Cop bashing remains official city policy
But the needle is moving our way!
Every cause needs a martyr and for many of us, Mike Koval will do nicely. He saw the P.C. gang graffiti on city hall before retiring his badge. His resignation Sunday (09-29-19) was a siren in the night alerting others to take up his battle with the cop-bashers.
The battle for Madison hearts and minds has been joined and not just by the usual suspects (like that awful Blaska!).
A pyrrhic victory?
Phil Hands may have committed his most courageous editorial cartoon yet in today’s Wisconsin State Journal. The social justice bullies of Freedom Inc., Progressive Dane Mayor Rhodes-Conway, and Madison’s swarm of young car thieves all cheering the resignation of Police Chief Mike Koval! Nice company, mayor!
On the same page: two more excellent letters to the editor from new voices. Thank you, Joan Ellis Beglinger:
What is social justice? Certainly not the myth of victimhood that is creating a culture of dependence and sinking each generation further into the abyss. This is racism at its core. Social justice is seeing the unlimited potential in every person and ensuring that opportunity and expectations are color blind.
Welcome, Steve Beier:
Thank you to the Madison City Council, Madison School Board and Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. Their efforts have finally succeeded in driving a good and decent man from the Madison Police Department.
Our NextDoor social media here on the southwest side is also buzzing with outrage.
Public safety is a First Thing*
* Except in Madison. The Progressive Dane mayor chose to spend $200,000 on a full-time police “watchdog” rather than the three extra beat cops that money would have purchased. Koval said the department is 31 shy of where it should be.
A late-night teenage car theft operation in Madison
Lost in the shuffle is Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway’s short-sheeting of the fire department. They’ve been asking for an ambulance at the new fire station on the southeast side; didn’t get it. One of these days someone is going to go D.O.A. And fire is down 10 to 12 firefighters.
Satya also has more money for rapid bus transit, which is fine if you’re not afraid to ride the bus. A couple transfer points in Madtown, we would avoid. Downtown property owners will pay more to maintain public areas but without getting more police on Upper State Street.
If you do not feel safe in your own home government has failed. But you will pay more for the privilege — 3.4% more. That’s not counting the wheel tax — $40 for each motorized vehicle. That’s $160 at Stately Manor’s stables.
‘Passion for reform‘
Some early bets are on Cameron McLay as the new permanent police chief. He’s a former Madison police captain who was run out of Pittsburgh after two years when he accused his own force of racism. The police union there (a real police union) gave him a vote of no confidence.
McLay was a finalist for the top cop job in Seattle last year. Its mayor loved his “passion for reform,” according to a news source there. But its rank and file police “didn’t get any positives when they were talking to Pittsburgh and Madison.” McLay is Satya’s deputy mayor for law enforcement.
Acting police chief Vic Wahl told NBC TV-15 he will not apply for the permanent position.
Asked if he might change his mind after being on the job a few months, Wahl answered “No, I don’t think so; if anything, it would probably have the opposite effect.”
“I think Chief Koval and I in terms of substance were perfectly aligned,” said Wahl.
Blaska’s Bottom Line: Keep the heat on! Tell the mayor what you think. Instruct the alders. Sign Paula Fitzsimmons’ petition.
For further study: Koval says the mayor and others “are hell bent on placating a small group of dissenters that despise MPD.” Dylan Brogan in “Out with a bang.”
Blaska Policy Werkes 
53 responses to “Madison has been triggered!”
I don’t know what’s gotten into the water cooler over there at “Isthmus” lately, but they published a pretty frank interview with Koval today (“Out With A Bang”). Worth a read.
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Now that is real news! Call the TV stations.
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The word is starting to get around. Too bad so few people were paying attention when you were running for the school board. There’s an old adage about voting and government: You get what you deserve.
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They’ll pay attention until the dust settles or the next big story breaks. Trust me, seen it many times. Shepherding real change takes tenacity and consistency – traits severely lacking today.
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Oh vey, Cam McLay. Yeah, check out his history. Not a cop’s cop, to be sure; more like a politician and yes-man – just what Progressive Dane wants.
