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his First Amendment rights were violated when he was prevented from drumming
inside the Capitol, is also contemplating instigating a civil rights case against
those who authorized his arrest (www.fox21online.com). This would go to federal
court.
All those affected by Assembly Bill 426 and the consequences it may have can
only wait to see how these issues of the economy, environmentalism, and freedom
of speech will play out. A tribe member of the Bad River Band from the Lake Superior
Chippewa was cited for disorderly conduct on January 26th at the Capitol
in Madison, WI while protesting a new controversial mining bill.
Lincoln Morris was performing a drum-accompanied chant when he was arrested
by the Capitol police for disorderly conduct. Drumming is, in fact, not permitted
in the Capitol by the Wisconsin Department of Administration rules, due
to its loud nature that is distracting for Capitol employees. Morris, therefore, was
escorted from the building by nearly a dozen cops, amid angry cries and protests
from the fifty or so other Bad River Band members that were present.
Morris was gathered with his fellow tribe members to protest Assembly Bill
426. According to the Capital Times’ website, AB 426 would shorten the lengthy,
complicated mining permitting process by giving the Wisconsin Department of
Natural Resources 360 days to approve a mining permit. The permit is automatically
given if the state does not make a decision within that time frame. In addition
to streamlining the permitting procedures, the bill would reduce the percentage of
mining tax revenue that goes back to the local community from 100 percent to 60
percent. The remaining 40 percent would go to the state.
Assembly Bill 426 was proposed by the Florida-based mining company Gogebic
Taconite. The bill would help the company’s proposed plan to build a new mine to
be executed more smoothly. Gogebic Taconite wants to dig an open-pit mine in
the Penokee Hills, which is in close proximity to Lake Superior and is just north
of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s reservation. Gogebic Taconite
and AB 426’s supporters say that the mine would create about 600 new jobs and
would help to strengthen the weak economy in the northern Wisconsin area. The
Gogebic Taconite mine would also bring in revenue to Milwaukee’s many mining
Patrick Poor
Contributing Writer
5
Opinion
Get your politics out of my football
Internet Photo
Having anticipated the local debut of this theatre piece since I was in high
school, I was probably a little biased when I went to see it live in Duluth’s own
Playground Theatre a few doors down from Pizza Luce. Winner of the Tony®
“Triple Crown” for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book, Avenue Q is a
not so cliché ‘tour de force’ that sheds light on what life is like after college.
Or you could call it a bucket of laughs.
Often described as Dave Chappelle sketch comedy meets Sesame Street,
humans, puppets, and monsters (yes monsters) interact on the lowly Avenue
Q, so named because each letter above it in the alphabet represents a higher
price bracket for apartments. We find our humble puppet protagonist,
Princeton, shopping for an apartment and searching for purpose when he
meets the landlord of Avenue Q, Gary Coleman (yes, Gary Coleman). Later
on, Princeton and his new neighbors deal with such tough issues as honesty,
denial, race, sexuality and homelessness with miraculous humor. Perhaps
school is hitting you over the head with big philosophical things like ‘love’,
‘tolerance’, and ‘respect’ – well Avenue Q can teach you a lesson and make
you feel like you already knew it!
From a critical perspective the showing on February 3rd went off without
a hitch. Actors and set crew harmoniously produced a show that has apparently
had fans coming back for second showings, and packed the house
on my visit. There was only one slip up during the whole show – but if you
haven’t been listening to the soundtrack for six years you will never notice
the difference. All in all the Duluth Playhouse put on an impressive show,
and you may yet catch another showing!
This February 9th 10th and 11th at 7:30pm and again at 11:00pm on the
There are multiple reasons that people watch the Super Bowl, but there is
only one that is universal among everyone: the commercials. Although not
all of them are as entertaining as the E*TRADE baby, most demonstrate a
level of creativity and relative taste, excluding one this year that
stood out especially as being borderline disgusting.
Democratic presidential candidate Randall Terry has been
airing ads in support of his campaign, and even paid the price
for one running during the Super Bowl. Questions of creativity
and entertainment aside, the content of Terry’s ad was particularly
questionable. Super Bowl viewers were exposed to a particularly
gory anti-abortion commercial. The ad presented images
of aborted fetuses while condemning Obama and America
for supporting abortion, stating that America had “blood on its
hands.” The ad itself can be seen online at http://www.mrctv.org/
videos/randall-terry-pro-life-super-bowl-ad.
But what exactly does this mean? Traditionally Super bowl
ads have never been political, although there is nothing stopping
candidates from airing their ads. This is possibly the opening of
the floodgates for a whole new brand of Super Bowl commercials.
Many speculate next year’s TV commercials to take on the
form of a political war instead of just Chevy taking cheap shots
at Ford. However, not all stations are okay with letting this happen.
NBC Chicago refused to run the ad, stating they weren’t
convinced Terry’s candidacy was legitimate and not just a stunt.
In response to this, Terry may take legal action.
Whether you are for or against abortion rights, it is essential to take a
moment to contemplate the appropriateness of gruesome images (with questionable
validity) during the most televised event in the country simply because
they are a political candidate.
Avenue Q debut at Duluth Playhouse
Jame Arroyo-Roppo
Contributing Writer
equipment manufacturing companies.
The Bad River Band’s strong opposition to the mine and Assembly Bill 426 is
due primarily to environmental concerns. They argue that the mine may exhume
harmful chemicals like mercury and lead that would leach into streams, wetlands,
and, eventually, Lake Superior. The mine would be located just north of the Bad
River watershed, and any toxins that flow downstream would negatively affect the
quality of water that flows through the reservation. Tribe members are also worried
that pollution from the mine could destroy their traditional rice beds.
The bill, which was tensely debated for nearly five hours in the Wisconsin Assembly
on January 26th, was passed (the vote was 59 to 36). Next, it will go to the
state Senate, where its future is unclear. Senator Bob Jauch, whose district includes
the area proposed for the mining site, is not in favor of the bill. However, the economic
benefits and employment opportunities of the Gogebic Taconite mine are
hard to ignore for other Senators who are concerned with the poor economy and
high unemployment rates in northern Wisconsin. This conflict of interests in the
Senate makes the Bad River Band members nervous for what is to come. Glenn
Stoddard, an attorney for the Bad River Band, says that the Environmental Protection
Agency will be asked to get involved if the bill is passed into law.
As for Lincoln Morris, his future, too, is uncertain. Stoddard is working to
reverse Morris’ disorderly conduct citation and $263 ticket. Morris, who believes
that his First Amendment rights were violated when he was prevented from drumming
inside the Capitol, is also contemplating instigating a civil rights case against
those who authorized his arrest (www.fox21online.com). This would go to federal
court.
All those affected by Assembly Bill 426 and the consequences it may have can
only wait to see how these issues of the economy, environmentalism, and freedom
of speech will play out.
11th you can take your friends/family/fiancées (but probably not children)
to what critics such as Lawrance Bernabo (News Tribune) are calling “cute”:
“It seems somewhat strange to say a show with songs about racism, unemployment
and porn is “cute,” but that is the inevitable conclusion …”
Not so much a romantic comedy as a comedic romance, Avenue Q is
guaranteed to split some sides should you find yourself in the Playground
black box this weekend.
Internet Photo