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The terms "Indians" and "Chieftains" are NOT offensive

Posted by Kevin Fischer on March 1, 2011

During May 2010, Governor Doyle signed mascot legislation into law that created a new process for challenging a school board’s use of a race-based nickname, logo, mascot, or team name. The state Superintendent of Public Instruction promulgated rules to implement and administer the law.

Any school district resident can object to the use of a race-based nickname, logo, mascot, or team name by the school board of that school district by filing a complaint with the state superintendent. If a complaint objects to the use of a nickname or team name by a school board, the state superintendent must immediately review the complaint and determine whether the use of the nickname or team name by the school board, alone or in connection with a logo or mascot, is ambiguous as to whether it is race-based.

According to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI):

“If the state superintendent determines that the use of the nickname, logo, mascot or team name is unambiguously race-based, the onus is on the school district. The school board has the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that the use of the race-based nickname, logo, mascot or team name does not promote discrimination, pupil harassment, or stereotyping as defined by the state superintendent by rule.

The rules specify that the use of any of the following nicknames or team names are unambiguously race-based and presumed to promote discrimination, pupil harassment or stereotyping unless the school district produces clear and convincing evidence refuting this presumption. 

A nickname or team name is unambiguously race-based if it includes any of the following terms: 1. the full or partial name of any specific, federally recognized American Indian tribe, 2. Indians, 3. Braves, or 4. Redmen.

A nickname or team name is unambiguously race-based if it includes any of the terms arrows, blackhawks, chiefs, chieftains, hatchets, raiders, red raiders, warriors, or warhawks and is used in connection with any of the following logos or mascots: 1. A depiction of an American Indian person or persons, 2. Feathers or feather headdress, 3. Arrows, bows, spears, tomahawks, stone hatchets, or other historical or traditional American Indian weapons or tools, or 4. Historical or traditional American Indian drums, pipes, beadwork, clothing or footwear.”

The law is flawed since no school district chooses a mascot it believes will be the subject of ridicule. Mascots and nicknmaes are chosen for their strength, history, and sense of pride.

To summarize, anyone can file a complaint for any reason (“I’m offended, period!) and it’s up to the school district to answer to the race-card player that it’s not racist.  Even the nickname, “Chief” is taboo under this law. Your school has had its nickname and mascot for 80 years? Doesn’t matter. A bureaucrat tucked away in cubicle in Madison can wipe away that long history in an instant.

How utterly foolish.

Last August, DPI ruled Mukwonago must change its name and mascot. The school’s nickname? The Indians.

Are you kidding me?

There have also been complaints about the Osseo-Fairchild (Chieftains)  and Kewaunee  (Indians) school districts. Osseo-Fairchild has been ordered to drop its nickname. Kewaunee did away with its nickname voluntarily.

The law was signed by a Democrat governor and pushed through by a Democrat-controlled state Legislature. The deck chairs are totally rearranged in Madison. Legislation has been introduced to do away with the mascot law.

The Legislative Reference Bureau says Assembly Bill 26 (AB 26) “eliminates the specific right of a school district resident to object to the use of a race−based nickname, logo, mascot, or team name by filing a complaint with the school board and eliminates the right of the school district resident to obtain a contested case hearing on that complaint. The bill eliminates the authority granted to the state superintendent to determine whether the use of a race−based nickname, logo, mascot, or team name promotes discrimination, pupil harassment, or stereotyping; to order a school board to terminate the use of a race−based nickname, logo, mascot, or team name; and to impose forfeitures upon the school board for failure to comply with the order. The bill also voids all orders issued by the state superintendent under the complaint, hearing, and order process eliminated by this bill; requires the state superintendent to dismiss with prejudice any complaints pending under the complaint, hearing, and order process eliminated by the bill; and requires a court to dismiss with prejudice any decision and order, issued by the state superintendent under the complaint, hearing, and order process eliminated by the bill, for which judicial review has been sought.”

In short, this bill repeals the previous law and any action taken under that law. State Representative Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) is the author. State Senator Mary lazich (R-New Berlin) is the lead Senate sponsor.

The stakes are even higher in North Dakota where the University of ND is fighting to keep its nickname, the Fighting Sioux. The NCAA has decided both the school’s nickname and logo are hostile and abusive to American Indians. The university has been planning to dump the nickname and logo this summer as part of  a negotiated settlement with the NCAA, but apparently no one checked with the state Legislature.

Members of the North Dakota House last week voted 65-28 to require the university to keep the nickname and logo. The state Attorney General is authorized to look into an antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA if any action is taken by the NCAA against the university for keeping its nickname and logo. The bill now goes to the North Dakota state Senate.

"Overwhelmingly, Native Americans and regular North Dakota citizens...they said, we don't want the name to go away," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Al Carlson (R., Fargo), the House majority leader. "Are we supposed to ignore it, and say, we don't have the authority to do that?"

"If we keep the nickname, you get respect. If you change, you get ridicule," said Rep. Mike Schatz (R., New England). "A new nickname will make you the laughingstock of the conference, because you will have no will to stick to your tradition."

In America, no one has the right not to be offended.