Very much doubt he’d stick his neck out for his cops, and likely would throw them under the bus in a New York minute to curry favor and save his own ass.
Any coppers reading this? GET YOUR UNION TO OPEN THEIR MOUTHS ALREADY. This is not going away. Geez, what will it take for them to do something already?!?
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And thanks for the mention on my petition! Support for Chief Koval is overwhelming!
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I would love nothing more than to believe the landscape is finally changing. People are angry, and that’s a great start. But it takes tenacity and consistency and a willingness to consistently get out of your comfort zone – especially when it hurts the most – to make lasting change.
You have to be able to muster inner strength and be willing to stand alone if need be, in front of people who despise you and what you have to say. You have to be willing to stand up to the bullies, and stay there, even when your hands are shaking and all you want to do is walk (run!) out of that room.
When I see this happening on a REGULAR basis (not just when the mood / story strikes) I’ll be less cynical. But for now, and my thoughts are subject to change, I’ve just seen this sort of temporary outrage too many times; it clears up and gets quiet until the next big story.
Please, please, please prove me wrong!
Sorry if this doesn’t sound “positive” or optimistic or nice and cozy or politically correct or offends people’s sensitivities. But I’m just too tired and have seen too much and have taken too much shit to care at this point what people think about me.
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Want to find out for sure how pissed off people real are? Put out a notice asking people to show up at the next Council meeting, and watch how many show up. Or do a public records request to see how many people have actually written in.
Then we’ll know how serious people are. Until then, talk is cheap.
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I agree with your diagnosis of the problem–it’s there for all to see–but your remedy falls flat. “You have to muster the inner strength to stand up to the bullies and stay there, even when your hands are shaking and all you want to do is walk (run!) out of the room.” Isn’t this what our gracious host has done many times in front of the Madison School Board and the lunatics of Freedom Inc. (though I never noticed his hands shaking)? All it did was give the virtue signalers an easy target and provide the race-obsessed bullies with living proof that white privilege is rampant in Madison. Signing petitions, writing aldermen, attending council meetings, etc. seems to me an ineffective retort when dealing with a concerted effort to undermine the rule of law and order. For every voice of reason that might speak out at a city council meeting there will be a dozen more spouting every SJW catchphrase in the book. Talk is indeed cheap–and in a town like Madison it’s also a waste of time.
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Gary, disagree. If everyone takes that attitude, then for certain, nothing will get accomplished. But if more people speak out and push back, even just a little, change will occur, albeit not a quickly as we’d like.
Case in point, when I ran the MPD advocacy group: We WERE able to get the council (2018) to vote to fund eight more cops, albeit not as many as we asked for. Most thought it was impossible, but we won by a landslide.
It happened in large part, because people took the time to write in. Of course there was a lot of other legwork involved, but community input was vital. Did I have my doubts? Sure, but I kept plugging away, because it was a better alternative to doing nothing, or banging away on the keyboard on Facebook with dancing emoticons.
I have many of these examples of how pushback made a difference, and have been told this by COPS THEMSELVES, as well as some of their family members. They’ve told me that without these efforts, the situation would have been MUCH worse. So I know these efforts made a difference and that a handful of voices, or even one voice, can indeed make a difference.
One thing is for certain: If nobody says anything, the radicals will take this as a sign that all is ok and continue to push their agenda.
Sane people CAN outnumber the loons if they just showed up.
Change has to start somewhere and with someone.
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Sane people already outnumber the insane people. The problem is that many of the sane people have to actually not do something important in their sane lives to battle the insanity of the insane people. The insane people’s lives are consumed by their bigotry and hate for their opposition and they will destroy their own lives in efforts to virtue signal to their insane peers that they’re part of the insane hive mind and all that virtue signalling is to try to intimidate the sane people.
We are seeing from the insane people is a high levels of generational operant conditioning causing behavioral dependence.
