On July 17, a rally was held in support of jailed thug Ald. Michael McGee Jr.
Ald. Ashanti T. Hamilton was in attendance.
Fellow Milwaukee Alderman Ashanti Hamilton also spoke at the event, calling the McGee prosecutions evidence of "a system gone astray."
"What we are witnessing now is a manifestation of the mistreatment of an elected official," he said. "Let's correct this, and let's not stand to let our system of justice to be perverted, because it's all of ours. If we don't correct it, then we stand to be in that position, too."
Hamilton's concern about the justice system became a more personal matter over the weekend.
Hamilton had his own brush with the law.
Granted, it's nothing compared to McGee's alleged crimes. Hamilton isn't in the same league as McGee. Nonetheless, this is significant.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Milwaukee Ald. Ashanti T. Hamilton received a $175 ticket for disorderly conduct after an altercation with a political challenger over the weekend, according to the citation and the other man involved.
The municipal citation says that at 8:45 p.m. on Saturday, "Hamilton attempted to provoke a political rival into a physical altercation by making verbal threats and pushing the victim, causing him to fear for his safety."
Hamilton was not arrested.
The ticket includes a court date for Nov. 8.
In a letter to Common Council President Willie Hines Jr., C. Orland Owens, a candidate for alderman in Hamilton's district, said Hamilton "stalked, threatened and physically attacked" him at the corner of Fairmount and Hopkins streets.
The letter asks Hines to "rein in" Hamilton and his supporters.
Owens is delusional if he thinks Hines can or will "rein in" Hamilton.
He couldn't if he tried.
What can you say about the Common Council?
It's plagued with scandal after scandal, and we're not talking about unpaid parking tickets.
I suppose it should be no surprise that the violent, dysfunctional city has violent, dysfunctional officials.
Politics in Milwaukee isn't just dirty. It's dangerous.
6 comments:
Ashanti Hamilton is only an alderman because the dysfunctional population of his district don't find him in any way abnormal.
To wit, Hamilton went to bat for McGee. There is no doubt about McGee being unfit to serve. We could all debate his right to be considered innocent in court, but his fitness to serve is not in debate. Hamilton seems to think he's fit. Hamilton thereby shows he himself is not.
It's really that simple.
If the good people of Hamilton's and McGee's districts want such representation, it proves they are uneducated, immoral, twits.
Hamilton and McGee are as different as night and day. I don't think it was right for Hamilton to go to bat for McGee (or, more accurately, to protest the fact that he could not make bail), but they seem to me like very different individuals in terms of commitment economic development, quality of life in their districts (Hamilton's 1st district is actually pretty nice in most parts), morals, temperment...everything. It's true that Hamilton's mom was/is a drug user, but I never thought it was fair for people to judge him for that. In fact, I admire him for working his way up from the bottom. He's one of the most well-spoken aldermen on the council. (Just watch Ch. 25 some time and you'll see...) Hamilton has also really helped out Eastbrook Church, which is a Bible-preaching, multiracial church that does a ton of good work.
There are people in McGee's district who don't want such representation. That's what the recall was about. Unfortunately, McGee's supporters outnumbered them at the polls.
I said in my post that what Hamilton is accused of is "nothing compared to McGee's alleged crimes."
I said that "Hamilton isn't in the same league as McGee."
On the issue of McGee, it is sad that many of us (in the black community) are being forced to show support for someone who we might otherwise find reprehensible simply because the criminal (un)justice system is unable to treat all people regardless of race in the same manner. Hamilton was not speaking to the charges against McGee, but to the unreasonable treatment McGee received...all African-Americans (and people who believe the law should not be prejudice) should feel compelled to weigh in on this issue whether it is McGee or the Jena 6.
On a personal note, I have known Alderman Hamilton for 10 years (he was my teacher) and I have never met a more soft spoken, level headed person. He is clearly a man capable of communicating with out yelling or raising his voice...there is not an ounce of me that believes the allegations against him are true. Alderman Hamilton cares deeply about Milwaukee and has proved it by his recent announcement that he will sponsor the proposal from Milwaukee Inner-city Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH) to expand the Residential Preference Program that would mandate jobs created with Milwaukee tax dollars will go to Milwaukee (not suburban) residents. Take another look at Hamilton and do not dismiss his work because he stood up against the unfair treatment of McGee. Instead, ask yourself (as horrible as McGee's behavior has been) Why other than being a black man that disrupted the powers that be would a non-violent offender be held without bail? When the white woman who on her 4th drunk driving arrest hit and killed my uncle while he was crossing the street, left the scene of the crime and hid her car made bail and was at home sleeping in her own bed the same night?
I think its a disgrace that a 4-time arrested drunk driver who committed murder would be released on bail.
I disagree with your assessment of McGee. He clearly is a threat to the community and showed his unwillingness to abide by court orders.
As far as Hamilton goes, he deserves credit for his good work.
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