OT: Peter Feigin Comments on the City of Milwaukee

[Ron Swanson]

By every statistic you want to use, the statement is absolutely true. Race and the NBA have always and likely always will be intertwined more than other sports considering the incredibly high percentage of black athletes (74%).

I understand that some people are uncomfortable talking about it or would prefer to "leave race out of sports", but that's entirely unrealistic considering the history and importance that sports has had in influencing civil rights and race relations in this country (Bill Russell, Jackie Robinson, Ali, etc.).

[worthlessBucks]

Maybe Peter and company should redistribute all Bucks profit to those lower income, crime riddled black communities? No obligations to shareholders, so why not? Why don't you take up residence over there right now, Peter? 'Everybody else is racist, not me.' Take all your profit and put those millions upon millions of dollars and pour it into more money on education, small businesses (jobs), infrastructure, additional police to reduce high crime, etc. You know, make the areas safer and more desirable for people, of all races, to live in and not just the ones who are presently stuck. All sounds like great investments with all the profit from the Milwaukee Bucks. So generous, Peter. "No no..he didn't mean it like that!"

Why didn't Alex Lasry buy up some cheap as hell land on the northwest side and build a million dollar condo over there? Is he racist too?

[midranger]

Milwaukee is so segregated, even the white people of differing national background live separate from each other. Poles over here, Serbs there, Italians up there. Jewish? You go there. It is what it is. It happened a long time ago, and having the BMO literally across the street from where they're building didn't change it.

I'm not a fan of either major political party. But Milwaukee has been run by the left (either socialists or democrats) for what? 100 years? And it's the most racist place he's ever seen? What gives? Maybe Lasry doesn't know how to pick em. Maybe a little train that does a two mile loop through downtown will help?

[midranger]

Also, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but didnt the Bucks choose to put their training facility to the block north of the arena? Wonder how that happened? Convenient buffer to the "unpleasant" neighborhoods. We want it close, but not too close.

[crkone]

Does inherent segregation = racism? I think the city's past, right from the origins of how the city was founded as 3 separate entities merging together, can't be ignored for how groups of people just wanted to stay together. The city isn't more or less racist than most major cities.

[midranger]

Does inherent segregation = racism? I think the city's past, right from the origins of how the city was founded as 3 separate entities merging together, can't be ignored for how groups of people just wanted to stay together. The city isn't more or less racist than most major cities.

No. De facto segregation does not imply inherent racism. The south is fairly integrated and there still exists incredible racism.

I will say it probably doesn't help.

I will also say that overt racism is easier to identify and deal with. What we have in this city is more insidious. It's also is not a one way street in this city. It simmers below the surface and it's easier to ignore. Our leadership has done so.

[pifhluk23]

Ok that's great that he recognizes there is a problem. However the arena and any developments they do only perpetuate the problem because they are only going to build high end expensive rent buildings and just continue to push out the poor areas further and further from downtown. Maybe I'm wrong and they will actually get involved in the community but my guess is they throw a million or so at "community projects" like a garden in a crap neighborhood, or they clean up some abandoned houses. All just lip service with minimal impact but you get a picture and a nice story in the JS.

[BMatt07]

Take all your profit and put those millions upon millions of dollars and pour it into more money on education, small businesses (jobs), infrastructure, additional police to reduce high crime, etc.

You cannot fix the public education problem by simply throwing money at it. Feel free to read about Kansas City, see how well that worked for them. They spent more per pupil than any other school district in the entire nation (they spent around 2 billion total), and it was an absolute and utter disaster. They were better off lighting the money on fire.

The culture within these communities has to change, that isn't accomplished by simply handing over a stack of money.

[M-C-G]

Does inherent segregation = racism? I think the city's past, right from the origins of how the city was founded as 3 separate entities merging together, can't be ignored for how groups of people just wanted to stay together. The city isn't more or less racist than most major cities.

No. De facto segregation does not imply inherent racism. The south is fairly integrated and there still exists incredible racism.

I will say it probably doesn't help.

I will also say that overt racism is easier to identify and deal with. What we have in this city is more insidious. It's also is not a one way street in this city. It simmers below the surface and it's easier to ignore. Our leadership has done so.

Interesting thoughts to chew on.

[M-C-G]

Milwaukee is so segregated, even the white people of differing national background live separate from each other. Poles over here, Serbs there, Italians up there. Jewish? You go there. It is what it is. It happened a long time ago, and having the BMO literally across the street from where they're building didn't change it.

I'm not a fan of either major political party. But Milwaukee has been run by the left (either socialists or democrats) for what? 100 years? And it's the most racist place he's ever seen? What gives? Maybe Lasry doesn't know how to pick em. Maybe a little train that does a two mile loop through downtown will help?

I've actually shared the same thought with friends before. At some point, when do people take a step back and say "the people we are choosing to lead us have let us down"...it boggles my mind the free pass Milwaukee officials have gotten on this. Instead of being held accountable, they are just doubling down and saying, "we understand your plight and we are going to make change"...well what the hell have they been waiting for the last 60 years?

[Buckrageous]

https://youtu.be/CeHVwcOkmRo

[Buckrageous]

https://youtu.be/J5d--q3vBpM

[M-C-G]

https://youtu.be/CeHVwcOkmRo

If BLM ever had a just cause, these type of actions (well let's call it what it is, racism and hate crimes) completely destroys whatever credibility it had

[Buckrageous]

When he needed money for a $500,000,000 + palace for his bosses' hobby he loved the people of Milwaukee. After he gets the check he publicly **** on the city. I'm not not how he could come across as more of a greedy, despicable, two-faced POS. If he really had any conviction in his beliefs the Bucks would turn down the money and sell the team back to the NBA to protest the epicenter of racism, Milwaukee. Why would he want to frequent in such a lowly place anyway?

Does anyone really believe if given the choice between racial harmony or $350,000,000 they received from the citizens of the state he would chose racial harmony?

[MickeyDavis]

Feel free to open a thread on this in the Current Affairs board. With training camp open we've got hoops to discuss. Thx.

Edit. This threads wasn't locked because I, or PP@5, disagreed with anyone or any post. It has always been the policy of the Bucks board not to have race discussions. Because in years past they always, ALWAYS turn ugly. The same is true with politics and religion. Because this was Bucks related we let it run for a day and now ask that if you wish to continue to discuss you go over to the Current Affairs board, which was created to discuss any topic. But anyone who thinks this was locked because I disagreed with something in this thread is WAY off base. Feel free to PM me with any questions.