Operant Conditioning: is a theory of learning in behavioral psychology which emphasizes the role of reinforcement in conditioning. Think Pavlov’s Dogs.
Behavioral Dependence: Is a form of addiction that involves a compulsion to engage in a rewarding non-substance-related behavior – sometimes called a natural reward despite any negative consequences to the person’s physical, mental, social or financial well-being.
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Link didn’t work properly…
Apathy Fertilizes A Breeding Ground For Stupidity
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Steve, true. Scary times.
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The ‘soft racism’ of low expectations
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@Paula Fitz;
“I would love nothing more than to believe the landscape is finally changing. People are angry, and that’s a great start. But it takes tenacity and consistency and a willingness to consistently get out of your comfort zone – especially when it hurts the most – to make lasting change.”
VERY well put!
“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.” MLK, Jr.
Glass half full?
“this sort of temporary outrage,” and the people demonstrating it, has a FAR better chance of moving forward than if it had to rely on the support of those whose attention span is less than that of a GOLFISH!
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posted too soon.
The guy, recently passed, responsible for most of the success I ever enjoyed professionally and beyond, always said:
If you don’t get what you want out of life; you either didn’t really want it in the first place, or you bargained over the price.”
The Gotch
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Thanks for getting it, Gotch!
So here’s how it would always play out for me:
1. News story on MPD comes out that outrages people (for example, Council did this or that).
2. People react en masse. On Facebook.
3. I get to work to find a solution to said problem. Involves doing research and talking to people (so I knew what the hell I’m talking about when I stood in front of Council), writing reports, preparing speeches, contacting decision-makers, what have you. You know, the “boring” stuff.
4. I get to the point where I ask people to get involved. By that time, they’ve forgotten the story and moved on to the next one.
5. New story on MPD comes out that outrages people all over again.
6. Rinse, repeat.
So you see the conundrum and why more shit doesn’t get done!
And sure, I guess temporary outrage is better than nuttin’. I mean, it does sometimes plant seeds for future activism and serve as pushback.
Great quote about not getting what you want out of life!
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And mind you, there was always someone to criticize the way I did things, without, of course, any offers to help or participate. I had three “regulars”, who thought they knew it all and would pick at the most innocuous of things.
Armchair quarterbacking is easy and common. Sweat equity is altogether different.
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As for Blaska, he is one of the most courageous people I know. It takes a hell of a lot of guts to do what he did. It’s not his fault that others couldn’t take the time to show up to meetings or write in.
Yet he keeps going, and in fact, he has helped inspire me and my work. And he’s motivated others to speak out, and has brought light to an important issue / planted seeds. So yes, he’s definitely made change – change that’s perhaps eclipsed by the loudness of the loons, but change nonetheless.
Imagine if more people were like him and took the time to show up when it counts?
As for hands shaking, I was referring to my own! I’ve stood in front of people who despise me many a time (alone!) because I felt so strongly about MPD. Shaking hands and all, which by the way is an involuntary reaction. Even the strongest of cops’ hands shake at times. If Blaska’s hands were shaking, nobody could fault him.
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Thanks for your response. I suppose it boils down to what each individual regards as “progress.” You convinced me that the voices of sanity (e.g., yours and Dave’s) can with great effort sometimes make small but positive changes; however, when looked at from a wider perspective, those changes, though welcome, have NO chance of fundamentally changing a system that is intellectually and morally bankrupt (this is in no way meant to denigrate your efforts, only to suggest that there are severe limits to what can be accomplished given the circumstances). That said, even small victories are better than none at all. A tip of the chapeau to you and your allies.
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No, nobody can change an entire system, and I wouldn’t even attempt it.
The “system” is as it is because the moral fiber of our culture is broken. Fundamental change will have to occur at home and start with the parents. Given that the nuclear family is endangered, it’s hard to hold on to hope on that front.
I completely understand what you’re saying about the “bigger picture” and I certainly look at that when formulating my own solutions. But in the short term, I do what I can, when and where I can, to the best of my ability and let the chips fall where they may. I think that’s the best any of us can do given the current landscape.
