# kudos to the mayor of Milwaukee **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 16, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659 "2009-08-16T20:57:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/1 "2009-08-16T20:57:34Z")
Last night, Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett was leaving the Wisconsin State Fair at about 10:45. He heard a woman call for help and saw a man with a metal pipe accosting the woman. Barrett called 911 and tried to calm the (apparently drunk) man down. The man then turned on Barrett and attacked him with the pipe. Barrett wound up in the hospital but is expected to recover. Police later arrested a man suspected of being the attacker. [Story here](http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/53347442.html). I’ve never heard of Tom Barrett before, and I have no idea what kind of mayor he is. But it’s not every day you see a politician risk his safety to help someone like that, so I figure he deserves a round of appluase. ::claps enthusiastically:: ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/2 "2009-08-16T21:00:37Z")
I grew up in Milwaukee, and it was only when I moved away that I found out the rest of the country apparently considers Wisconsin the punchline to a joke I don’t understand. It’s nice to hear a positive story about my hometown. Go Mayor Barrett! ---
**Author:** ![smee\_goan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@smee\_goan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smee_goan)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/3 "2009-08-16T21:03:43Z")
Reminds me of that young singer who attacked Brihanna (SP?). ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/4 "2009-08-16T21:05:02Z")
God, Mayor Bob probably wouldn’t stop to piss on you if you were on fire, if you weren’t an Important Community Leader or a big donor or had your name on a building or something. I’m jealous. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/5 "2009-08-17T19:50:38Z")
The only thing that bugged me about this was the big \*Journal Sentinel \*headline today: “Man arrested in attack on mayor.” No, guys, it wasn’t an attack on the mayor–it was an attack that the person who happened to be the mayor got involved in. But yeah, good for him. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/6 "2009-08-17T22:01:17Z")
> [@The\_Weird\_One](#): > > I grew up in Milwaukee, and it was only when I moved away that I found out the rest of the country apparently considers Wisconsin the punchline to a joke I don’t understand. It’s nice to hear a positive story about my hometown. Go Mayor Barrett! I think every state gets mocked by people from other states, so wear your cheesehead hat with pride. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/7 "2009-08-17T22:12:48Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > The only thing that bugged me about this was the big \*Journal Sentinel \*headline today: “Man arrested in attack on mayor.” No, guys, it wasn’t an attack on the mayor–it was an attack that the person who happened to be the mayor got involved in. I don’t understand this point. The attacker did not know it was the mayor that he was attacking, but he did attack the mayor. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/8 "2009-08-17T22:30:24Z")
I think it’s because “Man arrested in attack on mayor” sounds like the attacker was after Mayor on purpose, and hides the woman who was the original target. Of course, this would probably never have made the news if the Mayor didn’t get involved. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/9 "2009-08-17T22:36:53Z")
> [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](#): > > I think every state gets mocked by people from other states, so wear your cheesehead hat with pride. Nobody makes fun of New Mexico, but that’s only because we aren’t a state. If we were actually part of the U.S. though I’m sure we’d have plenty of jokes made of us. Since we’re not, we don’t though. 🙂 And yes, mad props go this mayor guy. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/10 "2009-08-17T22:53:37Z")
> [@The\_Weird\_One](#): > > I grew up in Milwaukee, and it was only when I moved away that I found out the rest of the country apparently considers Wisconsin the punchline to a joke I don’t understand. Try being from the South some time.☹ ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/11 "2009-08-18T01:43:40Z")
How dare you suggest that no one makes fun of New Mexico? I live here and I make fun of it all day long!😉 ---
**Author:** ![Thalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f475e1/32.png) [@Thalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thalion)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/12 "2009-08-18T02:30:35Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > The only thing that bugged me about this was the big \*Journal Sentinel \*headline today: “Man arrested in attack on mayor.” No, guys, it wasn’t an attack on the mayor–it was an attack that the person who happened to be the mayor got involved in. I agree. The headline should have said something like, “Heroic Mayor injured protecting citizen”. I’m very impressed. Too few people would take that risk. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/13 "2009-08-18T14:31:34Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > I don’t understand this point. The attacker did not know it was the mayor that he was attacking, but he did attack the mayor. Yes, but the headline makes it sound like he was attacking him \*\*because \*\*he was the mayor, not because he was a guy who got involved in the fight (who coincidentally happened to be the mayor). If all you see is the headline, you’re going to think that someone was going after the person in the position specifically (which is what I thought until I actually started reading the article). ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/14 "2009-08-18T14:37:10Z")
> [@KRC](#): > > How dare you suggest that no one makes fun of New Mexico? I live here and I make fun of it all day long!😉 _Looks around cautiously_ That’s just because you’re confident they won’t launch the nukes on their own state, or unleash the aliens within the borders… ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/15 "2009-08-18T15:00:03Z")
[Kudos!](http://i.ivillage.com/DF/103105/snackbars/DF_Kudos_366.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/16 "2009-08-18T15:19:05Z")
Family members of the attacker are saying [they wish the Mayor hadn’t gotten involved](http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/53515282.html). Yeah, who does he think he is anyway?? How dare he try to help a fellow citizen! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/17 "2009-08-18T15:23:30Z")
> [@SaharaTea](#): > > Family members of the attacker are saying [they wish the Mayor hadn’t gotten involved](http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/53515282.html). > > Yeah, who does he think he is anyway?? How dare he try to help a fellow citizen! :rolleyes: > [@](#): > > The family also feels if it had been anybody but Mayor Barrett that stepped in, Anthony would not have been arrested. > > “Now it’s this big issue,” the brother said. ‘Yeah, because if he’d put some random Joe in the hospital, that would have been no big deal and we’d have been OK with that! Publicity is what sucks about this situation! He’s young and doesn’t know you shouldn’t beat people!’ :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Jimson\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@Jimson\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimson_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/18 "2009-08-18T16:36:40Z")
“He was fighting for custody of his daughter…” …with a lead pipe. ---
**Author:** ![Vihaga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Vihaga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vihaga)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/19 "2009-08-18T17:37:11Z")
> [@](#): > > The Peters family said Anthony is not allowed to see his daughter as much as he would like, and that is what he was fighting with his **daughter’s maternal grandmother** about it when Mayor Barrett tried to help. Bolding mine. Seriously? He went after his kid’s grandmother with a piple? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659/20 "2009-08-18T17:45:27Z")
> [@Vihaga](#): > > Bolding mine. Seriously? He went after his kid’s grandmother with a piple? Bitch wouldn’t let him see his daughter. He had to smack her up a bit is all. Chill. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kudos-to-the-mayor-of-milwaukee/506659.md?page=2)