Protestors Denounce Republican ‘Racist’ Ads
Protest held outside state party’s office in Bronzeville.
A protest held outside of the Milwaukee GOP field office. Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner.
A group of voters in Milwaukee joined community organizations and elected officials outside the Wisconsin Republican Party’s field office on Martin Luther King Drive. The office, located on Milwaukee’s predominately African American North Side, opened in the Bronzeville neighborhood in 2020.
On Wednesday, it became the site of a brief protest organized by community members, who voiced discontent over political advertisements they feel have racist overtones. Many of the ads have targeted U.S. Senate candidate Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who is running against incumbent Republican Sen. Ron Johnson in the November election.
Jake Spence, state director of the Wisconsin Working Families Party. Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner.
Jake Spence, state director of the Wisconsin Working Families Party, told Wisconsin Examiner it is important to “recognize these ads for what they are.”
“These are beyond the dog whistle anymore, this is just outright racism. And when you see it, you have to call it out,” said Spence. Over the last month or so, ads specifically targeting Barnes have ramped up online and on television.
Many of them follow a similar strategy, attacking the Democrat as soft on crime, whether it’s recycling images of Barnes holding an Abolish ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) T-shirt, or stating Barnes and others want to eliminate cash bail. The Waukesha Christmas Parade tragedy has also been a prominent staple in the ads. In one case, images of Barnes are featured alongside video of people in the parade ducking out of the way of the SUV which killed six, and injured over 60. The narrator’s voice states: “Mandela Barnes, he wants to protect criminals, not us. He’s too dangerous for Wisconsin.”
Rep. Evan Goyke (D-Milwaukee) was at the gathering Wednesday outside the GOP field office. “I can’t stay silent,” he told Wisconsin Examiner. “I’ve seen the ads, my family has seen the ads, and I felt compelled to come out and call them out for what they are. I think it’s the worst kind of politics. I wish that Ron Johnson would run on his record, what he’s done or not done in 12 years in office and have a fair fight.” Goyke stressed that politics in general have become increasingly divisive. “It only makes things worse when race and fear are the predominant themes of the election, as we’ve seen.”
Rep. Evan Goyke (left) stands with Sen. Chris Larson (right). Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner.
Goyke recalled one ad that upset his wife recently. “It’s got various comments and items, and at the end it’s got a picture of Mandela and three congresswoman from different parts of the country — all women of color — and the narrator says that Mandela is a ‘different kind of Democrat.’” For Goyke the message was clear. “They could have Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren, but they have three women of color because they’re women of color. And the word ‘different’ is being used to talk about race, and not about ideology.”
Calena Roberts, a member of SEIU Wisconsin, was also disgusted by the strategy expressed in the ads against Barnes. “I have people in my family, people who are in my community, who are saying, ‘What are the issues that they’re talking about? Why are they just slamming this man?” Roberts added, “This is not fair, this is not right, and we’re going to let it be known.” She feels that “most of it is lies, and most of it is trying to create fear amongst ourselves. We can’t have that.”
Still, Roberts had a sympathetic view of those who staff the GOP field office in Milwaukee. “People need work,” she said. “Some people aren’t thinking of the bigger picture.” Nevertheless, Roberts feels that the office was opened not because the Republican party cares about Milwaukee’s North Side, “but because they want to get everything they can.”
Wisconsin Examiner reached out to the communications liaison for the GOP field office and Ron Johnson’s office, but received no response.
Protesters outside Milwaukee GOP office denounce ‘racist’ ads was originally published by the Wisconsin Examiner.
How are these ads even remotely related to race? I’m sorry but it is getting pretty old at this point to literally call everyone you disagree with a racist. We need to stop looking at each other based on color of skin which is nonsense
Mr. Holmes, this quip from Robert’s seems like a portion was truncated. Can you provide readers insight as to what it means? Otherwise, in the future could you please ask speakers for clarification when their 1/2 sentence is important enough to be part of a story making racist claims. it’s important that someone is not purposely targeting for a wrong doing when none exists, and the media printing only a small portion of a speakers comments is troublesome and further erodes any credibility that may have existed. thank you!
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Nevertheless, Roberts feels that the office was opened not because the Republican party cares about Milwaukee’s North Side, “but because they want to get everything they can.”
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These endlessly depressing political ads brought to you by the GOP (Greedy Oligarch Party) seem to be directed at useful idiots who are
a) very fearful of the world around them. Therefore
b) they like to be lied to.
Corporate media laughs all the way to the bank why selling their cheat sheet full of lies. Hey useful idiot, you waking up anytime soon? (Democracy clock is ticking down).
Fear, in the white community, is stirred and enhanced by these ads. Willie Horton became George H Bush’s campaign centerpiece (1988) in much the same way as Ron Johnson is using race this year. If you think it is not racist, just look carefully at the skin color of the “criminals” in the ads. White folks are totally frightened that black men will invade their communities, raping and pillaging. Putting Mandela Barnes in the role of “ally” cements that racism. This it the level to which Ron Johnson is willing to stoop.
I think the Nazi party adds that Ryan C supports are funny. Usually a bunch of old white ladies in the burbs afraid of black people. Ryan just identified himself as a white supremscist.
Those who claim not to see the blatant racism contained in these ads are being either willfully blind or sadly lacking in the cognitive skills necessary to discern the difference between hate speech and hosannahs. And therefore are likely subscribers to any conspiracy theory that fits their existing biases.
My gosh, as a privileged white woman of many years, even I, in my bubble, recognize the blatant racism in the anti Barnes ads.
For the first time in a long life, I contributed to a political campaign due to the ugliness I saw in the ads.
This is exactly the tactic used against Judge Louis Butler in his reelection campaign. I was naive then, not so much now.
I mute the ads every chance I get.
People need to stop worrying about race which is in itself racist and start worrying about the racist people and teachers unions trapping our poor children of color in the failed public schools. This is the true definition of institutional racism and by definition anyone supporting this is a racist.