Letter to the Editor: Supervisors Should Repeal Declaration That Racism Is a Public-Health Crisis

The Door County Board of Supervisors, by a narrow majority, has made an extremely serious mistake in resolving that racism is a public-health crisis in society and by inference in the county (Resolution No. 2020-86). The majority on the board have labeled the people and institutions of the county as racist.

The view espoused by the board is clearly one that has been imported into the county by politicians, activists and professional grievance peddlers who gain by dividing instead of producing. They are agents of organizations committed to the proposition that all Caucasians are racist. This is propaganda that has been concocted and honed in highly urbanized areas by advocates including university faculty, the media and many in government.

It is unacceptable to declare a public-health crisis to achieve social and political ends. What will the next public-health crisis resolution be, and who will manage it? Public-health officials have demonstrated an inability to handle the pandemic. Will they be appointed to manage a racism crisis? 

Worse yet, there may be a hidden agenda that the board majority has yet to disclose. Does the next health crisis target the Bill of Rights, voting and zoning laws, universal income, school curriculums and law enforcement? Or is the current resolution aimed precisely at these?

One vote could have tabled this resolution. Two supervisors were absent from the meeting. It isn’t too late for the board to cancel this incalculably offensive slur upon the county and its residents and undo the impending damage to the reputation of the county. It should immediately and unanimously repeal this resolution and refrain from adopting other power grabs to achieve political ends.

Norman J. Van Den Bussche

Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin