Headlines across the globe on Wednesday and Thursday heralded the crackdown on the lawless pro-Hamas tent city in Madison.
However, the UW Chancellor capitulated in a matter of hours and continues to appease the squatters on her campus.
Let’s dive right into today’s Key Reads.
On Wednesday Jennifer Mnookin, the Chancellor at the University of Wisconsin, was adamant about two things regarding the pro-Hamas protests in Madison. One was while she supported the free speech rights of UW students, they had to exercise those rights within the limits and protections of the law. And two, she would not meet with campus protestors as long as there was an illegal tent encampment on University property.
Police moved in. Removed some of the tents. Arrested but did not cite 30 protestors. Four were cited after they injured law enforcement officers.
But by Wednesday afternoon the only temporarily detained protesters were back with new tents. Those and more tents remain up for the second night since the temporary crackdown, yet Mnookin met with protesters on Thursday and is scheduled to do so again Friday morning.
Protesters are calling these meetings negotiations.
Bizarre.
Student protesters, UW chancellor agree to second meeting | WISC
Following a meeting with the University of Wisconsin chancellor and other school officials, student protesters said Thursday morning that progress had been made on both sides.
During a brief media availability, a spokesperson said a second meeting would take place within 24 hours. In addition, the student spokesperson said the chancellor agreed there would be no further police action against protesters during that time.
…Protesters calling for UW to divest from Israel remained camped out on Library Mall Thursday morning, less than 24 hours after clashing with police officers who removed their initial tents on Wednesday.
Never wanting to be one-upped by the flagship campus, the Milwaukee demonstrators are bringing in a youth corps to bolster their ranks.
Milwaukee high schoolers join the circus| Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Cheers went up at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee encampment for Palestine on Thursday when about 75 Shorewood High School students marched onto the grounds after leaving school mid-day.
…Following mounting protests by college students nationwide against the Israeli violence in Gaza, more high school students are also finding their place in movements calling on U.S. institutions to divest from Israel.
The Shorewood students aren’t the first high school students to visit the encampment. Students across Milwaukee have been spending time there and participating in related protests
This is an incredibly interesting an important report from our friends at the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty.
Report: Wisconsin ranked 3rd in nation in social capital |The Center Square
A new report says Wisconsin is among the best states in the country when it comes to social connections, mental health and social capital.
The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty on Thursday released its report on social capital and societal implications.
“Wisconsin ranks 3rd in social capital, behind only Minnesota (2nd) and Utah (1st) and far above other Midwestern states like Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana,” the report states.
“Loneliness and mental health issues have radically increased in American society and declining social capital is a root cause,” WILL’s Miranda Spindt said. “WILL is doing a deep dive into why social capital is so important to advance a pluralistic society, what Wisconsin is doing right, but also what needs to change. It’s critical that we advance this discussion and debate for the betterment of communities in Wisconsin and across America.”
…The WILL report builds on the warning and findings from the U.S. Surgeon General that says 79% of young adults aged 18 to 24 reported being lonely compared to 41% of adults older than 66 years old.
The report specifically drills down on two trends in Wisconsin, marriage and divorce, and the number of children born into single family homes.
“Wisconsin has generally followed national trends in terms of marriage and divorce,” the report’s authors wrote. “Divorce rates have trended down slightly from a high point in the early 1980s. However, importantly, this has been accompanied by a more dramatic decline in marriages. Today, 25% of adults reach 40 years old without ever marrying. By comparison, it was just 6% in 1980.”
The report goes on to note the drop in marriage rates comes with a rise in the number of children born to single mothers.
“This trend of declining marriages has led to more children being born out of wedlock in Wisconsin,” the report adds. “The percentage of babies born to single mothers in 1990 was about 24.3%. In 2020, this increased to about 37.4% – a 13 percentage point increase.”
We end today’s Key Reads with something far easier to swallow than the feckless ‘leadership’ of the chancellors in Madison and Milwaukee.
Northwoods bar and grill wins ‘best burger’ in Wisconsin | WSAW
The Wisconsin Beef Council has announced that the ‘All American Burger’ at Pickles Bar and Grill in Hazelhurst is the winner of the inaugural Wisconsin’s Best Burger Contest.
The All American Burger is a half-pound burger with lettuce, tomato, raw onion, smoked garlic mayo, and a choice of cheese. All of our burgers consist of a crafted blend of brisket, short rib, and ground chuck that are seasoned with a house blend seasoning.
What a week. The Bucks got bounced from the playoffs. A Milwaukee election official got a slap on the wrist after being convicted of felony election fraud. The Brewers continued their winning ways despite the ridiculous officiating from a bush league ump and an overreaction/CYA move by Major League Baseball. And, the UW Administration looks like the biggest clowns in the ongoing protest circus.
Perfect time for the weekend. While we’re not sure we’ll get on the water, please note it is the fishing opener tomorrow!
Good luck to all the anglers out there.
If you need a lesson in catch and release, we can give you Chancellor Mnookin’s number.
