Eugene Kane: Jansen Fest

Eugene Kane has weighed in on the mess at this year's Dan Jansen Family Fest.

Once again, Kane does the metropolitan Milwaukee community a terrible disservice by magnifying the comments of just a few people. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, by giving Kane his soapbox, is complicit in the damage done.

Kane writes:

After hearing reports that another Milwaukee-area festival was marred by violence last weekend, I initially noticed some of the usual finger-pointers were missing in action.

Granted, it was a holiday weekend; some stories get lost in the mix. But many of my regular readers who insist on contacting me whenever black people are involved in dysfunctional behavior seemed slow on the draw.

Then again, this particular festival was held in Greenfield. Perhaps they were confused?

But when police and local officials were later quoted blaming "outsiders" with "gang connections" who were attracted by rap music for the 40 arrests for fighting at Dan Jansen Family Fest, that was all the usual suspects needed.

"So what are you going to say about the black people who ruined another festival?!!" was one of the first comments.

It was soon followed by this one: "What about all those black punks who ruined Jansen Fest??"

My faith in Milwaukee was restored.

Kane's faith in Milwaukee was restored because some of his regular readers contacted him with their usual taunts.

What a smart-ass remark!

Hey! Eugene!

Those people are not Milwaukee. I know you make your living off racial divisions. Clearly, you were disappointed when your usual "finger-pointers" were "slow on the draw." But your faith was restored. Your perspective is intentionally narrow because it suits your agenda.

I find it disgraceful.

Most years, the festival named after the Olympic gold medal-winning speedskater went off with little or no problems. But this year it apparently fell victim to the same disturbing trend that has marred other festivals in recent times.

A good time was ruined for everybody, due to the actions of a few knuckleheads. As it turns out, three-quarters of those arrested were white - many from the suburbs - and only five were black.

Again with "knuckleheads," one of Kane's favorite terms to describe the lawbreakers.

The brutal attack on Pat Kasthurirangaian at the end of the 2007 Juneteenth Day celebration wasn't done by "knuckleheads."

The shootings and mayhem at last year's RiverSplash weren't carried out by "knuckleheads."

Those involved in the fights at the Dan Jansen Family Fest aren't "knuckleheads."

Moe, Larry, and Curly are "knuckleheads."

The perpetrators of the violence at these events are thugs.

Why does Kane seem to take such pleasure in the fact that 3/4 of those arrested were white and only five were black?

The skin color of the thugs wasn't the problem. Their behavior at the festival was the problem.

That wouldn't matter to some of my readers, because when it comes to problems at Juneteenth Day, RiverSplash or even Summerfest, they usually find a way to blame young black males.

Who cares about SOME of Kane's readers? They are the minority.

My blog posts elicit comments from racist, misogynistic, twisted people. Thankfully, the creeps that leave those comments or e-mail me with sicko remarks are in the minority.

Kane should consider the source and get some perspective. Then again, if he had perspective, he'd have a lot less to write. It's a shame that Kane exploits the comments of twisted people for his personal gain. It's a shame he paints with such a broad brush. It's unfair to the many, many good people of the Milwaukee area.

I will admit that after first hearing about the problems at the Greenfield festival, it was hard to be certain exactly who to blame.

When a police official mistakenly told the Journal Sentinel that all of the people arrested were from outside Greenfield, that started to clear things up.

Then there was the reference to "an element" that shouldn't have been at a family festival. Finally, local organizers blamed the crowd drawn by rap music.

Whenever a bunch of adults insist rap music was the cause for a problem, it's usually code language for young black people.

Turns out, eight of those arrested actually were from Greenfield, 19 from Milwaukee, and others from such rap hotbeds as Lannon, Franklin and Hales Corners.

With all due respect, that comment, "Whenever a bunch of adults insist rap music was the cause for a problem, it's usually code language for young black people," doesn't hold water.

Kane can't make that claim. He can't just throw that out there without any verification. It's a ridiculous generalization.

Rap music does not equal young black people, certainly not for at least 25 years. Kane is in a time warp. He is woefully uninformed about rap artists, the audience for rap music, and where "rap hotbeds" are.

Kane's exploitation of race grew tiresome so, so long ago. It's time for him to give up.

He's a negative force in the community.