WILL HE EVER STOP?

WILL HE EVER STOP?
by Timothy Rollins, Editor and Publisher

March 29, 2006

In an effort to once again advance his own agenda, Michael McGee Jr. goes on camera calling for enhancer penalties for those who commit crimes against black men, calling them an 'endangered species.' These outrageous comments call for an in-depth analysis to expose McGee as self-serving.

We begin with the mortality rate of black men nationwide between ages 15 and 44, and we do not limit it to Milwaukee. The NUMBER ONE cause of death for these young black males is not tuberculosis, AIDS, accidents or influenza. The number one cause of death for this rising generation of young black men is MURDER, and we are not talking about white-on-black crime here. Look no further than Milwaukee's Summer of Death last year. The overwhelming majority of the killings occurred in predominantly black areas, and as expected - young black men were killing other young black men.

McGee ignores the fact that enhancer penalties already exist, albeit unevenly and selectively enforced. There's no need to pass new laws in an act of redundancy for the sole purpose of pandering to constituents, many of whom live in McGee's district and are temporarily disenfranchised from the voting process because of unresolved felony convictions.

Once upon a time, I opposed hate crimes legislation as I felt they violated the First, Tenth, and Fourteenth Amendments. However, I've since had a change of heart because hate crime enhancers go directly to motive, a key factor in any crime and as such, they must be given full consideration by a jury. To kowtow to McGee's publicity ploy is foolish on the grounds that hate crime laws are already on the books and district attorneys need to be more consistent in their enforcement, regardless of whether the victim is black, white, brown or even the little green man from Mars.

Before the black community in Milwaukee can improve itself, it must weed out the cancers within their ranks. It begins by identifying positive role models within their community, and also includes exposing and removing from any position of responsibility any and all whose actions would tear down and even reverse the gains that have been made. While it's essential that all voices within the political spectrum be heard before positive change can take root, one must keep in mind that McGee's self-serving agenda accomplishes nothing positive. As a community, we need to ask ourselves some serious questions. What positive role model does McGee offer the black community? It certainly can't be the Blockbuster incident in Wauwatosa some time back. What kind of role model screams epithets at store employees, resists arrest with violence and then blames Wauwatosa officials for his own misconduct? The laws must be enforced fairly and equally, whether the offender is Black, White, Asian or Latino. To make matters worse, Wauwatosa's Village Idiot - the Mayor herself (pictured, right) - comes out the next day and promptly on cue for the cameras, starts 'polishing McGee's apple', if you get my drift. If anyone was the victim in that sordid episode, it was the Blockbuster employees.

By virtue of McGee's actions at Blockbuster, he cannot and must not be looked to as a role model. His conduct and political grandstanding exposes him as a fraud that only cares about himself. In the time I've observed him, he has clearly and consistently shown himself to be one incapable of taking responsibility for his own actions. Role models - everyday heroes - must come at a level closer to home, preferably fathers who are still in the family unit.

Bill Cosby can no longer be considered a role model either, especially in light of molestation allegations filed against him with the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office. Cosby's moral authority has vapor-locked, as Cos showed all of America that just like a politician, he too, can speak out of both sides of his mouth.

If Black America is ever going to stand on its own feet and be a legitimate force in American society and politics, thus fulfilling their destiny as a respected force for good - as they should - they must first shake off the chains that bind them by realizing that con men and slave masters the likes of McGee, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and others of their stripe exist only to line their own pockets by pimping off the backs of 'their people'. ***

A veteran freelance writer, Timothy Rollins brings a wealth of political experience dating back more than 33 years, and military experience going back more than 29. He is a freelance writer and policy analyst living in Wisconsin who has been featured on both television and radio. He has appeared both in online publications as well as in print newspapers such as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, USA TODAY, the Deseret News in Salt Lake City and the Daily Herald in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The views expressed by Mr. Rollins are his own and do not represent the official views of any organization or entity with which he may otherwise be affiliated. As such, Mr. Rollins alone takes full responsibility for them. He can be reached by e-mail at rollins@american-partisan.com. ***

Photo of Timothy Rollins courtesy of staff files
Photo of Mayor Theresa Estness courtesy of the City of Wauwatosa

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