Last Sunday in the Crossroads section of the local newspaper there was an opinion article called “Most Segregated Metro Area,It is Just Not That Simple”. In my opinion this editorial represented of a fundermental problem in Milwaukee, refusing to admit racism and segregation and justifying it. Here is my Letter to the Editor that was not printed.
Dear Editor,
Mr. Gurda’s essay in Sunday’s Crossroads, “Most segregated” Yes, but….” Illustrates the real problem we have with segregation in Milwaukee, failure to acknowledge the problem. He compares Milwaukee’s African American to immigrant communities, German and Polish that once were the majority on North and South side. Many African American ancestors were brought to USA as slaves and did not enjoy the rights of German and Polish Americans immigrants. He calls for more jobs in the African American community, which all can agree. However he fails to mention while the city of Milwaukee invest $3.85 million dollars for economic development (TIF) in two predominately white Zips 53202 and 53203 it only invests $1.5 million dollars for economic development in two, 53206 and 53210, predominately, African American zips. If city was aware of a toxic poison affecting children in predominately white neighborhoods do you think the city would hesitate to solve it? But there is such a problem in the African American neighborhoods with lead water pipes yet the city has no money in 2017 budget and no plans to replace residential lead water pipes. There is a reason why Milwaukee is the worst city to be a black person and to raise a black child. It is! Failure to admit segregation and institutional racism is the problem in Milwaukee.
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