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That Phil Hands cartoon made my day though did anyone notice a small but telling inaccuracy in his depiction of the “young car thief”? Well, maybe not so small ….
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@Gary L. Kriewald;
“did anyone notice a small but telling inaccuracy in his depiction of the ‘young car thief’?”
I myself did not, seen as proof positive The Gotch doesn’t see color; another step on the journey to being WOKE…
Kidding aside, Hands is edgy, but he isn’t suicidal; note how little fur flies with it the way it is.
That “telling inaccuracy” correctly depicted? Can you even imagine the volume of $#!T hitting the fan at warp speed?
Heck; I bet even @AnonyBob takes a break from defending-n-genuflecting to the successor to The Redeemer himself, Greta Thunberg, and weighs in.
The Gotch
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Nah, I’m busy watching Trump self-impeach. No wonder Dave chooses to focus on local politics.
But I do like to see I’m living in your head, rent free.
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If you’re living in Gotch’s head you must like the decor.
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Poor @AnonyBob, sad @AnonyBob, eminently ButtHurt @AnonyBob.
”Nah, I’m busy watching Trump self-impeach.”
Sure…sure you are.
One small problem;
This_Is_NOT_An_Impeachment_Inquiry, a detail that’s inexplicably evaded the pudding pated.
To wit:
(bolds/caps mine throughout)
“You are not to be faulted (especially if you’re a stupid Lefty, [forgive the redundancy]) IF YOU THINK A FORMAL INQUEST IS UNDER WAY AND THAT LEGAL PROCESS HAS BEEN ISSUED. The misimpression is completely understandable if you have been taking in media coverage — in particular, reporting on a haughty Sept. 27 letter from House Democrats, PRESUMING TO DIRECT Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on pain of citation for obstruction, to cooperate in their demands to depose State Department officials and review various records.
“The letter is signed by not one but three committee chairmen. Remember your elementary math, though: Zero is still zero even when multiplied by three.
”THE HOUSE HAS NOT VOTED AS A BODY TO AUTHORIZE AN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY. What we have are partisan theatrics, […] Moreover, THERE ARE NO SUBPOENAS
What we have here is @AnonyBob, yet again, BLINDLY FOLLOWING his handlers instructions, hoping against hope this isn’t another Jussie/Kavanaugh/Stormy/Covington/Pee Tape, etc., etc., etc, debacle that leaves him looking more…um…impressionable than ever.
#Sad #Pathetic!
The Gotch
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The Gotch hates to pile on when Lefty’s at the precipice, but I forgot to add that not only has Adam (FULL OF) Schiff (Dlusional-CA) been caught making…um…schiff up out of whole cloth, but we come to find that he was swapping spit with the whistleblower before the complaint became public.
What did you know, Lefties, and When did you know it?
Drip, drip, drip, drip, drip, drip, drip, drip, drip……….
The Gotch
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Gootch, you are so good at nitpicking insignificance, a truly weak defense. Trump is a crook by his own words. He’s being impeached. Enjoy.
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@AnonyBob;
“Gootch, you are so good at nitpicking insignificance,”
Welp, I got THAT going for me, which is nice!
“a truly weak defense.”
Keep telling yourself that, but The Gotch recommends altering the approach from your wildly successful earlier attempts with Jussie/Kavanaugh/Stormy/Covington/Pee Tape, etc., etc., etc. Doing the same thing & expecting different results ain’t a good strategy, am I right?
“Trump is a crook by his own words.”
Reality can be your friend; juuuuuuuust give it a chance!
“He’s being impeached. Enjoy.”
Actually The Donald’s not. That may change, but praying to Greta won’t help.
At this point reality still bats last; an axiom Lefties (most, not all) continue to ignore to their eternal peril.
The Gotch
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“Can you even imagine the volume of $#!T hitting the fan at warp speed?” Easily. Nothing enrages Madison liberals–those grown-up Gretas–like being confronted with reality, especially when it threatens their carefully constructed self-image.
