I'm just gonna keep banging on about this: resigned nihilism is a form of voter suppression that we do to ourselves. It is saying yes, sure, come on in, do what you like, what do I care, to the takeover that's "bloodless, as long as the left allows it to be." It is precisely what the Heritage Foundation and every one of the people propping up 45 WANT FOR US. Resigned nihilism at this juncture is understandable, I feel it sometimes, too. And also it really pisses me off.
Just a note to say this is such good writing, and I'm with you on remembering that what seems like the background—family, work, friends, the guy on a bicycle singing Earth Wind and Fire at the top of his lungs—is the foreground.
It's one of those weird things about growing up in D.C. proper, that your description of "lots of people everywhere that aren't from here and security and yet nothing at all of lasting consequence seems to be happening" is just, y'know, a Tuesday. At least in D.C. most of the museums are free so there's interesting stuff to do and places for the public that offer A/C without having to be drawn in by all the non-consequential spectacle. It was an odd environment to grow up in, though, the cognitive dissonance of being told that where you are is *very* *important* and yet nothing important for your daily life ever seems to happen there.
Thank you for this Garrett. I dropped my sister at the Amtrak station yesterday and felt such a seize of panic and anxiety about getting OUT of downtown. I've let fear take hold about what this week will mean and what it will bring. And those backrooms are frightening to be sure. But for all of that fright, there's the goodness of the Quaker Meeting house and the guys who we know by their nod and the fact that we will be Milwaukeeans. Friendly. Welcoming. Kind. Maybe a little sassy if the situation calls for it. But it's our town and we get to decide how we will respond in this moment <3
Garrett, this was a good corrective to all the amped up energy in reporting and social media. I’m curious. My in-laws grew up under the control of the GDR and Stasi. Building community was impossible in an authoritarian environment which sole purpose was conformity and control through policing and incentives to our your friends, family or neighbors. The only people, if any, you could trust were family (although kids in school were conditioned to out people, and being young, they didn’t know better). So I’m curious. How does community survive such conditions. I’m not predicting the US will become what I just described. It’s a genuine question when I perceive risks based on stories from those who experienced the isolationism and disciplining of society. Ironic, since communism infers community—that’s why I’ve stopped framing communism in left v right terms; it’s authoritarian in practice, and has always been self-dealing corruption and oppression of society like we find in oligarchies or theocracies. Thoughts?
I definitely am not an expert in life in the DDR, and agree that the way the Stasi operated made it very difficult to do any real community organizing that threatened the state, but my curiosity would be to what extent people were still able to creatively take care of each other (because one through line in human history is that in extremely bleak circumstances, care has been a constant).
I really like this post from the lived life. Makes such a difference from conceptual musing and endless projections (both meanings.) I wrote about J.D. Vance this week, and the connections to whiteness in this choice. Felt good to be saying something similar to you about making kin, and going toward what really inspires us.
I wonder if the Democratic convention will be as uneventful? My brother lives in Chicago and works a stone's throw from the United Center, and he's decided to just leave town that week.
A very, very large percentage of Milwaukeeans choose the "leave town" route. It's ended up having a real impact on local businesses who aren't getting a convention bump (because as it turns out the conventioneers time is pretty heavily scheduled and also behind security barriers) and aren't getting their normal business either.
Nice work Garrett! Oh, and loved the vacation reportage!
Just wondering: Who is paying for all this security? IMHO, it should be the RNC since it is a private event. Also, doesn't Milwaukee lean Blue? Who in charge invited the party who doesn't like to party
(or tip well)? Anyways, have fun waiting for something to happen.....
I don't have a great sense of who is paying for the security but my gut is that the city is probably not solely on the hook but we're paying more than I'd like.
I’m Canadian and can’t help myself but watch what’s happening there like a slow car crash I can’t turn away from. We have our own problems but we’re so inundated with news from the US, we don’t have to even try to watch. I really appreciate your takes. Milwaukee was the last city that John Deere held an in-person product introduction and it was one of the most fun times of my career there (some irony that this week they caved to the anti-woke mob and vowed to stop all DEI work in the company - work I once helped happen in Canada). Anyway, keep up the great work and here’s to hoping Milwaukee is back to its fun, lively self unscathed when the convention moves on.
