxVietVet]

17. Move to Milwaukee. Talk with a Southern accent. See what happens.

Racism is not JUST IN THE SOUTH. They have hate radio blasting the conservanazi propaganda 24/7/365. IT's subtly racist, but it feeds the true believers' prejudices. Some parts of Wisconsin are progressive. But, look what putting out all that conservanazi bu$hit did: got Walker elected. I worked with UNION guys for years. They listen to that crap and are just a racist as a KKKLucker.

The main thing is that they will talk their racist sh!t, but buckle up if you confront them in front of a minority and go into a denial mode BIGTIME. Gutless wonders. I grew up in the Army and learned that we are all in the same boat together and to look out for one another. I thought I knew a few greedy people until I worked in Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois. Now, I'm not saying that all those folks that live there are greedy and racist, but what I am saying until you live in an area, don't assume it's all nice and cozy.

[Scruffy1]

28. You make a lot of sense.

It seems that many in the north pride themselves on looking down their noses at "southerners", but in all my travels racism and bigotry are well used tools everywhere. They are the universal do all tool in the right wing tool box. As long as you can misdirect anger to someone else the masters are safely in control.
I've met great people in all the Southern states and some real assholes in Minnesota. We need to quit this demonizing by geography and move on to a more inclusive message of all the working people of America.

[No Elephants]

24. I forgot. Which side of the Civil War was Wisconsin on?

And I call bs on your claim that the gist of DU is that racism exists only in the South.

[SemperEadem]

9. it's too bad the good people of WI wont' stand up to this shit

but instead, cop to being intimidated by it and let that rule them. Weak sauce.

[TxVietVet]

18. A lot of folks do. I met quiet a few good progressives in Wisconsin.

Unfortunately, they aren't in power. I really liked Wisconsin when I first moved there over twenty years ago. I was an "outsider" from down South. I've lived and worked in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, Nebraska and Wisconsin. Some places are better than others. It's not all as it's supposed to be.

[hayrow]

10. New Berlin is in Waukesha County

New Berlin is a Milwaukee suburb in Waukesha County that exists because of "white flight" from the City of Milwaukee. Kathy Nickolaus,the Waukesha County Clerk, of recent note for finding Republican ballots in the nick of time in close elections to steal statewide elections for Pukes, will never be voted out of office there, and will not be prosecuted, because she does a fine job for the Wisconsin racists and keeps African American's out of Waukesha County. Having lived in Wisconsin, California, Arkansas, and Louisiana, I can confirm clearly that Wisconsin racists are among the most virulent you will find anywhere.

[TxVietVet]

19. I agree with your statement.

[olegramps]

13. In keeping with their namesake, the citizens are proposing building a gas chamber.

This project will commence after the completion of the Zyklon B manufacturing plant. Bonds that were underwritten by th Koch brothers for the project were quickly sold out disappointing hundreds of citizens. Anyone who is not a White Christian must be out of the city by 7:00 P.M. unless they have a special permit to work at the sewage plant or city dump.

[TxVietVet]

20. Or work in the foundries.

[No Elephants]

26. Jaysus.

[Archae]

14. Here in Sheboygan, it can be like that.

It's racism of the "Not in *MY* neighborhood!" variety.

My own family moved twice, when they lived in Milwaukee, when blacks moved 2-3 blocks away.

It's hysteria, brought on by too much right-wing propaganda.

[TxVietVet]

21. And the conservanazi propaganda is blaring 24/7 on at least two radio stations in Milwaukee.

[No Elephants]

25. Meh. Racism and xenophobia have been with us since we lived in caves.

Yes, the right wing exploits it. They wet their diapers when the Solid South began turning against Democrats and racism became part of their "Southern strategy." Lee Atwater wrote about this in his book. (Democrats and Dixiecrats pre Civil Rights Act of 1964 did the same.) It's certainly nationwide now.

But racism and xenophobia were not "brought on" by the RW. Today's RW is happy to make use of them.

[CatholicEdHead]

30. Sheboygan has the ring approach

Most of the minorities are in the older city. The outer ring of the city, north, west, and south sides tend to be whiter. Lake Michigan is on the far east of the city.

[TroglodyteScholar]

27. I've lived in or near heavily segregated cities in the south for most of my life...

Birmingham, Memphis, Macon...

Now I live in Racine, and I have to say that the racist attitudes in southeast WI are far more open than any of those places. More pervasive? Probably not. But the bigots up here are *very* vocal and have their own vocabulary of dogwhistles (see: "turds" and "thugs") so they can shield themselves from being called on their racism.

Edit: typo

[mochajava666]

31. I lived in southern WI for over 30 years, and it is very racist

There is an active KKK chapter there, and a very strong Tea-bagger following. This is Paul Ryan country, and there are a lot of pickups that proudly fly large "Dixie" flags from them. Any bar around there will have people loudly dropping the N Bomb any time Obama appears on the TV. I tried to get the N word banned from the High School, since teachers had no problem with it, and I got the cops called on me for being a troublemaker. I was told by the superintendent to keep quiet or I'll get into a lot more trouble that I could imagine.

Proud and ignorant, and proud to be ignorant. The deep south has nothing on these hillbilly rednecks.

[wellst0nev0ter]

29. We Don't Call It "White-sconsin" For Nothing

Not that Minnesota is a racial utopia either.