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Traveling First Avenue Mike De Rose has been a musical staple in the Racine area for over 28 years, playing in a variety of different musical incarnations. Jason Weber long time friend of De Rose their band First Avenue, recently produced their CD appropriately entitled “Reunion," which is a prod-
uct of this long distance collaboration. I caught up with Mike and asked him some questions about his career. Q: How long have you been playing and performing? A: I’ve been playing since I was 14 years old and performing in clubs since I was 18.I’m 46 now. Q: How did you and Jason come to meet and perform together? A: We were teaching at "The Music Store” together way back in the early 90’s. He had a Jazz Duo called First Avenue . His guitarist was leaving and he asked if I would fill some dates with him. That took off and we played quite a bit in the Kenosha, Racine, Milwaukee area. Smooth Jazz was really popular in the 90’s so it worked well. That lasted for about four years. Jason now lives in California . Q: How do you collaborate with Jason long distance? A: We’ll send ideas over the internet if we are doing a project, but when we record I will usually fly there for a week or more and do the actual recording. I like to be in the same room with the person I’m working with if possible. It's a little more “real” that way. Q: What are your musical influences? A: I remember as a kid listening to the radio quite a bit in the 70’s, so I got pretty familiar with those songs. When I started playing Guitar in the 80’s it was mostly Heavy Metal that influenced me. In the 90’s it was Jazz, Blues and R&B with
a little country thrown in for good measure. Q: How would you describe or categorize your variety of music? A: I would call it Variety.
Q: What are the varieties of music that you perform (i.e. with Jason, Duo Sonic, as a soloist)? A: With Jason I would say we play contemporary jazz with a fusion twist! Duosonic is all over the map. Brian Beasley is the vocalist for that and he can sing anything! When I do my solo stuff it’s mostly Smooth Jazz with some crazy stuff thrown in once in a while.
Q: What are your favorite venues to play at? A: In California it’s The Namm Show (a musician’s convention) and a Place
Communicator Review By: Ann Saleno Called "Felix’s BBQ With Soul." In the Midwest there are so many venues and they all have something fun an and unique to each other. Q: What are your inspirations for your original music? A: I don’t write from inspiration really. It’s more from the I have to write a song standpoint so here goes. I don't write much. Q: When did you begin playing guitar and who were your teachers? A: Like I said above, I was 14 when I started. I used to cut through this yard down the block and heard this kid playing guitar and thought it was cool. His name is Mike Priaulx. We became friends and he showed me how to play Stairway To Heaven by Led Zeppelin. That makes him my first guitar teacher. After that was Tony Collova at Pulice Music. He was a great teacher as well. He taught you what YOU wanted to learn but he would sneak in really important music theory type stuff without you really knowing! Q: What is your favorite variety of music to play when you are alone? A: Be Bop Jazz/Fusion. Q: What kinds of music or performers do you enjoy listening to? A: Really everything…I’m all over the map. Q: Tell me about the process of creating the “ Reunion ” CD and how did
you pick the tunes for the project? A: Well about two years ago I was in California for The Namm Show and to do a few gigs with Jason. We were just
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hanging out at his studio and just started talking about doing a duo project with acoustic guitar and sax. We came up with the song Reunion right then and there. We thought we would maybe write a few new songs and re-work some of our older tunes to fit a more "world music" sound. Over the next year we sent ideas back and forth and recorded the music and took some photos the following January when I was in town again. We like the way it turned out. Q: Do you feel that living in the Racine area has influenced your musical process and experiences? A: I would say living in the Midwest in general has an influence because there are so many great musicians around here. You learn so much from just playing and watching everyone. Q: Does family and friends play a part in your life as a musician? A: Well, It helps to have the support of family and friends. My wife Kadi has a “real” job with insurance and all that stuff. Kadi has inspired and encouraged me throughout the years, often lending ideas for riffs in some of his original songs. My parents Katy and Ron DeRose have always been a constant support. You will frequently find them in the audience. De Rose performs in a couple of other projects such as his duo with vocalist Brian Beasley in Duosonic. Beasley, Mike describes, as a “vocalist that can sing anything.” I can tell you from my own experience listening to this pair that you will always be entertained by their variety of vintage and contemporary covers. They are “tight” in their performance and have a personable stage presence. Their music is “all over the map” in other words something for everyone of every age and musical preference. You can also see DeRose as a soloist, which is mostly smooth jazz, with what he terms as some “crazy stuff thrown in." . And finally when Mike’s many musical friends are in the crowd, he frequently invites them to play with him on stage. Needless to say when you are looking for truly great live music, if you find Mike DeRose’s name attached you can count on a unique quality musical experience.
