In order to win equality and justice for all, the people in power will have to first acknowledge the problems publicly before working on collective solutions. Milwaukee Bucks President Peter Feign took a bold step toward advancing the conversation, with some surprising remarks about problems with racism and segregation that have plagued the city of Milwaukee for decades. According to Dennis Punzel of the Wisconsin State Journal, Feing made the following comments at the Rotary Club in Madison, Wisconsin:
Very bluntly, Milwaukee is the most segregated, racist place I’ve ever experienced in my life. It just is a place that is antiquated. It is in desperate need of repair and has happened for a long, long time. One of our messages and one of our goals is to lead by example.”
“We know we can’t cure the world,” Feigin said. “But we are very determined to get ourselves involved in programs that we can measure a difference in and put our claws into for a long period of time and show a difference.”
Feign statements come at a time of new ownership and new vision for the Bucks, as they look to reconnect with the surrounding community. Plans for a new arena are just part of a initiative to spur local interest in the team again, and his statements appear to indicate a new approach for attracting a more diverse fan base.