Gov. Walker Delivers Budget Address

Posted by Kevin Fischer on March 1, 2011

Gov. Walker Delivers Budget Address

"Stand Against Spending. Stand With Walker" - Bus Tour Coming to your Area

Posted by Kevin Fischer on March 1, 2011

"Stand Against Spending. Stand With Walker" Bus Tour Schedule: Thursday, March 3, 2011 Kenosha-9:00 am Brat Shop 12304 75th Street  (Hwy 50 & I 94) Milwaukee-12:00 noon American Serb Hall 5101 W. Oklahoma Ave. Sheboygan-4:30 pm Nino’s Steak House 2724 Kohler Memorial Drive Read more Wisconsin State Rep. Litjens reacts to Democrat telling her she was ‘f****** dead’ Posted by Kevin Fischer on March 2, 2011 Republican Wisconsin State Rep. Michelle Litjens gave her first national interview to address reports that Democratic Rep. Gordon Hintz told her she was “f****** dead” after she voted for Gov. Scott Walker’s budget plan. Talking with conservative radio host Laura Ingraham, Litjens said that while she didn’t necessarily feel that her life was in danger, but she certainly felt intimidated. Litjens spoke with talk show host Laura Ingraham: I left my flush...in San Francisco Posted by Kevin Fischer on March 2, 2011 Environmentalists are an odd bunch. They’re not happy unless they are trying to control and run every single aspect of your life. What you eat. What you drink. How you shop (No more plastic bags!). What you plant. What you drive. What you put in your gas tank. What your clothes are made of. The kind of light bulbs you buy. What kind of appliances you purchase. The kinds of activities you engage in on hot, humid, summer days. The ingredients in the dishwashing liquid you use. Where you can build commercial buildings for economic development that would create jobs (Put up a new mall there?? You’d have to knock down a 150-year old tree , for heaven’s sake! NO WAY!). And there’s this list from one of my favorite blogs to turn to for countless laughs, treehugger.com: ·                     How to Green Your Sex Life ·                     How to Green Women's Personal Care ·                     How to Green Your Furniture ·                     How to Green Your Work ·                     How to Green Your Water ·                     How to Green Your Lighting ·                     How to Green Your Electricity ·                     How To Green Your Wardrobe   Read more Spring Toddler Time Comes to the Library Posted by Susan Kaczmarek on March 2, 2011 In-person registration for the Oak Creek Public Library's Toddler Time (ages 18 to 35 months) begins Wednesday, March 9 at 10:00 a.m.  The 3O-minute sessions run from March 16 through April 13.  All sessions are held on Wednesdays at 10:15 and 11:15.  Oak Creek residents have first priority. Wispark seeks to develop 80 acres along Oak Creek lakefront Posted by Tom Daykin of the Journal Sentinel on March 2, 2011 Oak Creek Development firm Wispark LLC is negotiating to buy 80 acres along Oak Creek’s lakefront, a property that would play a major role in that community’s effort to redevelop former industrial properties near Bender Park. The property, at 9006 S. 5th Ave., was once home to the Peter Cooper Co. glue factory, and was later used by Oak Creek Storage and Handling Inc. It is owned by the estate of business operator James Jalovec, who died last year in a helicopter crash while delivering aid to victims of the Haiti earthquake. Read more Unions protect really crummy teachers Posted by Kevin Fischer on March 2, 2011 Labor unions haven’t done themselves any huge public relations favors since they turned the Wisconsin Capitol into a stinky flophouse. The majority of the protesters have been teachers, a profession that has a long history of crying “woe is us.” Their latest whining has led some enterprising souls in the news media to actually investigate how rough and tough teachers really have it and how some of them perform. New York Post columnist Michael Goodwin discovered some eye-opening New York numbers: “City Hall tells me it has documented problems with more than 7,300 teachers in the five boroughs. With a total instructor population of about 80,000, that means 9 percent of teachers have been found deficient.  That rate of troubled and below-average employees would not be shocking in many private companies and institutions. But the difference here is that taxpayers and students are stuck with them because of maze-like union protections, including tenure, and the city's sometimes creaky pace of enforcing its own rules. At an average cost of $100,000 each, the untouchables cost $730 million a year. Throw in pensions and we're talking serious money forever.” Read more here. What % of voters oppose government unions? Posted by Kevin Fischer on March 2, 2011 Here's your answer... Finally, a voice for beleaguered property taxpayers Posted by Kevin Fischer on March 2, 2011 I hope the local tax and spenders in Franklin and all across Wisconsin were listening closely to Governor Walker’s budget address: “In this budget, we provide real tax relief for homeowners across the state by implementing property tax reform that locks in property tax levies at the local level.  Time and time again, I’ve heard from Wisconsinites who are doing more with less and making sacrifices to keep their families going.  Good people like the retired couple on a fixed income or the new parents paying for daycare and the mortgage on their first house or the middle-class working family where mom and dad still have jobs, but keeping them meant taking a pay freeze.  