To contact Mike DeRose for bookings and up to date schedule information check him out at, http://www.myspace.com/mikederosemusic www.cdbaby.com/cd/deroseweber, or mjdkwd@wi.rr.com
Peace Learning Circles (PLC) is sponsoring the 2nd Annual Circles of Peace 2012 from September 11 – 21 Peace Learning Circles (PLC) is sponsoring the 2nd Annual Circles of Peace 2012 from September 11 – 21, International Day of Peace. The theme is Peace Begins Here: Civility in our Community. The purpose is to bring awareness of how we can better treat each other every day. We will focus on respect, values, inclusion, unity and having a safe place so everyone can live together in peace. Circles of Peace 2012 Opening Ceremony The Opening Ceremony take place on September 11, 2012 at First Presbyterian Church, 716 College Ave., Racine WI. Prasad Gollanapalli, a Gandhian scholar and Director of the Gandhi King Foundation will be the keynote speaker, along with a local peace mentor, Pastor Tony Larsen. Before the program begins and following the program, there will be a resource fair in the adjoining hall. Participants will have the opportunity to meet organizations and businesses that have information about products and services that contribute to a more peaceful lifestyle and community in which we live. In addition to the notable speakers, there will be local community members that will share their talent and passion for peace. Opening Ceremony: September 11, 2012 Resource Fair – 6:00 p.m. prior to program Program: 7:00 p.m. Resource Fair & Reception following program 1st Presbyterian Church, 716 College Ave., Racine WI
speaker, Dr. Clayborne Carson, Professor of American History, Director of Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University. The Closing Ceremony will be held at UW-Parkside, Bedford Hall on September 21 at 7:00 p.m. Selected in 1985 by the late Mrs. Coretta Scott King to edit and publish the papers of her late husband, Stanford University historian Clayborne Carson has devoted most his professional life to the study of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the movements King inspired. Under his direction, the King Papers Project has produced six volumes of a definitive, comprehensive edition of speeches, sermons, correspondence, publications, and unpublished writings. Dr. Carson has also edited numerous other books based on King's papers. In 2005 the King Papers Project became part of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute at Stanford University, with Dr. Carson serving as the institute's founding director. Closing Ceremony, September 21, 2012 – 7:00 p.m., UW-Parkside, Bedford Hall, Rita Tallent Picken Regional Center, 900 Wood Road, Kenosha WI Visit our website at www.peacelearningcircles.org to get more information, view the events, make donations, and find FAQ’s regarding Circles of Peace 2012.