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“Nothing enrages Madison liberals–those grown-up Gretas–like being confronted with reality, especially when it threatens their carefully constructed self-image.”
I LUV the smell of WOKE Lefty faux-elitists being napalmed in the morning; it smells like…Kismet!
The Gotch
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Chief Koval was brave beyond expectations, and the “shaky hands” had to be there on a daily basis. Frustration and powerlessness cause that, just as surely as passion. And I suspect that when Dave & Paula had their “shaky hands” experiences, those were factors, too. All three stood their ground somehow and pushed for common-sense data supported care for the community. Most of us wouldn’t/couldn’t put ourselves in that situation. And that may be why this will be a flurry, but not a whirlwind -Not many may carry on. Let’s hope that these three continue their efforts so others, (like letter-writers Joan & Steve) will take that 1st step, too.
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“Diverse group of civic-minded residents to pick next Madison police chief”
https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/diverse-group-of-civic-minded-residents-to-pick-next-madison/article_72b95b66-c79f-593c-9cd3-32b34d46ae7b.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1
So did Madison city government actually write that headline??
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@AnonyBob’s infantilized FANTASY:
“He’s (President Trump) being impeached.
The Real World’s painful REALITY:
”Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) REJECTED A REQUEST by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on Thursday THAT THE FULL HOUSE VOTE ON WHETHER TO AUTHORIZE AN IMPEACHMENT.” (bolds/caps mine)
Don’t be like @AnonyBob!
The Gotch
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Nice red herring, Gootch in Fantasyland. The House isn’t required to vote to begin or authorize impeachment, only to approve the articles of impeachment. That’ll happen, Trump’s admitted to his high crime and is doubling down (“Jina!”). Enjoy. Sputter on.
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Unemployment rate at 3.5%! Oh wait – 3 years in, it’s still Obama’s economy, right??? Wasn’t it Bill Clinton that said, “It’s the economy, stupid!”
I think ABob is the one that’s living in fantasyland. This is Walker recall on a national level (1 MILLION signatures)
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Boys, I was withholding comment because I didn’t want to hijack this thread, tempting as Trump’s treachery to our country is. Paula Fitz, Kriewald and others were having their discussion about something that’s not a focus of mine. But Gootch, lout that he is, dragged me in and carried on with his childish insults, as usual. He should show more respect for the people on his side.
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Before you could “hijack this thread,” people here would have to actually care about what you write.They don’t. You are only useful as a the nearest idiot foil since Richard finally got banned.
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Now, now, Patrick me boy, what have I ever done to you.
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Bob, let’s face it. You only come here to troll. If you do not see the opportunity to tweak somebody’s nose, you stay silent. If you see an opening, even off topic, you’ll strike,
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“(The Gotch) dragged me in.”
@AnonyBob claiming victimhoodie? HeyZeus Alou! Either you have absolutely no self-control or you have NO FREAKIN’ SHAME; The Gotch thinks it’s both.
“Paula Fitz, Kriewald and others were having their discussion about something that’s not a focus of mine.”
If you hadn’t merely succumbed to your shockingly misplaced anger (understandable given the merciless battering Lefty’s been taking) you’d have noticed that The Gotch had several (IMO) productive exchanges with those you reference.
Not only that, but (and this is where it gets GOOD!) they were ON TOPIC.
@patrickmoloughlin;
Bravo Indigo November Golf Oscar!!!
The Gotch
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Never claimed you weren’t part of the discussion (“and others”), Gootch, just that you indulged in an out-of-the-blue shot at me, unrelated to anything. A common practice for you. (As I said, “…rent free.”) But pointing out the obvious, Trump’s complete unfitness for office, sure triggers you. Don’t be such a snowflake; show a little self control.
And Patrick, if no one pointed out the foolishness of what goes on here, you’d all just assume you were correct, cuz “everybody thinks so.” Well, they don’t. And believe me, I let a lot of goofiness slide by without taking shots; there’s a lot of low hanging fruit here. If you were honestly concerned about trolling and nose tweaking, you’d direct some of that to a certain gootchbag; but, you won’t.
