It’s May Day.
Widely celebrated in communist countries with parades that show conscripted troops and military hardware, it’s also sure to be a big hit at the long-form picnics on the Madison and Milwaukee campuses today.
Since the rest of us have a full day of actual work, school and/or service to the community ahead of us, let’s get right to the Key Reads.
The University of Wisconsin System and Governor Tony Evers refuse to dismantle the pro-Hamas encampments that conveniently sprung up just before final exams. They are allowing students (and others) to break the prohibition on camping on University grounds. The eventual confrontation that the ‘protestors’ so desperately want will only be worse as these campouts become larger and more fortified.
The traditional press can’t get enough of this and are downplaying the anti-Semitic and anti-police current that runs through all campouts across the country.
Standoffs continue at UW and UWM | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators vowed to remain for as long as it takes until their schools meet their demands to divest from companies tied to Israel. UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin said she isn’t negotiating until the tents come down while UW-Milwaukee said it couldn’t meet the demands.
“We are obviously afraid, but our fear of being shot at or being arrested is not bigger than our fear of not doing anything for our Palestinian siblings,” said Samia Saeed, a UW-Milwaukee junior involved in the Students for a Democratic Society.
…At UW-Madison, protesters circled around more than a dozen tents set up on Library Mall. Arms linked in solidarity, they clapped and yelled “Disclose! Divest! We will not stop! We will not rest!”
At UW-Milwaukee, protesters gathered outside the Golda Meir Library, then marched around the block to the corner of East Kenwood Boulevard and North Downer Avenue. Outside Mitchell Hall, they set up about two dozen tents, a number that would grow throughout the day.
…By afternoon, tension at the encampments dissipated. At times, the protests felt more like long-term picnics.
Reinforcements were brought in to sustain students – cases of bottled water, boxes of granola bars, bananas. Stacks of pizza boxes arrived. UWM police put the kibosh on a delivery of two Porta-potties.
Students spread out on blankets, snacking and chatting. Some tossed footballs and volleyballs. Others played duck-duck-goose.
Intermittent reminders of the protesters’ purpose were visible: Palestinian music played from speakers. Palestinian flags waved in the breeze. Organizers led the crowd in chants every couple hours.
Despite rumors and worries about police cracking down Monday evening, no arrests were made overnight. It was not clear what police were planning to do, if anything.
Here’s another example where nothing will happen to a lawbreaker and media coverage is soft.
Green Bay Clerk admits she failed to follow election law | WLUK
City Clerk Celestine Jeffreys’ office is taking steps to make sure state law is followed for the Election Day registration process, after conceding the merits of a complaint filed with the state.
The Public Interest Legal Foundation and three residents — Glen Hogan, Joanne Lensing, and David VanderLeest — filed the complaint to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, alleging Jeffreys didn’t properly follow up on postcards to voters verifying their address which are returned to the clerk as “undeliverable.”
In a response filed Monday, Asst. City Attorney Lindsay Mather “concedes” that Jeffreys was not following the law.
Some activists seek pre-emptive rulings to avoid following the law, hoping a state official or friendly judge will grant them permission to ignore the State of Wisconsin Constitution. But at least they’re seeking guidance in Dane County rather than just ignoring the law as the Green Bay Clerk did.
Dane County asks AG for opinion on ‘Zuckerbucks’ amendments | The Center Square
Dane County is asking Wisconsin’s attorney general to give them a definition of who is, and who is not, an “election official.”
The county’s lawyer filed a request with Attorney General Josh Kaul for an official opinion about Wisconsin’s recently enacted constitutional amendment that bans outside influence in the state’s elections.
…
One of Wisconsin “Zuckerbucks” amendments was designed to keep outside groups, like the Mark Zuckerberg-funded Center for Tech and Civic Life, from using grants to influence or involve themselves in election operations in the state.
The other amendment was designed to prevent non-government employees from working on election administration in Wisconsin.
Dane County’s request seeks clarification on that point.
“Each municipal clerk ‘has charge and supervision of Elections and registration within the municipality’ [according to Wisconsin state law.] This provision should be construed to give clerks authority and discretion to appoint as many ‘election officials’ as are necessary to successfully hold an election, so long as they comply with the requirement that they are an elector of the county,” the county said.
Republican lawmakers said they want to ban outside workers from Wisconsin elections because they want to make sure voters can trust their local election clerk to actually be running the election.
Dane County is also questioning some of the verbiage of the amendments.
The 2025 NFL Draft is next April in Green Bay. It could have a tremendous impact on the economy of Northeast Wisconsin. The Tavern League, local businesses and some local officials are hoping state law and local ordinances can be modified to allow later closing times for bars. A similar change was made for the upcoming Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
Green Bay weighs longer bar hours for 9 days around 2025 NFL Draft | WBAY
Changes could be coming to downtown Green Bay ahead of the draft; local officials have begun discussions about allowing bars and restaurants to remain open longer than usual.
Under the proposal, between April 19th-28th, bars and restaurants could be open as late as 4:00 am, which is about two hours later than typical bar close.
Transportation, timing, and safety are important when it comes to talking about one of the biggest events coming to Green Bay next year.
In an effort to help accommodate the thousands of people descending on Green Bay next year for the 2025 NFL draft, city and county leaders are looking at how to move people around safely and effectively.
…In a statement sent to Action 2 News from the Brown County Tavern League, it reads:
The main purpose of the proposal at Green Bay’s Protection and Policy meeting yesterday, was to talk about examples of ideas that we should prepare to discuss, in order to prepare for the NFL draft, which is a little less than a full year away.
That said, we want to make clear any misconception. The Tavern League of Wisconsin is not pushing for legislation to extend hours for establishments in our area. That would be on the state level, the elections are not until November, and floor sessions in the Capitol don’t start until next year. Once again, there is no communication on this whatsoever.
A highlight that we would like everyone to be aware, is the primary objective of the Brown County Tavern League: to boost the transportation system during the week of the draft, driving guests to different areas of our community, including hotels, so everyone can get around safely.
Our nationally-renowned SafeRide Program has provided over 1 million rides in the state of Wisconsin since 2000, and consistently averages over 4,000 safe rides home per year to the people of Brown County. The program will be compromised that week, with cabs and ridesharing at a maximum level. Joining the city in implementing a shuttle program, or any idea to help ensure safe roads while seeing what our community has to offer is our number one objective.
That’s how you go about changing the law, even temporarily. You don’t, as the tent city dwellers did, just decide the law shouldn’t apply to you because you believe your cause is righteous.
That’s a lesson apparently not taught in the UW System. Meanwhile the Governor just shrugs his shoulders and allows the lawlessness to fester.
Kenosha saw how well that turned out in 2020.
