The Right's opinion of DA John Chisholm is certainly situational
Righty radio today loves the Milwaukee County DA for not charging a former City of Milwaukee police officer who rousted, then killed a man after a fight - - a man with mental illness.
Talker and former federal prosecutor Jeff Wagner's take on AM 620 WTMJ? Chisholm got it right.
For years, the conservative talkers like Wagner and some of their political allies have demonized, excoriated and otherwise condemned Chisholm's view of the law, character and motives.
Additionally, like the case from beginning to end, it has been depressing but not unexpected that callers to right-wing radio programs speak in conservative talking-point rhetoric about Dontre Hamilton "making bad choices" and "not taking responsibility for his actions" as if he were not a person with mental illness rousted from a sleep and patted down.
I'd like to see those rhetorical standards applied to the officer who chose to confront Hamilton and not, for example, call for an ambulance.
Talker and former federal prosecutor Jeff Wagner's take on AM 620 WTMJ? Chisholm got it right.
For years, the conservative talkers like Wagner and some of their political allies have demonized, excoriated and otherwise condemned Chisholm's view of the law, character and motives.
Additionally, like the case from beginning to end, it has been depressing but not unexpected that callers to right-wing radio programs speak in conservative talking-point rhetoric about Dontre Hamilton "making bad choices" and "not taking responsibility for his actions" as if he were not a person with mental illness rousted from a sleep and patted down.
I'd like to see those rhetorical standards applied to the officer who chose to confront Hamilton and not, for example, call for an ambulance.
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When I think about the leaders at Journal Communications, whose newspaper often describes the baleful effects of polarization amid calls for civil discourse, but whose radio statìon seems to knowingly serve up doses of red meat on a regular basis, I sometimes think of a poem by William Blake given popular treatment in a song by Loreena McKennitt:
O for a voice like thunder, and a tongue To drown the throat of war! When the senses Are shaken, and the soul is driven to madness, Who can stand? When the souls of the oppressed Fight in the troubled air that rages, who can stand? When the whirlwind of fury comes from the Throne of God, when the frowns of His countenance Drive the nations together, who can stand?When Sin claps his broad wings over the battle, And sails rejoicing in the flood of death; When souls are torn to everlasting fire, And fiends of hell rejoice upon the slain, O who can stand? O who hath caused this? O who can answer at the throne of God? The Kings and Nobles of the land have done it! Hear it not, Heaven, thy ministers have done it!
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