Four people were injured in shootings overnight, according to Milwaukee police.
According to police:
The first occurred about 10:15 p.m. Saturday in the 2800 block of N. 6th St. A 33-year-old man was standing in the roadway speaking with an acquaintance seated in the driver's side of a van when an unknown person walked by and shot the victim in the leg. The victim is in stable condition.
The second happened at 10:30 p.m. Saturday in the 9100 block of N. 75th St. A 31-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound after a confrontation at his front door with two unknown suspects. He is in stable condition. Police are still interviewing witnesses in an attempt to identify the suspects.
About 1 a.m., a 44-year-old man was shot in the leg when he intervened in an altercation between his son and a group of juveniles in the 2300 block of S. 34th St. The man is in good condition and refused medical attention.
At 1:30 a.m., police were dispatched to a shooting at Champs Clubhouse Bar, in the 2900 block of N. 8th St. An 18-year-old victim was shot in the shoulder in the parking lot. The victim is in stable condition. Police continue to interview witnesses in an attempt to identify suspects.
On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. It was the beginning of the end of World War II.
It was a pivotal event. Truly, the world changed in an instant.
A couple of years ago, Warren Kozak, writing in The Wall Street Journal, provided some history and some perspective.
On this day 64 years ago, an American B-29 named the Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb over the city of Hiroshima. We know that as many as 80,000 Japanese died instantly. We know the city was pulverized, and we know that an estimated 100,000 additional people died later from radiation poisoning. We also are aware that the Hiroshima bomb, and the Nagasaki bomb dropped three days later, ushered in the atomic era.
At the time of the event, 85% of the American public favored dropping the atomic bombs, according to a Gallup poll (10% disapproved). Over the years, that attitude has changed. By 2005, Gallup found only 57% of Americans thought the bomb was necessary, while 38% disapproved. Most of those polled were born after the event.
In August 1945, much of the world was exhausted after six long years of total war and tens of millions of deaths. Most people that summer didn’t quite understand the implications of Hiroshima. All they knew was that the atomic bomb was some sort of new, extremely powerful device that was the result of a top-secret project. It was a demonstration of the amazing technical superiority of the United States—not unlike the moon landing 24 years later.
But even before the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, doubts about its use surfaced within the group of physicists who created it. Albert Einstein, who first brought the atomic bomb to FDR’s attention, along with Leo Szilard, who was instrumental in building it, were both opposed to using it against Japanese civilians.
As time has passed, the army of doubters has grown. These critics argue that Japan was all but defeated by August 1945 and the bombs were unnecessary. The incendiary bombing campaign had already destroyed most of Japan’s cities, they say, and the mining of the inland waterway brought its war production down to practically nothing. Its citizens were undernourished and there was practically no fuel or any other raw material left in the country. Japan, according to this school of thought, was a spent nation just waiting for the best possible deal from the Allies. Much of this is true.
On the other side, those who believe the bombing was necessary point out that unlike Nazi Germany, which collapsed during its final days, the Japanese fought more ferociously as the Americans drew closer to the mainland. Almost all were willing to die for their emperor, having demonstrated this in each island invasion leading up to what would have been the largest amphibious landing of all time.
...The debate over the bomb reached a crescendo 14 years ago when the Smithsonian Institution produced a retrospective that veteran groups objected to because they believed it focused too much on the victims and not on the reasons for the bomb’s use. The exhibit was ultimately cancelled. Then, this past spring, comedian Jon Stewart touched off his own firestorm when he labeled President Harry Truman a “war criminal” for ordering the bombs to be dropped. Mr. Stewart later apologized.
The fact that the quick end to the war allowed the U.S. to avoid a land invasion of the Japanese mainland, thus saving many more lives, is quickly tossed aside by some critics. They say there is no basis for the estimates of large numbers of casualties. But then there is the appalling number of Asians who were dying at the hands of the Japanese. Upwards of a quarter-of-a-million were dying each month. The fact that this orgy of death—17 million died in all—came to an abrupt halt when the Imperial Army was finally forced to go home is rarely mentioned.
Perhaps the simplest and most compelling argument for the bombs is the main reason President Truman decided to drop them in the first place: He hoped it would rattle Japan enough to force it to surrender. That is exactly what happened.
Today, Hiroshima has become a Rorschach test for Americans. We see the same pictures and we hear the same facts. But based on how we view our country, our government, and the world, we interpret these facts in very different ways.
