Capitol Report
By State Representative, Leon D. Young
Leon D. Young
The recent shooting death of Tony Robinson – a 19-year-old Black, unarmed youth – in Madison has shocked the idyllic sensibilities of many white liberals who call Mad City their home.
These individuals had little difficulty conceiving that Black youths were being killed in other communities stemming from police-involved shootings. But that was in places like Ferguson, Milwaukee, and Staten Island, to name a few.
But this typed of aggressive police response could never happen in idyllic Madison, Wisc. – or so we thought.
But, in truth, there have always been two Madisons.
On one hand, Madison is known for its history of leftist protests, from student and anti-war movements in the 1960’s to labor protests against Scott Walker in the present day.
It is also perceived as one of the best places to live in America for some people, frequently topping quality-of-life for its public schools, the availability of fresh and local food, and its incredible bike paths.
However, that progressive perception of Madison conveniently obscures the reality of the other: a city that has some of the worst racial and economic disparities in the entire country.
A 2013 study of Dane County – where Madison is located – confirmed what Black residents experience in their daily lives.
Seventy-five percent of black children in the county live in poverty, compared to the five percent of white children.
Black adults are 11 times more likely to be arrested than white adults, and black youth are 15 times more likely to be arrested than their white counterparts.
Dane Co. has a Black population of about six to seven percent.
The Dane Co. Jail has a Black population of 48 percent.
The unemployment rate for black adults in Dane Co. is around 25 percent, compared to about 25 percent for white adults.
Just 10 percent of Black students are reading at grade level, compared to 63 percent of white students.
Unfortunately, these shocking statistics are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to our “progressive” Capital city.
With serious disparities such as these, it’s ridiculous to believe that Madison is some kind of urban utopia – where real life and death problems don’t exist.
It’s time to debunk the Madison Myth.