Local legislators Rep Joel Kitchens and Congressman Mike Gallagher have praised the "employment opportunities," and touted the contracts with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for enhanced capability LCS gunships built by NE Wisconsin's Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM) and Sturgeon Bay's Fincantieri Bay Ship (FBS).
https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/09/21/us-war-crimes-yemen-stop-looking-other-way
Sturgeon Bay's common council recently granted zoning variances to allow exceptions to facility height restrictions to accommodate FBS building expansion plans for eventual participation for construction of the new US Navy frigate contracts. FMM was awarded several million dollars for conceptual design ideas for un-manned US Naval sea-based "drone," vessels, presumably for anticipated warfare against other sovereign nations.
US Secretary of State Pompeo was in Madison, WI yesterday reiterating earlier comments by Gallagher about perceived security threats from China to an exclusive GOP state legislative audience, which Gallagher started expressing in a May 7, press release while touting his appointment to an all GOP federal, "China Task Force." There's been no response from Door County government as to how such irresponsible cold-war sabre-rattling will negatively affect our or a wider Wisconsin's extensive economic trade with the Chinese and not even a response to crushing Door County's Sister City efforts.
With a diminishing ability of our local, state and federal governments to deal with the numerous negative pandemic related public health and economic burdens being thrust on a growing and serious majority of US citizens, isn't it about time we as a community start publicly asking the questions of our "leadership," about what constitutes the more immediate threats to the survival of our democratic republic than killing Yemeni civilians or starting a new cold or hot war with China would do? Isn't it about time for a responsible local press corp to pose these questions and demand answers?
I'm asking where are the responsible local journalists, the responsible local elected officials or self-appointed civic leaders and where is any sustainable and humanitarian focused private economic sector with even a remote concern beyond short term profit at any cost (in human lives or otherwise) instead taking any public stand for any sort of viable future for any of us? Door County - Commitments to Cleanliness and Safety? Really, and for whom exactly?
https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/secretary-of-state-mike-pompeo-warns-against-chinese-influence-in-speech-to-state-lawmakers/article_24064695-9ddd-548f-9e56-ca7ad2170821.html
https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2020-09-23/pompeo-faces-new-criticism-of-politicization-following-wisconsin-trip
Donald Freix
Fish Creek, WI 54212
