For nearly a year, the extreme leftists in Marathon County have accused the good hardworking citizens in our community of being hateful and perpetrated a false narrative against us in part through two hit pieces published by a New York Times reporter with Wisconsin ties. Additionally, they have persisted with pushing a divisive ‘equity’ resolution rooted in Marxism. Those on the intolerant left have created a problem that doesn’t exist – because they have a calculated and deliberate agenda to discredit, censor and cancel those with whom they disagree politically. They have presented no credible proof – no police reports of widespread acts of hatred, no hiring policies by local businesses that violate federal and state employment laws, no pervasive examples of discrimination. It began in August 2020 with a consultant for a Milwaukee-based LGBTQ organization who was invited by the Marathon County Board’s Diversity Commission to participate in an educational seminar before the county board. This consultant, Katie Hamm (who stated that she had southern racists in her family) delivered a 50-page Powerpoint presentation on white privilege and systemic racism full of outrageous claims that went unchallenged by the board; no comments or questions were permitted. Among a number of unfounded and unverifiable claims, replete with sweeping generalizations and untruths, Ms. Hamm projected her obvious obsession with the differences between how human beings look on the citizens of Marathon County.
Her presentation included these statements:
“Any discussion of race in America is incomplete without acknowledging the harm done to Indigenous people by white European colonists.”
“White people can be oppressed in ways other than race, such as sexual orientation, gender and gender identity, body size and physical ability, class, etc. However, within those forms of oppression, white privilege still lives.”
“Racial microaggressions are daily indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostility or superiority. They are negative insults toward people of color. They can often be invisible, and one only knows when it has happened because of a feeling of discomfort or a sense of not belonging that accompanies the interaction with a White person. White people who perpetrate microaggressions are often unaware of their behavior and can become defensive when confronted with their actions resulting oftentimes in further microaggressions.”
Her response to those of us who push back on her claims? Yep. You guessed it. If we disagree, that proves we’re racist.
Are there jerks in Marathon County? Sure, there are jerks in every community. They come in all sizes, shapes and opinions. But to project society’s ills on a wonderful community like ours and offer a solution disguised as a ‘resolution for all’ is more than suspect. It’s a deliberate attempt to mis-characterize and malign our community. What’s the end game?
In a recent #Wausome story featured on the City of Wausau’s Community and Economic Development website, William Harris, Marathon County’s first black person to serve on the County Board was quoted as saying: “I am proud of the Wausau community and thankful to have found it. The residents here really are the city’s most valuable asset and biggest attraction. This is the reason I feel passionate about living here and investing in this community. For anyone looking for a city that will welcome you and allow you to quickly get to work making an impact, Wausau is it.”
Which is it, resident lefties? Your narrative is inconsistent, slanderous and filled with divisiveness and lies. Stop tearing apart our community. The more you persist with this fake ‘community for all’ resolution, the more those of us who see through it will resist.
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