The Capital Times from Madison, Wisconsin • 42

Bsmasssjcasai OPINION COMMENTARY What makes my experience a bit different from other parents is that Im white and my kids are not My family, my community by JOE PAR1SI One can only imagine the difficulties Ott had in the Legislature in recent years. He offered some insights about it in a recent interview with Saran Bredesen of The Country Today. He also recalled some rough years for agriculture, including those in which dairy farming in Wisconsin fell behind states like California. Acknowledging that his Republican colleagues wouldnt like it, he went on to say it was Gov. Jim Doyle who led efforts to turn things around for agriculture.

Doyle, he said, didnt know anything about agriculture, but had the smarts to appoint respected rural leader Rod Nilsestuen as secretary of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and then get out of the way. Nilsestuen dealt with tough issues like livestock siting, protecting farmland and the health of rural communities. Local and regional agriculture initiatives blossomed then and are bearing fruit to this day. It was an example of using the tools of government to find solutions, and Ott was part of the solution. Todays breed has him scratching his head.

Im a moderate Republican, he told Bredesen. Im having trouble understanding this conservative right-wing stuff. Theres no question that the ultra-conservatives have come up with ideas and policy that we need to address, but theres an attitude that troubles me. If you hate government, I dont think you belong serving in government. If you serve in government, you need to respect government and what it does and what its responsible for." He added that he views his Democratic foes as competition, but not as enemies.

Thats a timely reminder for both political parties. As are his thoughts about one-issue candidates. If youre a one-issue person, we dont want you, because what are you going to do with the other 200 or 300 issues? Theyre going to come at you, and you havent learned that you need to look at them all (and) figure it out. They have to think about a balance. There was a time that both parties could brag of having elected leaders like Al Ott.

Not so much anymore. 1 Rep. Al Ott Legislature will lose a good one as AlOtt retires by BILL BERRY Stevens point Rep. ai ott of Forest Junction will wrap up a lengthy tenure in the Wisconsin Assembly this year, and we can truly say, There went a good one. Republican Ott has served his northeast Wisconsin district for 30 years, and he has done so with class.

Ott is cut Bill from a different mold than Berry many of todays politi cians of both parties. His style is like that of Walter John Chilsen, the affable and kindly Wausau Republican who served in the Wisconsin Senate from 1967-90. Chilsen had a moderate approach to governing. He was willing to work with folks from the other party to get things done. Same goes for Ott, who likely found himself marginalized as his Republican colleagues skewed far to the right in the past few elections.

Ott grew up near Green Bay, close to his grandfathers farm, where he got hooked for life on agricultural and rural living. He continues to make his living in farming and agribusiness. This background served him well in his years in the Legislature, where he spent three decades on the Assembly Committee on Agriculture, 12 as chair. We crossed paths during the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters Future of Fanning and Rural Life in Wisconsin project about 10 years ago. The project sought to engage people from all walks of life in a study of rural issues and solutions.

Of all the politicians of that time, Ott was most active in the effort. At one meeting, discussions about some issues got a little fluffy. Perhaps there were too many scholars in the room. Ott raised his hand and offered a shot of reality: Can you put some politics on this for me I have to understand how were going to get anything done. At a regional forum on the challenges of rural education, Ott brought his two high-school-aged daughters to participate.

He wanted them to leam about the issues and how to find solutions. punching and tasing a black girl at East Towne? She was yelling I can't If we dont try to understand the reasons for the racial divide in our community, we will never make things better. While we will never walk in each others shoes, maybe we could at least ask each other how those shoes feel. Questioning the actions of some police officers is not an indictment of all police officers. Most cops (including my brother) are good, caring people who risk their lives every day to protect our community with honor and integrity.

And Im horrified by the senseless killing of police officers anywhere, most recently in Dallas. But that doesnt mean I cant also shudder in horror and ask why? as I watch the video of Philando Castile bleeding to death before my eyes. I occupy a unique space in this discussion: white dad, black daughter, brother of a cop, county executive. Im sharing my familys experiences and perspectives in the hope that maybe we can help bring a little more understanding to the complicated and confounding racial divide within our community and across the nation. Because regardless of my role dad, brother or public servant -1 cant view another video of an African-American citizen being beaten or losing their life, or see another account of a police officer being assassinated, without saying enough is enough.

Rodney King asked: Why cant we all just get along?" Good question. My white retired cop brother and my black teenage daughter get along. But they know each other. And maybe thats the crux of the problem. Perhaps it comes back to asking each other about those shoes.

And when were told how they feel, listening, learning and believing." online media columns, letters to the at captimes. Capital Times follow the on Twitter TIKE ANY PARENT, I cant imagine my life without my kids. I cherish the moments were together; I worry about them when were apart the usual dad stuff. What makes my experience a bit different, however, is that Im white and my kids are not. Because of this, I often find myself dealing with different parenting experiences than many of my white friends, especially when it concerns my youngest daughter, who is African-American.

For example, none of my white friends' kids was called the word by drunken adults at a recent fireworks show; my 15-year-old was. My white friends kids werent called the word in school this past year; my 15-year-old was. Are these incidents unacceptable? Yes. Are they rare? Ask someone whos African-American. My white friends and their kids certainly have their share of challenges.

Growing up isnt easy, no matter what color your skin is. My family has those same struggles; we also have another set of challenges for which growing up white in America did not prepare me or my wife: Like, how do we console our child when shes called the word? How do we convince her that shell be judged by her character when shes followed around by store clerks and her white friends arent? How do we help her feel safe and welcome in her community in the face of racist graffiti or when an African-American girl is spat upon on campus? What about when she turns on the TV and sees an unarmed black person shot dead in the back because he panicked and ran from a cop, or when an unarmed Eric Gamer is tackled, choked and killed by a group of police officers who ignore his plea: "I cant breathe! Or, when my daughter asks: Dad? Did you see this video of the cops kicking, Theres and in Read opinion editorials and editor every com. Like The on Facebook opinion section CapTimesOpinion. more social day and Bill Berry of Stevens Point writes a semimonthly column for The Capital Times, billnickcharter.net Joe Parisi is Dane County executive. i.nm I July 13, 2016 4 42.