WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Although there was no vote taken on the matter, County Board Supervisors digested over two hours of public input on the latest version of the “Community for All” resolution during Thursday’s educational meeting.
Both sides were clearly dug in, with those in favor telling the board the document would be a step towards making all feel welcome and telling stories of their own experiences with racism in the county.
Those against the resolution gave their thoughts on how the matter could lead to further division in the community while also calling the document Marxist and a means of furthering a liberal or leftist agenda.
A 17-year-old Wausau high school student who spoke towards the end of public comment mentioned that she and her friends talk about how they can’t wait to leave Wausau because of the debate and argument surrounding the resolution.
Additionally, those on both sides of the argument quoted Scripture to support their comments.
When it came time for the board to discuss the matter District 10 Supervisor Donna Krause took offense to comparing the resolution to Marxist or communist ideas. “I have studied a bit about Hitler and what he did, and comparing our resolution to Nazisim is horrendous. We are not starving people to death, we are not doing experiments on gays, and we are not taking blonde-haired, blue-eyed children and putting them in special housing away from their families to provide for a superior race.
“I can’t say I’m an expert in it or have read many books, [but] I find this very insulting,” she added.
Supervisor William Harris, the lone Black member of the board, said the resolution should be seen as no different than the call that brought many to America generations ago by citing the poem inscribed on the Statue of Liberty.
“Your vote will either set us back, or move us forward. Please do the right thing and support this resolution- show everyone the path forward as a community for all,” said Harris.
District 17 Supervisor Jennifer Aarrestad, the newest member of the board representing Rothschild, quoted the US constitution and spoke of the founding fathers before expressing her non-support for the measure.
“I believe the constitution stands alone, but as a board we need to look at the people groups that are having issues and somehow work through that, not by a resolution that points to a people group and excludes others,” she said.
All told 57 residents signed up to speak and nearly all took their full allotment of two minutes, which was strictly adhered to by Board Chair Kurt Gibbs.
A final vote on the measure will be taken during Tuesday’s adjourned annual, or voting, meeting.
