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4/18/2006 I was shocked and disgusted this morning to read the online edition of the Journal Sentinel and find that an ALL WHITE jury acquitted the officers in the Frank Jude Jr. case. This is just reprehensible to me. While it's hardly a secret that Milwaukee has more than a heaping spoonful of race problems, being one of the most segregated cities in the country, this verdict still managed to stun me into a sort of stupor. How could this be? In spite of its problems, I love Milwaukee and was an active community member during my years there. Even now, nearly 1500 miles away, I extoll the virtues of the city while trying to speak frankly about its vices to my friends and colleagues. Today though, I have to say, I am hanging my head in shame. Maybe all of the progress that seemed to be happening was just an illusion? All of the activism that was happening across neighborhoods, across races and even languages... all for not? Obviously, I can't believe that. The implications here are enormous. This jury didn't find those white cops innocent of beating the hell out of Frank Jude so much as they found Jude guilty of being black. I'm ashamed of the city I love.
posted by Nathan Hall at 4/18/2006 04:59:00 PM link |
