North Central Milwaukee outline
in yellow; Black=85% or
more African American; grey=
85% or more white; red=
integrated blocks; green=
predominately Hispanic; white
= nonresidential blocks

It is time to call the refusal to dialog about the placement of St. Vincent de Paul Thrift store in the North Central Milwaukee rather than the one planned for suburbs for 3.2 million dollars what it is. It is time to call “data driven policing” which focuses police in North Central Milwaukee for what it is. It is time to call the removal of funds for education in North Central Milwaukee for what it is. It is time to call the blaming of people in North Central Milwaukee for the environment what it is. It is time to call the Criminalization of North Central Milwaukee for what it is. It is time to call the over 50% unemployment of adults in North Central Milwaukee for what it is. It is time to call the reduction of Catholic Churches in North Central Milwaukee for what it is. It is time to call the segregation of African Americans in North Central Milwaukee for what it is. It is time to call the reduction and withdrawal of transit services and businesses in North Central Milwaukee for what it is. It is time to call the ‘food desert’ of North Central Milwaukee for what it is.

It is Racism, pure and simple. The Racism of today, just like the New Jim Crow of today, is not as overt as it was in the past, but it is just as deadly and immoral as it ever was. People, black and white, fear calling it racism but it is and until we face the ugly truth and name it, we cannot deal with it. We are building a wall of racism around North Central Milwaukee and the more we ignore the truth the more our self prophesying comes true.

This morning at prayer vigil for two homicide victims a public radio reporter asked about comments that a preacher had made that it was the African American people in North Central Milwaukee that had to make conditions better in this area. He was not asking me for my comment and I would have called the statement “The New Jim Crow”. Yes, persons should be held responsible for their action but we cannot change persons by words. We can only change ourselves. However we can change the environment in North Central Milwaukee by building a St. Vincent De Paul Thrift store. We can end “data driven policing”. We can increase funds for public education. We can provide treatment for persons with drug or alcohol problems rather than prison. We can build businesses and provide better transportation in this area. We can provide decent health care for all who are ill of mind, body and spirit. We cannot change anyone but, to paraphrase Peter Maurin, Co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, we can “make that kind of society in North Central Milwaukee where it is easier for persons to be good.”
Racism must be called for what it is, Racism

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