A former G.I., now 90, who survived the war in Europe and was about to be sent to the Pacific understands quite clearly that the bomb saved his life. His grandchildren may see this event in a very different way.
As bad as the violence was last night at the Wisconsin State Fair and as inadequate as the police response was in terms of controlling the situation, at least progress has been made since the mob attacks in Riverwest.
Police actually admitted there was a mob this time. There were no denials. There was no confusion about whether there actually was a mob attack.
Progress!
Police Chief Ed Flynn actually admitted at his press conference that people were singled out for attack because of their race. In his statement, he was vague. He didn't say blacks targeted whites, but he did acknowledge the racial element in the violence.
Flynn guaranteed that events in Milwaukee this weekend will be safe.
That's quite a guarantee.
Here's video of Flynn's news conference on the State Fair violence:
After last night's mob attacks at the Wisconsin State Fair, the beatings and the violence and the hospitalizations, the Fair has put in place a new policy.
GOOD!
Here's the youth/parental guardian admission policy, from 620 WTMJ:
The Wisconsin State Fair imposed a curfew Friday for all patrons under age 18 after a series of mob attacks marred the Fair's opening night Thursday.
According to State Fair Park CEO Rick Frenette, the policy will go into effect at 5:00 p.m. Friday evening and reads as follows:
"1. All youth under the age of eighteen (18) years of age are required to be accompanied by a legal guardian (age 21+) to be admitted to the Wisconsin State Fair after 5:00 p.m.
2. Anyone 18 years or over may be asked to show a valid driver's license or state identification card for proof of age in order to be admitted to the Wisconsin State Fair without a parent or guardian after 5:00 p.m.
3. Any young adult under 18 without a valid driver's license or state identification card and not accompanied by a parent or guardian will not be admitted after 5:00 p.m.
4. Execpetions and challenges to this policy will be satisfied at the discretion of Fair Management."
I'm sure that the plans of many kids under 18 have been made more complicated because of this policy.
They need a parent or guardian to accompany them if they want to enter the Fair after 5:00 PM.
When I was under 18, I had great times going to the Fair with friends at night. It has to be frustrating for good kids.
However, any parents or kids troubled by the new policy should direct their anger or disappointment at the thugs, the mobs of violent thugs, that committed crimes last night inside and outside of the fairgrounds.
State Fair management should be commended for taking steps to keep the State Fair safe.
Frenette said in a news conference Friday that seven State Fair Police officers were injured in the attacks and that two have been treated and released from the hospital. 24 teenagers were arrested after attacking fairgoers Thursday night.
"State Fair management has been assured and is working with the State Patrol and City of West Allis and City of Milwaukee to have an increased police presence surrounding the Fair Park for the safety of all fairgoers and surrounding community," Fredette added. "We will not tolerate this behavior within the Fair Park again."
Witnesses described a chaotic scene Thursday night, and many believe African-American teenagers were targeting white fairgoers.
This is absolutely unacceptable.
Without question, State Fair management did the right thing by instituting the new policy.
It's sad that thugs attacked fairgoers and committed the crimes they did.
It's horrible that young black people targeted white people.
If the accounts of victims and witnesses are correct, these were hate crimes.
I know the Fair is technically considered to be in West Allis, but Mayor Tom Barrett was at the opening ceremony yesterday. And portions of the fairgrounds are in the city of Milwaukee? Has Barrett commented on the attacks?
At least some members of the violent mob had to be city of Milwaukee residents.
I wonder how Barrett feels about residents of his city being responsible for causing these crimes and forcing the Fair into enacting these unprecedented measures. _____________
On Friday afternoon, Mayor Tom Barrett announced an increase in police presence at community events planned for the week. He said there would be no tolerance for violence at festivals and that perpetrators will be prosecuted -- regardless of race.
"Two years ago I was a victim of a random attack at State Fair… last night's events took place at State Fair that I don't believe are random," he said at a City Hall news conference.
Barrett didn't indicate if he believed the events were racially charged.
Barrett said this weekend is of special importance because of the Historic Third Association Jazz festival, the African World Festival and the Milwaukee Comedy Festival in addition to the fair. He said police presence will be increased at all events.
Can you imagine the response if mobs of white young people targeted and attacked innocent black people leaving African World Festival?