I'm just gonna keep banging on about this: resigned nihilism is a form of voter suppression that we do to ourselves. It is saying yes, sure, come on in, do what you like, what do I care, to the takeover that's "bloodless, as long as the left allows it to be." It is precisely what the Heritage Foundation and every one of the people propping up 45 WANT FOR US. Resigned nihilism at this juncture is understandable, I feel it sometimes, too. And also it really pisses me off.
I love everything about this comment, Anna.
Just a note to say this is such good writing, and I'm with you on remembering that what seems like the background—family, work, friends, the guy on a bicycle singing Earth Wind and Fire at the top of his lungs—is the foreground.
shout out to the Earth Wind and Fire bicycle guy in particular
It's one of those weird things about growing up in D.C. proper, that your description of "lots of people everywhere that aren't from here and security and yet nothing at all of lasting consequence seems to be happening" is just, y'know, a Tuesday. At least in D.C. most of the museums are free so there's interesting stuff to do and places for the public that offer A/C without having to be drawn in by all the non-consequential spectacle. It was an odd environment to grow up in, though, the cognitive dissonance of being told that where you are is *very* *important* and yet nothing important for your daily life ever seems to happen there.
And also you're not allowed to vote for the supposedly important people representing you in the legislative branch!
Yes. I despise that part.
Thank you for this Garrett. I dropped my sister at the Amtrak station yesterday and felt such a seize of panic and anxiety about getting OUT of downtown. I've let fear take hold about what this week will mean and what it will bring. And those backrooms are frightening to be sure. But for all of that fright, there's the goodness of the Quaker Meeting house and the guys who we know by their nod and the fact that we will be Milwaukeeans. Friendly. Welcoming. Kind. Maybe a little sassy if the situation calls for it. But it's our town and we get to decide how we will respond in this moment <3
We do get to decide how to respond, even if we didn't get to choose whether this landed on us or not!
Garrett, this was a good corrective to all the amped up energy in reporting and social media. I’m curious. My in-laws grew up under the control of the GDR and Stasi. Building community was impossible in an authoritarian environment which sole purpose was conformity and control through policing and incentives to our your friends, family or neighbors. The only people, if any, you could trust were family (although kids in school were conditioned to out people, and being young, they didn’t know better). So I’m curious. How does community survive such conditions. I’m not predicting the US will become what I just described. It’s a genuine question when I perceive risks based on stories from those who experienced the isolationism and disciplining of society. Ironic, since communism infers community—that’s why I’ve stopped framing communism in left v right terms; it’s authoritarian in practice, and has always been self-dealing corruption and oppression of society like we find in oligarchies or theocracies. Thoughts?
I definitely am not an expert in life in the DDR, and agree that the way the Stasi operated made it very difficult to do any real community organizing that threatened the state, but my curiosity would be to what extent people were still able to creatively take care of each other (because one through line in human history is that in extremely bleak circumstances, care has been a constant).
I really like this post from the lived life. Makes such a difference from conceptual musing and endless projections (both meanings.) I wrote about J.D. Vance this week, and the connections to whiteness in this choice. Felt good to be saying something similar to you about making kin, and going toward what really inspires us.
I'll check out your JD Vance piece!
I wonder if the Democratic convention will be as uneventful? My brother lives in Chicago and works a stone's throw from the United Center, and he's decided to just leave town that week.
A very, very large percentage of Milwaukeeans choose the "leave town" route. It's ended up having a real impact on local businesses who aren't getting a convention bump (because as it turns out the conventioneers time is pretty heavily scheduled and also behind security barriers) and aren't getting their normal business either.
Nice work Garrett! Oh, and loved the vacation reportage!
Just wondering: Who is paying for all this security? IMHO, it should be the RNC since it is a private event. Also, doesn't Milwaukee lean Blue? Who in charge invited the party who doesn't like to party
(or tip well)? Anyways, have fun waiting for something to happen.....
I don't have a great sense of who is paying for the security but my gut is that the city is probably not solely on the hook but we're paying more than I'd like.
Thanks Garrett!
I’m Canadian and can’t help myself but watch what’s happening there like a slow car crash I can’t turn away from. We have our own problems but we’re so inundated with news from the US, we don’t have to even try to watch. I really appreciate your takes. Milwaukee was the last city that John Deere held an in-person product introduction and it was one of the most fun times of my career there (some irony that this week they caved to the anti-woke mob and vowed to stop all DEI work in the company - work I once helped happen in Canada). Anyway, keep up the great work and here’s to hoping Milwaukee is back to its fun, lively self unscathed when the convention moves on.