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“I let a lot of goofiness slide by without taking shots; there’s a lot of low hanging fruit here.”
Arrogance; thy name is @AnonyBob!
Life’s tough @AnonyBob, it’s tougher when you’re stupid.
The Gotch
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Ah. The final, parting personal insult. You may lose arguments, Gootch, but you’ll always RULE the middle school playground.
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“The final, parting personal insult.”
Anyone that tells you that was an insult rather than an observation will lie to you about other things, too.
“You may lose arguments”
Shoot, who hasn’t? The TRUE measure is will you admit it, am I right?
“you’ll always RULE the middle school playground.”
A recurring theme; anything you want to talk about….?
The Gotch
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Responding (feebly) point by point. Ha! Rent free.
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Not a focus of yours? For once you could cite actual RAY-cism albeit whites believing themselves superior to black victims in need of their low expectations and hand outs. Not a focus?
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I noted that the Phil Hands cart5oo has black face on the guy wearing
the “criminal” t- shirt. I suspect Phil will be hearing about this real
soon.
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@Leo;
“I noted that the Phil Hands cart5oo has black face on the guy wearing the ‘criminal’ t- shirt.”
A black face mask, yet the perp behind it appeared to be…um…lightly complected.
FULL DISCLOSURE: As a year-round, outdoor runner, The Gotch owns several face masks, and sundry other facial protectors, the majority of which happen to be black.
Anywho, wouldn’t behoove humanity to allow @AnonyBob weigh in…?
The Gotch
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Actually, Madison liberals were probably appalled that even the MASK was black–so delicate are their sensibilities on all things racial that even that detail would be enough to elicit squeals of indignation. Any bets on how long it will take them to demand a groveling apology from Phil and/or his immediate resignation (along with several months of sensitivity training)?
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”so delicate are their sensibilities on all things racial”
You familiar with John Leo? He was the only reason I used to subscribe to ‘Time Magazine,’ and still why I open the few magazines I still get to the back page first.
Anywho, he called it “Stealth Racism.” It’s EVERYWHERE, and if it’s not, you simply manufacture it.
“Any bets on how long it will take them to demand a groveling apology”
Hard to pin Lefty Inc nowadays; they summarily $#!tcan guys like Al Stewart Smiley Franken, yet allow a virulent racist (per Lefty’s definition) like VA Governor Ralphie Northam to slide; ain’t a rhyme or reason to it, am I right?
Bias facilitates mental pathways taking one quickly to predetermined results.
What I don’t understand is how Lefties (most, not all) allow it to take them to something that rudimentary logic easily disproves.
And yes @AnonyBob, it’s evident on both sides of the aisle, it pi$$e$ me off when it happens with Righties, too; in fact, probably more so.
But I don’t think Righties are the problem facing the 77 Square Miles Surrounded By A Sea Of Reality; quite the opposite it would appear.
The Gotch
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Real change must come at the ballot box. Most people I know are unhappy about crime in Madison but would never consider voting for anyone but progressives.
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Bob Dane, are those voters in denial or just plain dense? A conundrum I often ponder.
Not sure what other results they expect given that they continue to elect the very same people who are pissing on public safety.
As a former moderate Democrat, there came a point where (AHA!), the party I was supporting had become radicalized and socialized beyond recognition and possible repair.
They were even failing in the top reasons I was still holding on (environment and animal welfare). Government can’t solve this broken planet or save the animals, I discovered (the market will play a huge role, it turns out), so it became pointless to continue to vote for people who had zero respect for me, and who put the needs of criminals before me.
If people want to elect politicians who don’t give a shit about them, they shouldn’t expect anything different than what they’re getting.
If they still want to complain after the damage has been done and continue to vote for insanity, then seriously, they can shut the fuck up when crime occurs.
Ditto for the pussies who could have stopped some of this, but remained quiet.
I see what’s coming, but I’m from Chicago and am used to this stuff. The people from no-name towns are in for a rude awakening.
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