Marathon County logo. MWC file photo.
Last Friday on the WI Morning News, I shared an excellent letter written by Bruce in Marathon, addressing the Marathon County Board Diversity Commission’s latest version of the ‘Community for All’ resolution and the one-sided biased coverage from the media, including The Record-Review. Tune in to the podcast here and see the text of the letter below.
Dear editor,
I am responding to your editorial in the May 19, 2021 edition of “The Record-Review.”
I am a citizen of Marathon County. You stated that the members of the Marathon County Executive Committee fell in line behind me to oppose economic development. I am most grateful for the consideration of the executive committee, and I agree with the outcome of their vote. However, your analysis is wrong. Let me be clear. I do not oppose welcoming productive, law-abiding people of all colors, genders, and religions to Marathon County. I believe we should proudly proclaim that all people coming here can expect fair and equal treatment by the friendly people of this area, and by the excellent employers, who all gladly promote and practice equal opportunity employment. We should emphasize that the preponderance of the people of Marathon County are gentle, law-abiding, family-oriented, patriotic people of faith. We are excellent stewards of the land due to our agricultural, forestry, and outdoor sports heritage. We respect the value of hard work, practical technical knowledge, advanced education, and entrepreneurship. We strongly support education at all levels. We strongly support our public safety professionals. We are blessed with excellent health care professionals and facilities. We are proud of our many well-maintained public parks located at scenic spots throughout the county. We are proud to be the home of thriving Hmong families, who make up 9% of Wausau’s population. We are patriotic Americans, who proudly support the US Constitution!
The Marathon County Diversity Affairs Commission adamantly refused to remove Marxist/socialist wording from the controversial “A Community for All” resolution. The Marathon County Board Executive Committee rejected it, because, as it is now written, it does not reflect the will of the people of Marathon County.
The Marathon County Diversity Affairs Commission appears to believe that people of color, and LBGTQ people will not choose to come to this beautiful area, unless they are given priority over white, heterosexual people. The commission also appears to believe that white, heterosexual people will move here, and that those already here will stay here, despite a clear message that they and their children can expect to experience discrimination in job selection, promotions, and health care. I believe the commission is wrong on both counts.
It appears to me that the Marathon County Board made a commendable effort to include well-educated and experienced members from a wide variety of identity groups on the Marathon County Diversity Affairs Commission (DAC). However, the DAC is not adequately diverse, since it lacks conservative members, who would represent the political views of the majority of the county population. Is it possible for the Marathon County Board to restructure the Diversity Affairs Commission to give conservatives a voice, and then assign the new DAC to write a warm, positive, welcoming resolution that follows constitutional principles of fair and equal treatment?
On a related note, the liberal media has portrayed the conservative people and me, who opposed the discriminatory “ A Community for All” resolution, as racists, by taking a few of our words out of context and spinning a leftist-biased narrative. Please allow me to make my personal position clear;
I, Bruce Bohr, denounce discrimination against all human beings on the basis of skin color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and age (from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death). I pledge to nurture the young and the infirm. I pledge to judge all others on their performance, and on the content of their character.
Let’s discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion. In contrast to the discriminatory “A Community for All” resolution, my statement is more diverse, since it is inclusive of white skin color, biological females and males, and heterosexual people. I offer equality (equal opportunities), instead of equity (equal outcomes). I have also chosen to be inclusive of the most abused identity group in our society, the unborn.
Someone in Marathon County apparently has a close connection to the New York Times (NYT). Will this person please arrange for the NYT to print this letter to correct the negative impression of my position that the NYT created?
Thank you!
Bruce, Marathon
Comments