Expresso N E W S I N R E V I E W Issue of the Week Drunken Driving Tragedies

Even more people have been injured or killed by repeat drunken drivers this past week. The recent tragedies included a crash at Sheboygan’s Brat Days, in which four people were injured by a drunken 21-year-old from Manitowoc who was sentenced to serve time in jail for previous drunken driving convic tions, plus a death and injury caused by a Pewaukee man who already has four drunken driving convictions.

The state can enact harsher penalties for driving while intoxicated, but that will do nothing to heal those who have been injured or bring back the innocent people who have been killed.

Ultimately, the responsibility is the driver’s. Before you get in the car after drinking, think about the consequences. Call a cab. Find a sober friend who’ll take you home. Go to bars close to home—Milwaukee’s known for having a bar on every corner, right?—and walk there. Better yet, respect your limits when you’re partying and don’t encourage your friends to get wasted. Drunken driving has to stop now, and we can’t look to the courts to fix this problem. It’s up to us.
Event of the Week: Sixth Annual Summer of Peace Youth Rally and Peace Summit at Kilbourn-Kadish Park Friday, Aug. 8, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The youth-led Summer of Peace Initiative provides the community with a fun, col laborative day of anti-violence information and resources from more than 25 organi zations.

The day is an opportunity for youth and young adults to show the commu nity their positive contributions and genuine commitment toward peace. Check out the 9 a.m. Peace Summit, Milwaukee Public Theatre’s Parade into the Park at 11 a.m., the Milwaukee Peacemaker Recognition Ceremony and a “Stop the Violence” Youth Performance Showcase, plus a children’s play area with carnival games, face painting and more. The summit is open to youth ages 12 and up, community residents and leaders. Youth participants must be pre-registered. For more information, go to www.myspace.com/sopmke or e-mail summerofpeace@gmail.com.

To find more cool events, go to www.expressmilwaukee.com.

Hero of the Week: Justice Louis Butler

Butler ended his term on the state Supreme Court last week, but he’s leav ing the high court with integrity. Butler was defeated in April by just-sworn in Justice Michael Gableman, who unapologetically ran race-baiting and mis leading campaign ads attacking Butler.

Yet Butler never sank to that level, preferring to stick to the issues.

Jerks of the Week: Republican Congressmen Jim Sensenbrenner and Paul Ryan

In just one week, this dynamic duo opposed allowing the FDA to regulate tobacco products, voted against requiring the government to curb excessive speculation in the oil futures market, opposed a bill that would make higher edu cation more affordable, and voted no on a bill that would empower women who earn less than their male counterparts.

Blog of the Week Cory Liebmann at One Wisconsin Now (www.onewisconsinnow.org) Same Old Business Response Is Getting Sickening

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported today that all the usual business suspects are going to pump cash into an effort to fight the paid sick day referendum. The story further reveals that if they don’t get the result that they want on the referendum, that they will spend even more money by challenging the will of the people in the courts. So what is a person supposed to take from this news? That business interests are willing to invest their money in an expensive ad campaign and possibly a protracted lawsuit but not in their own employees and the public health? Are they really going to launch such an effort to keep some of the poorest workers in the city from having a benefit that most people take for granted? To read more local blogs, go to blognetwork.expressmilwaukee.com.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “I encouraged Cindy to compete. I told her with a little luck she could be the only woman ever to serve as First Lady and Miss Buffalo Chip.” —Republican presidential nominee John McCain, volunteering his wife to compete in a topless, and occasionally bottomless, beauty pageant in Sturgis, S.D.