Circles of Peace 2012 Closing Ceremony: The Closing Ceremony will feature keynote
Peace Learning Circles, Inc. Dr. Clayborne Carson,
Phone: 262-939-1285 • www.peacelearningcircles.org
Vice President hopeful Paul Ryan’s brazen lies Paul Ryan gave a feisty anti-Obama speech that will have fact-checkers working for days. His most brazen lie accused President Obama of “raiding” Medicare by taking the exact same $716 billion that Ryan and the House GOP notoriously voted to slash. It was stunning. But that’s not all. He attacked Obama for failing to keep open a Janesville GM plant that closed under Bush in 2008. He
hit him for a credit-rating downgrade that S&P essentially blamed on GOP intransigence. He claimed that all taxpayers got from the 2009 stimulus was “more debt,” when most got a tax cut (and the stimulus is known to have saved between 1.4 and 3.3 million jobs). He derided the president for walking away from the Simpson Bowles commission deficit-cutting recommendations when Ryan himself, a
About us!… News: We want our stories to be local, we want to write stories that are unusual, interesting to the people in the community. Profile local people and share their stories with the community. We will cover elected officials, politics and others who are well known in the community. When a story is developing we will do a series of stories on the subject. We feel we have an obligation to our readers to report the news that impacts them. Social Issues: How do social issues impact the community economically, politically, environmentally and how do these issues relate to people’s lives. Entertainment Events: The fun stuff that causes a buzz in the community, festivals, concerts, street parties and photos of the fun. In Review: We review restaurants, art galleries, (local and distant) movies, books local bands and clubs from well known to the obscure. Neckboneology: Local editorial from a minority point of view. Ken Lumpkin brings 20 years of insight to the Communicator. Rocky on the Prowl: Who knows where Rocky will show up and what’s on this mind, wait and find out.
commission member, voted against those recommendations. He blamed Obama for a deficit mostly created by programs he himself voted for – from two wars, tax cuts, new Medicare benefits and TARP. And of course, he riffed on the tired central lie of the GOP convention: that the president said “government gets the credit” for small businesses, not the business owners themselves. Other than that, it was a great speech. Interestingly, for all his lies, Ryan did-
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n’t repeat the Romney camp’s false claim that Obama did away with the welfare system’s work requirements. Maybe he ran out of time. Ryan got off a few good zingers: “College grads shouldn’t have to live out their 20s in childhood bedrooms, staring up at fading Obama posters.” He didn’t mention that he opposed legislation to keep student loan rates from doubling. His remarks about his childhood were slightly moving. He talked about losing his father at 16, and he called his mother, who went back to school and to work after that, his role model. But he never mentioned the Social Security death benefits that let him go to an out-of-state school. Occasionally he seemed to be going after swing voters, rather than his hard-right base, taking a more in sorrow than anger tone about Obama’s failings. Then he’d mix things up with nastiness and lies
Fill Your Walls By Lauren Jean If you need a change in something it definitely could be your white white walls. Just moving into a new place and noticing all the walls are just to clean, to perfectly white that they just need a sprinkle of you. There are a lot of creative ways to express yourself and feel good in your home. First, you can use pictures, but in my opinion huge framed photos or painted pictures are just as boring as the white walls behind them, so I suggest tapestries or wall hangings. It's always nice to find some cheap ones on eBay or some other online store because you won't find them just anywhere. Some are hand stitched and it brings a little specialty to your place. I like to find my favorite band's tapestries or some pretty flower designs. Ethnicity can come into play very easy here on finding what you like by who it's made by. Fabrics are also found at Joann Fabrics that can definitely help you make your own tapestry and looking up tactics on the internet to help you learn how to sew and create a nice boarder to it, then go get it framed or frame it yourself. Second, if you have the time and feel creative you can always make a collage of pictures. I take a lot of photos of trees and flowers and with the photos you can cut them up and place them together any way you like. This also gives
dimension to your home. If you take photos of the sky and of water and I have a few photos of doorways and arches that I found at the DeKoven Center. Behind the center is a historical garden and one day I got some film and my sister and I went down there and took some photos of us by some graves and crypts and also the other beautiful monuments around there. Anyways, when I look at the photos I placed on my wall it's as if I can literally walk through into another demension that hides behind my wall. Photographs can really extenuate your home, and it all depends on what you like and that is whats going to bring a little more you into your in living space. Third, A flower wall. You will need three things to create this. A glue gun, as many presentation three paneled poster boards to cover the wall, and flowers, lots of them. You can always literally glue the flowers on your wall if you feel comfortable enough, or if you don't want to wreak your wall with glue then get as many three paneled presentation poster boards that would be needed to cover the amount of space you've chosen. Then go to Michaels or Hobby Lobby and grab the types of flowers you'd like to use whether they
