Community
A Star in the Night Sky
James Albert Lewis, 94, of Merrill passed away on June 5. He was surrounded by loved ones at home near Merrill. Among those loved ones were Joel and Melissa Lewis.
Jim was born on Feb. 28th, 1929. This was the year you recall the stock market crashed. There was the great depression, the St. Valentine’s massacre, and Al Capone. There was World War Two, Korea, and Vietnam. Later countess other wars. He lived in a time when television was first invented. He saw man landing on the moon. Imagine all this man has seen and done!
James graduated from the University of ...
On Tolerance
Tolerance is essential to our society. But intolerance is increasing in our country. People are increasing divided over religion, politics, ethnicity, race, sexuality and, it seems, just about everything. With the celebration of Juneteenth it seems appropriate to revisit this important topic. This article was originally written in 2017 but is, unfortunately, still relevant.
“Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others.” President John F. Kennedy
“Tolerance is giving to every other ...
Refugees in Search for the Promised Land
Saturday afternoon, the first one this month, we sat in Whitewater hall and listened to some of Central Wisconsin's latest arrivals speak about their personal journeys. Refugees from Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nicaragua, each happy to be here, safe, and feeling welcome, they all agreed. Missing terribly, and worried about loved ones left behind was another thought held in common. Stories of violence, and threats of violence, too, sewed their stories together. A couple of the men, one an Afghan, another from a refugee camp in Tanzania had ...
Tolerance of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity
“Tolerance, n., willingness to accept behavior and beliefs that are different than your own although you may not agree or approve of them.” Cambridge Online Dictionary
Republican attacks on LGBTQ and transgender people are increasingly ridiculous. The flap over transgenders playing sports is an example. Transgender people are 0.39% of Wisconsin's population. All people have varying ability to compete in sports regardless of gender. Clearly this is not a problem, nor does it need legislative attention. If anything it needs legislation affirming equal rights and the ...
Great Local Authors
Local reads are the best reads.
Starting with Gina Ramsey's "Burnt Gloveboxes: Embracing Life When it Goes up in Flames." This is a book of misguided adventures and blunders. Trust me I worked with Gina for a short time, the girl is hilarious. Her book has hit the Amazon best seller list. Give it a read, you won't be disappointed!
Nick Vander Puy recently gave a book talk at the Eagle River Library. Having visited the H.E.L.P. Campaign for the Penokees years ago and learning so much from there, I had to see what more I could learn through the book talk. I asked ...
The Address of an Uninvited Keynote Speaker
I wrote the following in one fell swoop after receiving a call from a young friend. He was relaying a tentative invitation—or the possibility of a tentative invitation—that immediately excited me into eight hand-written pages without a pee break. That was quite an accomplishment for an old man.
Well, the possible tentative invitation fell through. It failed to materialize. I’m not sure why. My inner hermit was relieved. My constricted soapbox manager was, at least for a while, beside himself with deflated bubbles.
But here are the hastily scribbled pages, ...
May Hot Topics Forum
Dynamics of Human Trafficking.
Brenda Bayer
Advocate
The Women's Community
May 17th, 2023
6:30 pm
Whitewater Music Hall
130 1st St.
Wausau, Wi 54401
It may feel as if human trafficking only exists at the Mexican border. But that is actually not the case. Wisconsin, including Marathon County have appreciable human trafficking activity. Join us for an informative presentation, Dynamics of Human Trafficking, facilitated by Brenda Bayer of The Women’s Committee., on May 17th, 2023, at 6:30 pm at the Whitewater Music Hall at 130 1st Street, ...