My heart skipped a beat when I received the press release announcing state Senator Lena Taylor had been appointed by the governor to fill a vacancy on the Milwaukee Circuit Courts.
The heart palpitation wasn’t rooted in a lack of appreciation; I was elated that a sister of Lena’s talents, perspectives, and commitment to social justice would serve the people as a jurist.
But my elation was tempered with a sense of anxiety with the realization that we have simultaneously lost one of the most influential voices in our Black political circle.
Lena was ‘the’ spark plug, the tree shaker at both the state and local level. She is/was a forceful advocate who frequently—and to the dismay of the political status quo—brings to mind the Robert F. Kennedy quote that posits: ‘instead of asking why, ask why not?’
Lena was also a thorn in the side of the state Democratic Party’s status quo, initially prompting me to question Governor Tony Evers’ ‘true’ motivation in making the appointment.
Was it to diversify the courts with a qualified African American jurist? Or was it to remove the prickly needle in the butt of the Democratic Missionary Machine network?
Some believe—myself included—that Evers followed the stratagem used by Milwaukee Mayor Chevy Johnson when he appointed his top critic, Ashanti Hamilton, to a position outside the political arena.
While Lena hasn’t targeted the governor as much—at least not publicly—she has not been as civil with other members of the Madison Missionary Mob (MMM or ‘M3’). As history has repeatedly advised, challenging the ‘great white hopes’ by putting our interests before their agenda will generally result in a significant ‘backlash’ (pun intended).
We should never forget what the MMMs did to the late Black Nationalist and fiery state Rep. Polly Williams for daring to challenge educational apartheid and, thus, the control of the teachers’ union over the Dem Party.
Polly took on the role of Harriet Tubman, not only in hue and mission, but fighting the same Democrats who, 70 years ago, literally and figuratively blocked the schoolhouse door. Check your history; those were Southern-fried ‘Demo-rats’!
They did everything but tar and feather Polly as she exposed her party’s ‘true’ agenda.
Like Tubman, Polly emerged as an educational abolitionist, as her words continue to resonate a message for Black America: ‘no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, just permanent issues.”
When Polly retired, the MMM (or ‘M3’) turned their attention to state Rep. Jason Fields, whose crime was walking on the same side of the street as a Republican, which, as you know, is a crime unless you’re Sheriff David Clarke or Senator Tim Scott.
As I reported then, ‘King Missionary’ (and Democratic state Senator) Chris Larson was at the vanguard of the Field’s assault.
Yes, the same ‘White Knight’ who called Nikiya Dodd his ‘nappy haired friend,’ who then boldly suggested Lena was on drugs after she refused to bow down to kiss his..er ring.’
Larson quickly learned you don’t push a sister too far, as she pimped slapped him across the legislative chamber floor.
Larson is the self-anointed king of the ‘Missionary wing’ of the Demo Party—the branch that posits they ‘know what’s best for Black people,’ which is nothing more than another form of racism.
And that included (reportedly) talking Mandela Barnes into running against Jason.
Later, and apparently still stinging from Lena’s pimp slap, ‘Da King’ (reportedly) persuaded Barnes into running against her.
Again, wrong sister, although Mandela was rewarded for his disingenuous campaign by being selected for the Lt. Governor’s slot.
Lastly, I have serious concerns about who will replace Lena—who has the testicles (or womb) big enough to fill her shoes.
Not just in terms of their size but more so the willingness to forcibly shake the tree, to put our people before the party.
Several names have been rumored, including Barnes, who has been rewarded with a cushy job supposedly arranged by his MMM sponsors.
None of the names being floated have the temper, tolerance, or tenaciousness of Lena.
Who can we count on to assume the role of Mike McGee, Sr., the fiery former alderman and Black Panther who took no prisoners in his commitment to improving Black life—by any means necessary.
McGee was a straight shooter who beat up Klansmen on television and took that same attitude into city hall.
He scared the hell out of the status quo, which responded to his threats by working with less aggressive Black aldermen.
It was a perfect example of an expendable shaking the tree so others could pick up the overly ripe fruit.
Now, more than ever, we need another McGee to not only throw rocks at the castle wall, but to threaten to pull it down, brick by bigoted brick.
As a community, we need to be honest with ourselves: One of the reasons Milwaukee is listed as the worst city in the United States for Black residents is —highest poverty and prison rates, most segregated housing, and lowest 4th and 8th grade African American reading scores in the country—is because there is no one willing to step outside the political box to get something done beyond rhetoric.
Of course, that wouldn’t be necessary if there was a consensus, unified Black political agenda. For reasons beyond logic, there is none.
In other words, don’t expect the Black state lawmakers to collectively retreat to Chicago to protest Black concerns as they did when former Republican Governor Scott Walker called for a vote on his repressive Act 10 bill.
Face it, most Black Democratic legislators are akin to assembly line doctors who provide pills to ease the pain, but nothing to cure the illness.
They are party loyalists first and rarely will buck the system.
I count three who go beyond the status quo, who will put their people before the party, but none will be as forceful a tree shakers as Lena or who ‘wanna be like Mike.’
I won’t tell you who they are because if you truly cared, you would know—if for no other reason than being a fan of this column or reading something besides a cereal box.
And if you don’t, or don’t feel the need to find out, I’m wasting my breath—or fingers.
Losing Lena in the state legislature will cost us a critical voicein our struggle.
The fact that Dems Missionaries and White Freedom traindrivers hate Lena should be thereason for us to realize her importance.
I’m not suggesting Lena shouldhave refused the appointment. Intruth, with her on the bench, wewill benefit on another level.
But while I see a communalprofit in her appointment, I amalso forced to accept that she wasa spark in the slow-burning engine of the freedom train, whichwas barely chugging along withher.
And now that her muscles willno longer be available, the trainmay grind to a stop, leaving us tohope another Black conductorcomes along.
Or an electric train stops longenough to pick up the weary passengers.
Hotep.