be all the same or different; you can mix colors to make your wall more special. Once you bought a whole bunch of fake flowers, start popping the tops off like you used to do when you were little with dandelions: “Mama had a baby and the head popped off.� Then glue the bottoms of them on the entire board so no white is showing and keep doing this till your satisfied. Hang the boards with nails, string, nail them on the wall, or however is suitable. Fourth, organize! Find cheap furniture that is comfortable of course, we all know that pretty couch no one likes sitting on, but little ways to make your place come alive is finding interesting furniture to put all your stuff in. I like to find odd things that can keep all my little things in a safe and specific spot. I enjoy furniture and the nicer things even if I have absolutely no money to buy magazine art, not that I like the perfected home. I would suggest visiting Good Will, Salvation Army, or the old school way go
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through alleys around Spring is best, and search for that piece of treasure someone threw away. Sometimes people have time on their hands and don't know what to do with it, so there are few creative ideas that might help anyone unwind and just let go of some extra energy. There are a lot of things to do if you find the resources. Hobby Lobby is a good store, finding anything interesting on the internet, Michaels, Joann Fabrics, Good Will, estate sales, rummage sales, and thrift stores are my favorite places to go. Though of course a lot of people here are thinking this maybe a little poor or childish, BUT it gives dimension and doing little things that force effort from yourself like this definitely will naturally spice your home up just a little more, and this gives your own touch of energy you can love and then make memories. If you have kids let them take part, give them something to do if school isn't enough.
Communicator Special Feature
The Year Was 1939
The Sherwood Game Farm Story The year was 1939 and Ed Sherwood was a young man looking over his property for what was soon to be his game farm The only other building in his site was the newly erected building around the Horlick Airport to the rear of this property."I tried to buy some of the property around here but they wouldn't sell it to me". Fast forward some 70 years plus and Ed Sherwood is still standing on this property stills runs a game farm, and Horlick Field is now called Batten Airport and is still in operation. But that's where the similarities end. Ed Sherwood now a spry 88 year old talks about the houses and subdivisions he saw built around this home. "There's a picture at the airport that has this house and the airport that's it". As he walked around the farm he explained his game farm is state certified, "It's what I've done all my life". Walking past some of the newer building giving way to open pens where chickens, geese, pheasants, and ducks are housed, "If they get along I put them together" Some of the unusual breeds were in different areas of the farm "someone from Texas wants 200 of those geese but I'm having a hard time raising them," as he
pointed to the pen. As he turned the corner of the pen a deafening chorus of guinea hens (Ginny hens) sounded the alarm "They tell you if anyone is back here". When asked if he had any trouble with neighbors, "No not really, I guess they figured I was here first." Walking swiftly past the tractor into the feed room, Ed explains the hopper where he grinds his own feed. "We make a special feed that they really like." Along with the geese and chickens, he raises rabbits, mandarin ducks, turkeys, ring neck pheasants and swinhoe pheasants. "Those are from Germany." Quail ,peacock, pigeons and other waterfowl round out the farm. Who are his customers? "I get a lot of Indian and Hindu people, they like the Ginny hens and a lot of people concerned about what their eating." "There's a lot of stuff in those store bought meats." We're all natural, people like that." In addition Ed sells eggs of all kinds and has a plot of land where he raises fresh vegetables. He travels to the local farm markets, including Cudahy, Milwaukee, 7 mile fair and sells directly from the farm, "I get people coming from all over." As we circled around to the back of the house I spoke to a neighbor who Turn to page 6
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Sherwood From page 6 has lived next to Ed for 8 years. "He and his son are great guys." It's kind of like living next to a zoo, It makes me laugh". Ed then settles himself in a chair against the garage door." I'd like to make it to 100 years old." Then as he pauses and leans back in his chair, "After that, I don't give a damn". The Sherwood game farm is located at 2713 3 Mile Rd. Racine WI. Phone 262-989-6030 the website is sherwood-gamefarm.com
Is Car 25 turning into a propaganda channel?
