LETTERS to the Editor

Immigration fear-mongering

To the editor, I was disappointed to read the words of Dr. Mollette in the Oct. 7 issue of the Journal lifting up age-old hysterias about greedy, violent, terrifying immigrants. I understand that he comes from a venerable American tradition to raise the specter of fear any time immigration grows (as happened in the 1840s with German and Irish immigrants, and again in the 1870s with Chinese immigrants, and again in the 1890s with Mediterranean immigrants, and so on), but his arguments are tired.

The fearmongering of immigrants personally coming for you and yours, the appeal to the criminal elements and the reasonableness of that fear, the caricaturization of immigrants as lazy freeloaders that shares no interface with reality, the false allegations of all the 'free stuff' they supposedly want, and of course the throwaway softening of such xenophobia by pretending the phrase 'most of them' absolves him of all the previous slanders he wrote.

We have read this same script for more than 200 years, and it has never once proven to be based in reality. If he has an issue with the handling of immigration, let him provide constructive feedback for ways that we can streamline the process and quicken the path to citizenship. Let him raise success stories of immigrants he knows and how they would make the system better. Let him offer something helpful, rather than just a bullhorn to trot out hysterical tropes that only stoke fear and hatred of the other.

Lucas Ladnier River Falls

Make a map

To the editor, People from all over Wisconsin have been abuzz about “gerrymandering” and fair maps for over a year. Voters and county boards from 56 counties have passed referendums and/or resolutions demanding a fair, nonpartisan process be established for decennial redistricting that is now underway.

Hundreds of state citizens and community organizations have submitted proposed congressional, legislative and community of interest maps to the People’s Maps Commission (PMC). The PMC recently released and invited public input on a set of draft maps that will lead to the release of their final proposal later this month.

Now you have one last chance to help Wisconsin get fair maps. After the 2020 Census data was released in mid-August, the Wisconsin legislature opened its own online redistricting map portal and asked citizens to submit their map ideas for new districts and communities of interest. The website clearly explains how to use the mapping tools. The opportunity to submit a map ends Friday, Oct. 15!

How can you submit a map of your own? Go online to drawyourdistrictwisconsin.com and click on Submit a Plan. You can draw and submit a district map for the whole state or just your congressional or state assembly/senate district. You can also draw a “community of interest” map that shows any area large or small that affects you._ So don’t delay. Make a map right away!

For more information about redistricting and fair maps, check out piercecountygro.org/western- wi-for-nonpartisan-voting Lisa Mueller Town of Trimbelle