All of them, and others like them across Wisconsin, need true property tax relief and this budget delivers.” The governor talks about the property tax levy. Late last year, the tax and spenders in Franklin tried to defend their tax and spending ways by attempting to shift public attention to the tax rate which is just about meaningless. It's the levy that really matters. Finally, a governor that gets it. Governor Walker's budget respects consciences of Wisconsin taxpayers Posted by Kevin Fischer on March 2, 2011 Read more Pete Kosovich for Franklin alderman, 4th district: Kosovich supports Gov. Walker Posted by Kevin Fischer on March 2, 2011 By Guest Blogger Pete Kosovich My last piece ended with "Go Scott Walker". I strongly support what Scott is trying to accomplish. He's only trying to do what we sent him to Madison for, reign in Government spending & balance the budget. He can then concentrate more on job creation. Wisconsin is attracting a lot of attention Nationwide, and if Scott is successful in his task, it may change the way Government does business throughout the entire country. Collective bargaining is largely responsible for our financial mess. We can't afford to keep giving such generous pay & benefits to Government employees. They shouldn't earn more than a comparable job in the private sector. If they are unhappy with the pay and benefits, they can look elsewhere for a job. I believe the AWOL Democratic Senators are cowards, and are shirking their responsibilities. They should be recalled for dereliction of duty. America is in trouble. We need strong leaders like Scott Walker, Paul Ryan, and Pete Kosovich. (I'm really not in their league). I support what they stand for. We need to buy American made products when possible, and support local businesses. There is value in good customer service, I believe that applies to public service as well. I am responsive to constituent (and customer) concerns, and treat everyone with respect. I want your vote on April 5th. Vote Pete Kosovich for Franklin 4th District Alderman.  Till next time, "God Bless America." Pete Kosovich Authorized & paid for by "Friends of Pete Kosovich" Sherry Kosovich Treasurer They are not, I repeat, not an angry mob Posted by Kevin Fischer on March 3, 2011 "The protests at the state Capitol over the governor's proposals are examples of democracy at its best. They were peaceful." The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "A Media Research Center study of 53 Wisconsin stories on ABC, CBS and NBC found that only eight stories visually featured signs comparing Gov. Walker to Hitler, or Mussolini, or Stalin, or Mubarak, or Satan. More incredibly, not a single network anchor or reporter addressed whether that kind of signage was civil or appropriate.  These same media outlets spent two years obsessing over every over-the-top tea party sign and mere accusation of uncivil behavior." Brent Bozell Hundreds of protesters,some shouting "Shame! Shame! Shame," chased state Senator  Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend), around the Capitol Tuesday evening as he banged on closed windows and locked entrances trying to get in. State Representative Brett Hulsey ( D-Madison), came to the rescue with a bullhorn.  Read more Deficit? What $3.6 billion deficit? Posted by Kevin Fischer on March 3, 2011 Have you heard? Wisconsin isn’t broke. And if we’re not broke, that means there must be all kinds of money lying around and no need to balance our books. In its most embarrassing PolitFact column yet, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel makes the ridiculous argument that Governor Walker isn’t telling the truth when he claims the state is broke. The newspaper’s lack of logic is mind-boggling: Read more Bye bye recycling? Posted by Kevin Fischer on March 3, 2011 I hear it often from locally elected officials that they hate state mandates, especially those that are unfunded. Recycling, though not unfunded, is a state mandate. Governor Walker’s proposed 2011-13 state budget removes the mandate and takes money given to locals to help run the programs and puts it toward economic development, i.e. job creation. My guess is a lot of communities will continue to recycle, but they will have to decide how to operate: 1) Raise property taxes (A sure bet). 2) Require residents to drive their recyclables to a dump. (Another strong possibility). 3) Both of the above. Some history is in order. Wisconsin created several programs to manage solid waste following environmental concerns that arose during the 1980’s. Recycling is intended to be voluntary aided by technical and financial assistance. Municipalities that run recycling programs are called "responsible units." Every municipality in the state is included within one of 1,061 responsible units. For 2010, almost all responsible units (1,025 of 1,061), representing 99.5 percent of the state's population, received state-funded grants for a part of the costs of operating local recycling programs. Each responsible unit is required to adopt and run a program to handle its solid waste. The units have the authority to impose recycling fees. A lien can be placed on a property with unpaid fees, collected like delinquent property taxes. To be eligible to landfill and receive grants, a unit is required to have what is termed an effective recycling program. A unit seeking that designation asks DNR to perform a review of its program. DNR has 90 days to conduct the review. All 1,061 responsible units have been approved as having effective recycling programs. They are required to have 12 specific components to keep the distinction of being effective. Over 99 percent of responsible units with populations over 5,000, and over 98 percent of the population in those units had access to curbside collection or a combination of curbside and drop-off collection. Over 94 percent of the units with populations less than 5,000 and 85 percent of the population in those units had access to curbside collection or a combination of curbside and drop-off collection. Read more Sewage treatment plant pushed to limit on days with no rain Posted by Don Behm of the Journal Sentinel on March 18, 2011 No rain fell on the Milwaukee metropolitan area Thursday or Friday but the South Shore sewage treatment plant in Oak Creek was pushed close to its capacity. There was no spike in sewage volumes flushed to the plant at half-time of the Wisconsin-Belmont game of the NCAA tournament, and no sustained surge from St. Patrick's Day revelers. 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