Started in 2003, CAR25 is located in the City Annex, located 800 Center Street.
What has happened with the controversy surrounding the community/access/government programming channel Car 25? Back in 2010, Mayor John Dickert recommended Vice President of Soura Films Sandy Petrykowski to be awarded a one-year contract to renovate Car 25. The City of Racine’s Finance and Personnel Committee then held a meeting to discuss paying the Emmy-nominated videographer $40,000 for an average work week of 20 hours. The first meeting tabled the issue to accommodate further discussion which ensued later, drawing large attendance. Petrykowski ended up taking her hat out of the ring for the contract position. And the position was reposted for a salary of $16.30 per hour. Mayor Dickert also indicated that if cable commission members wanted to apply they would have to resign from their roles. The position posting was eventually eliminated and it was decided that the money would be used toward the purchase of new equipment for the station instead. Two years later, the controversy continues. Former Car 25 Cable Commissioner Wayne Clingman in a recent interview said a documentary on Mayor John Dickert’s race was to have been developed by Petrykowski in 2010, but to Clingman’s knowledge, he said, “To date, I do not know of anyone who has seen it.” Clingman said he also does not agree with the politics surrounding the Car 25 cable channel. “In my opinion. Car 25’s mission is to be a public access channel, featuring community members,” Clingman. “It seems to be turning into an outlet for Mayor Dickert for his own interests and propaganda.” When Clingman served as the Cable
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Commissioner from 2005-2008, he said Car 25 served the needs of the community. “Many of the commission members who I worked with were dismissed because of their opposition to the hiring of Petrykowski,” Clingman said. “Today’s commission seems to be comprised of many individuals who have no experience with cable whatsoever.” He cited that one member is a former cook. Clingman said he believes the mayor has his own agenda when it comes to Car 25. “I find it disgusting,” Clingman said. “There are just too many items that aren’t transparent when it comes to the way the cable station is being run.” Another source, who wishes to remain unidentified, said that “there may not be any funds to operate Car 25 in the future, and the project could be shut down and then restarted with a newly assembled team.” Alderman and Car 25 Cable Commission member Ray DeHahn said for the project to be shut down there would need to be a request for proposal (RFP). “Our intention is to make the channel something the people of the community want to watch,” DeHahn said. “The mayor is pushing for more educational programs, and there are currently a lot of community shows on there. I don’t believe we will be receiving any more money next year for our budget. And without more money, change won’t come easy,” DeHahn said. Please stay tuned for more articles covering this subject in future editions of The Communicator. Other individuals from the commission and the mayor’s office did not respond as of press time.
Our Need For William Shatner by: Kenneth McCorm In the old days, well old days to you but not such old days to me, certain actors and actresses would become so popular that they would go on seemingly forever in films, until they were not able to do the job any longer or died. Some of these people were Henry Fonda, John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart and others. This was said to be attributed to their great skill at acting. We would watch one of their movies and say things like, wow he still has it. That was a complement which meant he still was a great actor. These names were so powerful that when they would appear on a movie marquee, many people would rush to see the movie, just because a certain person was in it. I guess you would have to say that this was the golden age of movies. Then something very profound happened. Television started to become popular. With television however, it was much harder to attain this type of status, although in the beginning a few did like Milton Berle and Jack Benny, two comedians. Then it happened, one person came on to the scene in the sixties and his fame is still with us to day. William Shatner was not an actor that you would put into the class of a Fonda, Taylor, or Bogart. He never claimed that he was. He began his acting career in 1950. He was born in 1931 and kept his real name which is very unusual. His full name is William Alan Shatner and as most people know, he was born in Canada. His grandfather was Wolf Schattner and anglicized the family name to Shatner. Shatner was raised in the conservative Jewish religion. When I said