So I suppose I'm going to take heat from friends on both sides for this and maybe I'll even lose work (which I certainly can't afford). But could everyone please just try to take it down one notch?
I've been increasingly troubled by some of the over-the-top and toxic rhetoric flying back and forth between various friends and allies of mine. I know exactly how divisive this highly controversial Milwaukee County legislation was but none of us are helped by making permanent mortal enemies out of longtime partners and friends. I just don't see who wins in that scenario besides Republicans...and perhaps that was part of the plan in the first place.
I think I've been fairly clear that I've opposed the legislation to undermine the Milwaukee County Board and I've been vehemently opposed to the manner in which that goal was accomplished. So I don't have a problem with engaging in an aggressive and sometimes angry battle and debate with friends but it has seemed to go well beyond that point. Some of the rhetoric has been downright ridiculous and I was hoping it would pass eventually. But it seems to be migrating from that issue to every other issue now.
The County Board does X and all sorts of personal and absurd allegations and name calling is launched by this group. Abele, his admin and allies do Y and all manor of venom is cast in their direction. Again, I'm not saying that we can't vehemently disagree on some very important issues but it seems to be going well past that point. The concern that I'm trying to express here is not really for the entities at the center of this but more for all the genuinely good people caught in between.
I'm certainly not asking everyone to join arms and sing Kumbaya after a heated battle but I'm hoping that we are not doing long-term or permanent damage right now. There will be a time when many of us will have to team up again in some larger fight. I'm hoping that we are still capable of doing that after all of this is said and done. And that is exactly why I'm asking my friends, allies and fellow Milwaukee County Democrats to consider taking some of the rhetoric down one notch while at the same time vigorously standing up for what you believe. I think it really is possible to do both...or am I just being naive?
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5 comments:
i get what your saying and I know when it comes time to take on Walker we need all hands on deck.
that being said -
Its hard to get over that some who claim to be "progressive" aligned themselves with the despicable cowardly group CRG.
I don't disagree with that at all...there are other related things that still make me ill but I'm just trying to find the way forward that doesn't require blowing up everything
Cory, the problem you described in your entry isn't going to get any better when we have some on the left who seem to have designated themselves as the arbiters of who's progressive, pro-union, etc. and then see fit to start attacking those who don't share their exact views on specific issues.
I've heard my name dragged through the mud and I've been personally attacked by people I thought I was on the "same side" as, but it's clear that some folks want to hold themselves up as paragons of progressive virtues while then attacking others.
It's shameful, it's petty, and it's disappointing, because I thought we were all grown up enough to have heated and passionate discussions/debates without needing to get personal about things, but apparently that's not the case for some.
Meh. When one's rights and livelihood are being attacked, one will defend themselves. If others don't like that, well, maybe they need to stop supporting the removal of other people's rights. Taking responsibility for one's actions is a sign of maturity.
I will continue to do what is right while others only worry about what is right for them.
Abele and the County Board deserve each other. It just makes me sick to see all this petty infighting when Milwaukee has so many problems that are in desperate need of attention. A huge section of county owned land in the middle of downtown has been a vacant lot for years and years. Gun violence continues to plague the city. Jobs of any kind are still hard to come by. Our county officials have chosen to focus exclusively on political payback, while regular citizens are caught in the middle. The current situation reminds me of a quote from Game of Thrones, "He would see the entire country burn if he could be king of the ashes." The county board and Abele are more concerned with how much power they have than any of the real issues affecting Milwaukee County.
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