Life Must Suck if You’re Black…and Working at the Journal Sentinel

Here we go again.

Time for the annual Milwaukee-is-a-great-place-unless-you-are-black rant.  The latest to slam the city I love is the editorial board of the Journal Sentinel newspaper. In short: Forbes magazine sees great things in Milwaukee, the editorial board sees prejudice and inequality.

Why?

The editorial board claims we lack a strong black middle class and there aren’t enough minority managers. (They also cite a strange story about some guy whose kid attends Florida A&M University, along with other students of African descent from Milwaukee – never mind that those kids almost ALWAYS come back to Milwaukee after they go out of state for college; we’re supposed to be upset that young black high school students are advancing in higher education?)

O.K., whatever.

The editors go on to chide Milwaukee by saying, “The city must do more to attract and keep young minority professionals.”

Who is “the city”? Is the editorial board talking about average residents? Mayor Barrett? Alderman Donovan? The MMAC? Aren’t private companies, like the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, most responsible for hiring young black professionals?

I’ve got two names for the editorial board to consider: James Burnett and Jamaal Abdul-Alim. Both young. Both talented. Both Americans of African descent. Both former employees of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. How many times has the Journal Sentinel managed to lose an up-and-coming minority reporter or editor?

What happened? Why weren’t you able to keep these two talented black reporters in the city? What are YOUR issues? Why aren’t you able to keep the vast majority of your best minority journalists? Why are you such a failure at talent retention?

The word “hypocrite” is really just the Greek word for “actor.” (Jesus Christ was the first to use it in the way that we use it today.) Whether you adhere to the ancient translation or the modern one, this word could easily apply to the Journal Sentinel board, in light of today’s editorial.   

Maybe “the city” doesn’t need to get a clue – maybe it’s the Journal Sentinel. Put up or shut up. Look in the mirror. For real. And stop raining on Milwaukee’s parade.

Comments

[James Pawlak]

Perhaps the MJS cannot keep journalists as the rest of their editorial board are out of that profession and into propaganda.

[John Maddente]

Yes, I agree. There is an unhealthy obsession with racial identity on the editorial board and it has been that way for a long time. A fine example was their position after Katrina hit. A Martian reading that piece would think that it was a wave of racism that caused the suffering, instead of a level 5 hurricane. You'll find the same tone when they discuss our "segregated" city. For decades it has NOT been about black or white - it's been about green. Anyone with enough of it is able and welcome to live where they wish.