that Shatner was not in the class of Fonda and others, this was not to say that he was not a good actor. He was trained as a classical Shakespearean actor and appeared in the Stratford Festival of Canada in Stratford, Ontario. There is something about Shatner's personality that seems to make us like to watch him. I don't know the man since I have never met him, but he does come across like a very likeable person. I remember watching him recently on an interview show that he had on cable and he interviewed Leonard Nimoy. Icouldn't pull myself away from it. Does Shatner have some power over us that we are not aware of? There are still a few of us around that remember the Howdy Doody Show. It was a very early tv show for children that featured a marionette as Howdy Doody. Shatner played Ranger Bob in the Canadian Version. Shatner did have some experience in the movies and was in the movie, The Brothers Karamazov. He played the younger brother. The film featured many big names of the time such as Yul Brynner, Lee J. Cobb, Richard Basehart, Albert Salmi, Maria Schell, Clare Bloom and others. Although Shatner made many movies other than Star Trek, I do not believe that is where his popularity arose from. It came initially from television. He made at least a couple of the original Twilight Zones,
which are constantly being shown on television. He also did many voices, but when he became the fearless Captain Kirk of the star ship Enterprise, his career was really born. As strange as it seems, he probably didn't know it at the time, because the series was canceled after about 90 + episodes, but enjoyed and still enjoys constant re-runs. Millions of people have grown up watching Shatner perform some hammy acting at times in the series, but there was that something that he had that made every episode enjoyable. The show began to have a life of its own. Star Trek conventions began to appear everywhere and suddenly everything Star Trek became collectable. Kirk (William Shatner) started to appear in small plastic statue form in all different Star Trek toys. People did not seem to be able to get enough of him. Then came the Star Trek movies. Shatner seemed to have perfected his acting ability to the point where it was even more enjoyable in the films than it had been on the tv screen. The first movie was Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Actually it wasn't very good. The next film however was considered one of the best and that was Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. The
other films featuring the original cast were Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, StarTrek VI: The Undiscovered Country. The last Star Trek film that Shatner was to appear in was Star Trek: Generations. We were all at a point now where we needed to see Shatner again. It had been some time since he had appeared on television. Before I get into that I have to tell you that Shatner received or was nominated for numerous awards for his acting. Here is a list of them: 2005 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Winner 1999 Emmy: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series - Nominee 2004 Emmy: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series - Winner 2005 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Winner 2006 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominee 2007 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominee 2008 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries
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or Motion Picture Made for Television Nominee 2008 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominee 2009 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominee Shatner was featured in several television series. They were the $10,000 Pyramid, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Battle of the Network Stars, Dr. Kildare, T.J. Hooker, The Defenders, The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn and the Practice. He also has been the guest star on shows over 260 times and growing. He has appeared in over 52 movies as either an actor or voice. To this we have to add that he produced some shows and directed some episodes of shows. At 79 years old, as of the writing of this article, Shatner is not finished yet and currently has a new show to fulfill our need to see him, it is called Shatner's Raw Nerve and appears on the Bio channel. It is basically an interview show where a guest comes on and is asked interesting questions by Shatner. It may not be the same as watching Shatner fight a lizard looking alien using only whatever is at hand, but he is getting a little long in the tooth for that. I guess we will just have to satisfy our Shatner needs without the action that used to accompany them. An old Shatner is better than no Shatner at all.
