Uppity Wisconsin

So I was stunned by the “Milwaukee sucks” column written by a former editor of the Waukesha Freeman, and run by that newspaper on its editorial page this week.

(The paper will no doubt say it does not share his opinion but does not censor its columnists, but it shares the responsibility for the drivel it publishes. If the Freeman doesn’t agree, it should say so in an editorial.)

It’s ironic that the vitriolic column comes at a time when surrounding suburban counties are making nice with Milwaukee County and even referring to themselves as Milwaukee 7, and running a Choose Milwaukee campaign.

It makes sense to do that. People outside of Wisconsin have actually heard of Milwaukee, for one thing.

I’ve been traveling on more than one occasion when someone has introduced themselves as being from Milwaukee. When you probe a little, it invariably turns out that they are from Racine or West Bend or Butler or Waukesha or Muskego or Mequon or some other place they are certain you’ve never heard of. They claim Milwaukee and identify with it.

Pete Kennedy, the author of the trash piece, reaches back five years to cite four incidents of mob or gang violence in Milwaukee. Unfortunately, violence does occur in urban areas with the volatile mix of racial tension and poverty. That’s not to excuse it; we can and must do more to combat it.

But the benefits of urban living more than outweigh the disadvantages. Not the least of the advantages is the opportunity to live in an environment with racial, cultural, and economic diversity. That in itself is priceless, although some suburbanites would no doubt argue the opposite – that what’s really priceless is living somewhere with a population that is all middle class, white, and Christian.

When Pete Kennedy is sitting in his suburban family room, having a glass of radium water and watching the Bucks or Brewers on a Milwaukee television channel, he probably doesn’t think he’d rather being watching a Waukesha softball team down at the park instead.

Maybe he thinks Milwaukee sucks so bad that he won’t take advantage of its spectacular art museum, symphony orchestra, ballet, or zoo. If so, that’s his loss, not Milwaukee’s.

Ex-Mayor John Norquist used to say that without Milwaukee, Wisconsin would be Iowa. But without Milwaukee, Waukesha would be Mukwonago, a dot on the map. Waukesha and the other suburbs whose residents like to feel so superior exist only because Milwaukee exists.

The suburbs need Milwaukee more than Milwaukee needs the suburbs. His kind of negativity doesn’t just hurt Milwaukee. It damages the whole region.

A parting shot: One of Kennedy’s asides mentions what’s happening in warehouse districts in other cities. What’s happening in Milwaukee’s warehouse district, which we call the Third Ward? It is vibrant with restaurants, shops, and galleries, and people are moving into lofts and condos there by the hundreds. Monday, there was an announcement that Anthropologie, an upscale retail chain for women, would move into 10,000 square feet of space that used to be a produce warehouse. Anthropologie aims at well-educated, sophisticated women from 30 to 45, with household incomes of $150,000 to $200,000.

Why do you suppose the business chose Milwaukee and not Waukesha? And why do those educated, sophisticated women choose to live in Milwaukee? Apparently they don't think it sucks.

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