Saturday, October 1, 2011

A New Low For Waukesha County

A right-wing activist Waukesha (are we surprised?) County judge ruled that the law establishing a complaint process that forced Mukwanago High School school to eliminate its Native American mascot and nickname (the "Indians") was "uncommonly silly."

In fact, the judge found that it was the school district that was being subjected to bias by the state, not complainants who might take offense at an "Indians" mascot and nickname.

[the judge] did agree with residents James Schoolcraft and Craig Vertz that the law, as applied against Mukwonago schools, was unconstitutional because the decision maker - a Department of Public Instruction employee named Paul Sherman - had an impermissibly high risk of bias.
Apply that 'logic' to a school that used images and nicknames for any other ethnic or racial group - - say, Jews, or the Irish, or Poles, or African-Americans - - and see if there's a judge anywhere in the state who would weigh in with "silly" and turn the bias argument on its head.

You know what that is?

Right-wing political correctness.

And it's amazing that the judicial branch in Wisconsin openly is mocking a process to restore dignity stripped away from the state's original residents just as the legislative and executive branches, in cahoots with industry, wants to turn the law and a permitting process against the Bad River Band and carve an open pit mine in Northern Wisconsin that will degrade their land and water.

Is this 2011 or 1871?

Remember Progressive Wisconsin?

Going, going, gone.

2 comments:

enoughalready said...

Yet one more reason why Scott Walker must be recalled: the GOP control of every branch of this state's government is harmful to the well being of this state's residents.

As always, the main question in these Indian mascot and nickname cases is, who is being offended? If Native Americans take offense, then the mascots or nicknames must go. When these nicknames and mascots were adopted, the views of contemporary Native Americans were never even considered.

I see nothing "silly" about taking offense against racist stereotypes and insensitive portrayals of a way of life (including religious symbols), especially since such mascots and nicknames are usually reserved for animals, and especially since schools are supposed to be about education (not misinformation) and respect for students of all backgrounds and races.

Anonymous said...

i am against the use of indian mascots and the judge's language was gratuitous. however, the decision was based on whether the hearing process was fair, and, in part, whether there can be fairness if the hearing officer is employed by the same government agency that has expressed an interest in getting rid of all such mascots. as an administrative law judge employed by dwd, i've long been troubled by the fact that we aljs are not in our own independent agency. this was the central recommendation made by a senate committee chaired by tim cullen in the late 70's,which investigated the integrity of the unemployment insurance hearing system.