NECKBONEOLOGY: Does Racine Think It’s
Done With Black Folks? By Kenneth Lumpkin
It’s easy to wonder if that’s true, and believe that maybe it is. It wouldn’t be that way, I suppose, if we had truly been integrated into the population from the beginning, but it seems it was never so. Racine has always had it’s “black community”, ever since Blacks were brought here, which is how many arrived. We can go down to Monument Square and read the story of the escaped slave, Joshua Glover, and how in 1854 he was sprung from jail in Milwaukee by citizens from Racine who traveled there and rallied residents to join the insurrection. It should be a moment that Racine can remember with pride. Of course that’s not how most Black citizens of Racine arrived here. Joshua Glover was here only briefly on his way to Canada. Many of Racine’s Black citizens can trace their arrival to ancestors who came north from Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee during the war years in the 1940’s and the industrial boom of the
50’s. Some came independently seeking greater economic opportunity in industry during WWII, or escape from the oppression of the South, but most others were actively recruited by industrial talent scouts who promised them jobs that would support a family. Upon arrival, they often found themselves trapped in the dirtiest, most dangerous jobs in the iron foundries of Racine, working molten metal in the soot, the smoke and the heat. The foundries are gone, along with much of the rest of heavy industry, and that labor is no longer needed. It seems now that the city views the people who carried that labor in their bodies as little more than containers to be set out to the curb for recycling, or stuck in the garage to become a historical curiosity some time in the future. I wrote recently of the move that the city has been making against minorityowned taverns and I think I may need to clarify my concerns regarding that issue. It’s not the taverns that I’m most concerned with and it isn’t even the individuals who own those taverns. What concerns me is the fact that some persons, operating under the cover of “the city”, can openly target some citizens for exclusion from participation in the local downtown culture. Whether we agree or disagree with the idea of taverns, or we like or dislike the individuals who own them, it is to everyone’s detriment if we allow obvious racial discrimination to operate without protest. (Take note that I have been careful to refer to the businesses under scrutiny as
“minority-owned”, and not “Black owned”. This is because our Hispanic brethren also seem to be unfit for participation in local culture. More on that some other time.) Well, back to the topic at hand, is Racine done with Black folks. Of course not. Even if there was general agreement among the “majority” population (which there isn’t), it would be a ridiculously difficult and expensive undertaking to relocate such a large part of the population. So those with fantasies of putting us all “on a boat” would suffer less anxieties if they simply get over that notion, it ain’t gonna happen. And as for the dream of a “minority free” business district, whether it be downtown or uptown or any other part of town, it would be wise to let that go as well. The taxpayers have already funded that particular dream to the tune of more than $100,000 just in legal fees and the meter is about to start running faster. It’s time to wake up before that dream becomes a full-blown nightmare. The tax money that has been financing that “dream” would be better spent on schools, community centers and public
education programs that create better understanding and cooperation among all citizens. Over the course of the last several years, programs such as OIC, The Urban League and The George Bray Center have had their funding cut or discontinued while efforts to destabilize or close minority taverns have been readily funded. What “the city” needs to realize is that it has established a documented pattern of discrimination against minority businesses that leaves it vulnerable to litigation that could far outweigh any expected gain. Why the few who pursue this course perceive it as a wise choice is a mystery. It’s a blatant power play against an imagined opponent who has never exhibited adversarial tendencies. The fact that this “opponent” already operates from a point of disadvantage speaks to the bullying nature of the tactic and those who implement it. If they truly want to represent the people of this community, I think a better approach would be to treat all citizens equally. Promoting a climate of understanding, cooperation and fairness is always better than spreading fear and suppression.
Your Vote is Your Voice Vote In EVERY Election
Racine Needs YOU to be a
Poll Worker on Election Day this November! Eligible voters who reside in Racine, who are citizens of the U.S. and 18 years or older may become election poll workers. Good communication and written skills are required.
