Caledonia Campaign Worker Assaulted

In this oped from the aptly named Uppity Wisconsin, “Mal Contends” uses exactly the right tone in how to approach this underreported, REAL event of a campaign worker, (for Obama) getting assaulted by, I’m assuming, an angry white man.

Wisconsin Obama worker allegedly assaulted; victim accused of being with "ACORN"

Posted October 19th, 2008 by mal contends

Here's an appalling story that surely is a violation of civil rights worthy of investigation by US Atty Biskupic and AG Van Hollen.

From RFDblog at Kos:

This is scary stuff! Here in Caledonia, Wisconsin (near Racine) one of our volunteers was physically assaulted by an angry man. 58 year-old Nancy Takehara of Chicago told the story:

"The next thing I know he’s telling us we’re not his people, we’re probably with ACORN, and he started screaming and raving," Takehara said. "He grabbed me by the back of the neck. I thought he was going to rip my hair out of my head. He was pounding on my head and screaming. The man terrified me."
Think about this. Where would this person have ever heard of ACORN? Why would he be so upset? Candidates like to say "elections have consequences."

Well, election rhetoric also has consequences.

"This negative stuff has to stop," said Takehara. "We’re all Americans. This is all about protecting our democracy, not about attacking each other."

Here is a link to another article by the local newspaper.

Here’s what totally freaks me out. If you read the comments on the newspaper article, you see the same hate rhetoric. And worse you see people giving energy to this hate speech by trying to argue in the comments.

And here is what gives me hope. By the time Nancy Takehara got home, there was a message waiting for her from Senator Obama. She called the number back and actually talked to Senator Obama.

"Sen. Obama understood, reassured me, he was wonderful," Takehara said. "It made me feel connected to this government again."

Elections have consequences. Let’s turn all of these right-wing hate mongers out of office and take back our country. Go vote.

http://www.uppitywis.org/wisconsin-obama-worker-allegedly-assaulted-victim-accused-being-

Write On! Here's more:
Police investigate political confrontation
October 20, 2008
CALEDONIA, Wis. -
Police in Caledonia say they’re investigating a weekend attack on a Barack Obama campaign worker.
Nancy Takehara tells WISN-TV she drove from Chicago to help canvass a neighborhood in Caledonia Saturday on behalf of the Democratic presidential nominee.
Ronald Goetsch says he had a heated verbal exchange with Takehara over allegations of voter improprieties in other states and the role of voter registration groups and asked her numerous times to leave his property.
Takehara says Goetsch grabbed her by the back of the neck and was pounding her head and screaming.
Goetsch tells The Journal Times in Racine that he did pull the woman’s hair and regrets his actions.
Police say their report on the incident will be forwarded to the Racine County District Attorney’s office when it’s complete.
——
Information from: WISN-TV, http://www.wisn.com
http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2008/oct/20/news/chi-ap-wi-campaignattack
This wasn't the first time and most regretably, it won't be the last. The SF Chronicle reported this in August:

Man arrested in slashing of Obama campaigner

Jaxon Van Derbeken, Chronicle Staff Writer

Friday, August 29, 2008

(08-28) 21:51 PDT San Francisco --

A man was arrested Thursday after he verbally abused and then allegedly slashed the face of a Barack Obama campaigner in downtown San Francisco, police said.

The 6 p.m. attack on the unidentified 35-year-old male campaign activist occurred as he was working at Fifth and Market streets, police said. The campaigner had a permit, and officers nearby witnessed what happened next.

According to police, the unidentified suspect approached and began to shout slurs and insults at the campaigner, who listened, thanked the man for his views and asked him to leave.

The angry man complied, but quickly returned and pulled out a knife and slashed the victim in the face. The two officers who witnessed the attack responded, one arresting the suspect and the other driving the victim to the hospital. He suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

E-mail Jaxon Van Derbeken at jvanderbeken@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page B - 12 of the San Francisco Chronicle

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/28/BAJO12KNGU.DTL&tsp=1