Toeing the line
Re: “She is a lineman for the utilities” (8/29/2019) and “Power politics” (8/29/2019): Neither Dave Cieslewicz nor Tony Evers nor Rebecca Valcq can teach utility companies a lesson they sorely need to learn, judging from Michael Lenehan’s story and Dave Cieslewicz’s column in Isthmus. But we can: Just turn off a light that you aren’t using. If we all did that for every appliance we aren’t using, we could hobble American Transmission Co., send their forecasts into a tailspin and save ourselves money.
— Rich Eggleston, via email
There is a long history of PSC commissioners working for the industry after they step off of PSC. It creates a huge conflict of interest, which seems to have played out negatively in the [Cardinal-Hickory transmission line] decision. Wouldn’t it be nice if one of Gov. Evers’ legacies was to forbid revolving-door activities for five to 10 years after leaving one’s state employment post? Another might be to create an independent and nonpartisan office to address conflicts of interest, with authority to go after anyone who breaches the standards that are set.
— Mark Mittelstadt, via isthmus.com
Our cultural landscape
Re: “This land is their land” (9/5/2019): Ms. Peek’s story was disappointing. The story appeared to attempt to generate needless conflict. The UW, by recognizing the “ethnic cleansing” and “colonization” of Wisconsin by European Americans after 1829, took a step forward toward reconciling present-day Wisconsin with its past.
More galling was the author’s treatment of Abraham Lincoln. Her article accepts accusations of Lincoln-as-bad-guy at face value, while the record shows that, at the height of the Civil War, Lincoln intervened in the sham trials at the conclusion of the Dakota War to commute the sentences of 264 Native American prisoners, approving condemnations of 38 who were shown to have been involved in massacres or sexual assaults.
In order to integrate the lessons of our history for the future, we must acknowledge the wrongs committed against the Ho-Chunk. But that is only part of the equation. We must also avoid black-and-white conclusions, as most lives and stories do not fit neatly into a “good guys versus bad guys” construct.
— Brian Azevedo, via email
What a heart-wrenching story. The city is also working with Ho-Chunk on formalizing an updated burial mound policy and this story is very timely. Thank you, Jenny Peek!
— Kristin Mathews, via isthmus.com
Corrections: In last week’s Madweek, the 5th Congressional District was mistakenly identified as being in southwestern Wisconsin; it is in southeastern Wisconsin. “Serenade for a critic” should have noted that John Barker donated his collection of records and CDs to a collector in Utah; the collector did not purchase them. Sara Meredith’s name was misspelled in “A Boost for Artists.” We regret adding the “h” to her first name.