Poll workers are paid for their service and must be available for mandatory training. For more information please call:
Racine City Clerk͛s office at 262/636-9171 orr go to our website:
www.Tur ww.TurnUpTheVote.org email: turnupthevoteracine@gmail.com Turn Up the Vote! Is a coalition of Racine community organizations: Community for Change, Racine Interfaith Coalition, NAACP, LULAC & AAUW Page 9 The Communicator News, September 15-30, 2012
U. S. Seniors Retiring To Iraq; Say That’s Where The Medicare Money Is. by: Tom Attea U. S. senior citizens, noting Government's new budget, which calls for billions to be spent in Iraq and Afghanistan while billions are cut from Medicare, are foregoing traditional retirement destinations like Florida and Arizona and opting for Iraq. Following up on the new retirement trend, we went to Kennedy Airport and caught up with some seniors who were booked for Baghdad. “Excuse me,” I asked a group of seniors who just stepped off the bus in front of Saudi Arabian Airlines. “I understand you’re all heading for Iraq?” “That’s right,” a man in Bermuda shorts replied, and reached into his golf bag. He took out a chapeau in the usual mullah fashion. “Got my black turban right here. You know what they say? When in Baghdad, do as the Iraqis do.” “And I have my black burkah,” his wife added, lifting it from her purse. She slipped it over her head and modeled it. “What do you think?” “Very cute,” I replied. “You’ll fit right in. Can you please clarify why you’ve chosen to retire in Iraq instead of, say, Miami?” “Simple, son,” a man with a fishing rod, who happened to be wearing a baseball cap on top of his turban, said, “That’s where the Medicare money is.” “Not to mention social security,” his wife commented.
“The plain fact is, we’d rather eat in Iraq than starve in America,” another man added. “But aren’t you concerned about safety issues?” I asked. “Of course, we are,” the man in the Bermudas replied. “But we’re in this for the long term and, the way things are going, we can hardly count on Medicare and social security in America.” “We’ve got to follow the food,” another elderly gentleman stated. “But you could get blown up?” I suggested. “Oh, we thought about that,” the man with the baseball hat on top of his turban replied. “We’ll just have to take our chances.” “Never underestimate the power of a senior citizen,” a frail man said, raising his fist. “Didn’t you read about the 70year-old fella who broke the neck of the kid who tried to rob a busload of seniors?” “Yes, I did notice that event,” I told him. “He was a war vet,” one of the women informed me, with evident pride. “Yep, of one American war or another,” a senior volunteered with a sigh. “Quite a few to choose from.” “How about suicide bombers?” I dared to ask. “Bring ‘em on, son,” the frail senior
said, assuming the position of a boxer with his dukes up. “But aren’t you forgetting that most of the money earmarked for Iraq is for military activity?” I asked. “We’re going for the rebuilding money,” the man in the Bermudas said. “They’re wasting billions. And we figure we can get in the way of some of it.” “And what do you think is going to happen when Americans see millions of seniors, retired in Iraq? They can’t just let us starve there, can they?” “Congress will have to divvy up something for us, and that’s more than they’re likely to do if we stay in America.” “And something is better than nothing,” a woman affirmed. “But what about the culture gap?” I asked. “Aren’t you a little set in your ways?” “Yes, we are,” one of the men admitted. “I notice the turbans. Do you plan on becoming Muslim?” “Whatever it takes to get in the way of some money,” the man insisted. “We’ve thought about it,” his wife interjected. “And becoming Islamic is better than not being able to afford medical care.” “Or starving on what’s left of social security,” another woman added. “Do you think you’ll be able to enjoy the usual retirement activities there, like
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golf and fishing?” I asked. “No problem,” the man with the golf bag said. “Iraq may not have the best golf courses, but I see there’s plenty of desert for sand traps.” “I’ve noticed a river runs through Baghdad,” the man with the fishing rod said. “Got to be something in it besides body parts.” “How about you?” I asked a woman with a tennis racquet. “I haven’t seen any tennis courts there,” she admitted, “but some of the sand should be hard enough for the ball to bounce.” “What about a net?” I asked. “I guess there’ll be some sacrifices,” she replied, and looked around at the crowd. “But I know one thing. I won’t have far to look for someone to play with.” “I brought my racket,” another woman called. “And, if worse comes to worse,” her husband advised her, “you can teach an Iraqi how to play.” “Excuse us, son,” one of the men said. “We have to move along now. Can’t miss our flight.” “We’re bound for Baghdad!” his wife almost sang. “OK,” I replied. “Thanks for the interview. And enjoy your retirement.”
Page 11 The Communicator News, September 15-30, 2012
Page 12 The Communicator News, September 15-30, 2012