TOM BARRETT: "I DON'T WANT TO FLAIL"

Mayor Tom Barrett said on Monday that he doesn't want to flail.

Not fail, FLAIL.

So, what brought Mayor Tom Barrett, Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm, Alderman Tony Zielinski, Captain Eduardo Negron of District Two, and other Milwaukee Police Department officials to the Bay View High School auditorium on Monday night?

Crime.

Cards went out to Bay View residents inviting them to "attend a public meeting covering crime and public safety issues."

Bay View business owners and their employees were scheduled to meet with "Milw. Police Department officials and Ald. Zielinski" from 6:00pm to 6:45pm. Residents were invited to meet with them from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.

The gathering was organized to address the robberies of the months long Bay View crime spree. Actually, the robberies weren't only a Bay View problem. The crimes occurred over a wide area, including the city and suburbs.

Candidates up for election tomorrow made the most of the event to do some last minute campaigning. Representatives from the campaigns of Jennifer Havas, Bill Pocan, and Terry Falk were posted at the entrance to the school, handing out literature to people as they entered the meeting. Judge Bill Pocan and school board candidate Terry Falk were there to shake hands with potential voters.

Given that Monday night was the NCAA final, the meeting was relatively well attended.

At the meeting for residents, Ald. Zielinski acted as host. It began with brief remarks from Mayor Barrett and D.A. John Chisholm. Cpt. Negron also spoke. They received a polite, even warm, reception from the crowd.

Barrett reiterated his usual lines about guns. Chisholm talked about his reorganization of the D.A.'s office to get better coordination between the prosecutors and the police. Negron mentioned the District meetings, stressing the importance of law enforcement and the community working together.

Then, the public was invited to ask questions.

The first came from a woman. She said she was mad. She had spent years living in Bay View and always felt safe. That's changed. She has concerns about her neighborhood that she didn't have before. Her question was about guns. Were the guns used in the robberies registered?

The point she was making was the pointlessness of the sort of legislation that Barrett keeps whining about getting enacted, as if that's a solution.

Tougher gun laws won't keep the guns out of the criminals' hands.

At some point, there was discussion of the robberies being gang-related. Barrett kept referring to a series running in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about "crime crews." He didn't seem to know or didn't want to say that the Spanish Cobras were connected to the robberies.

Another woman told her story of being robbed at knife-point and the anxiety problems she's suffered since the trauma.

Barrett responded with a Bill Clinton "I feel your pain" story, telling of the 1994 break-in of his home.

A man asked about graffiti on a pizza place that hadn't been removed in spite of repeated complaints. Zielinski used the term "War on Graffiti" and promised it would be taken care of.

One woman spoke of her brother, a homicide victim in 2005. The murderer was never caught. She thanked "everyone here," meaning the mayor and the other officials, for doing such a great job in dealing with the robberies. She said she felt safe but worried about the rest of the city and that there was not enough "manpower" to handle all the problems.

Another woman talked about being afraid to report suspicious people in the neighborhood out of fear of being called racist.

Before Barrett cut out early, he talked of his many contacts with Governor Jim Doyle and the collaborative effort being made to tackle the city's problems.

He spoke of the societal problems, the lack of jobs and the impact that has had on crime.

He said when he speaks to high school students he starts off by introducing himself and then saying to them, "I'm begging you to stay in school," because the manufacturing jobs that were once plentiful in Milwaukee are gone. (It might be a good idea to beg them not to steal and kill, too.)

Basically, it was the same old, same old from the mayor -- No jobs. Too many guns. It's not my fault. Everyone has to work together.

Some of the comments from officials weren't answers to the questions posed. They seemed to veer off into using tired lines from old stump speeches.

Without question there is a disconnect between what citizens are experiencing and how officials assess the situation.

Chisholm told the group that Milwaukee is "remarkably safe." WHAT?

That's a tough sell to a neighborhood that's been plagued by a massive crime outbreak. Tell that to the people who had guns in their faces as they were robbed. Tell that to the business patrons ordered to floors while gun-toting thugs stole money.

Barrett does deserve credit for surfacing and facing city residents.

I think he cares. I just think he doesn't have what it takes to take back the city from the thugs.

Barrett said, "I'm not someone who is a screamer. I don't want to flail. I don't think flailing gets us anywhere."

Who's "flailing"? It seemed like a possible shot at Alderman Bob Donovan for suggesting that the National Guard be brought in to assist patrolling the city.

Barrett said there were two ways to approach the crime problem.

One is to make it clear to the bad guys that "we're coming after you."

The other approach is to say "everything's out of control." He said that such a reaction to the thugs from leaders and the media and citizens serves to "encourage them."

Barrett went into full politician mode.

"Public safety is my #1 priority."

"We're never going to throw up our arms and say it's out of control because it isn't out of control."

I'd like to know Barrett's definition of "out of control."

While I do think it's wise to stay level-headed and work to solve the crime problem, I think it's a mistake to deny that the city's crime is out of control.

In spite of all the best efforts of some elected officials and law enforcement, Milwaukee is rapidly deteriorating.

Before you can solve the problem, it's necessary to acknowledge the magnitude of the problem.

I don't think Barrett needs to scream it, but he does need to say it.

He needs to say that as mayor he will not tolerate the crime in Milwaukee. He needs to admit the reality of the situation.

Barrett shouldn't say that he is out of control. Saying crime is out of control is another thing altogether.

The mayor shouldn't flail. He should get tough and take dramatic action.

The issue for Barrett isn't flailing; it's failing.

As Milwaukee's leader, he should be concerned about securing the safety of the people and admit to the reality of the crisis that threatens to doom the city.