Updated: Paul Soglin (and more) on Madison School Naming Controversy

From Waxing America: Madison School Named ...:

I have tremendous respect for Shwaw Vang of the Madison School Board but not his recommendations for naming a public school after a military leader with a checkered past.

What is most disturbing is that so many members of the school board supported the naming without knowledge about Pao's escapades.

Why would knowledge be relevant? This is only a school, after all...And besides, liberal Madison has yet to recognize those who stood bravely with the French colonialists at Dien Bien Phu...Next, The Battle of Algiers.

Additional resources:

Isthmus story by Marc Eisen:
Vang Pao Elementary School opening in Madison

Exchange between Dr. Gary Yia Lee, a visiting professor at the Center of Hmong Studies at Concordia University and UW History Professor Alfred McCoy, including McCoy's suggestions of alternative Hmong candidates for naming honors:
McCoy challenged on Vang Pao; he fires back:

As for Dr. Lee's allegations of anti-Hmong bias, let me state here, as I have done repeatedly in public fora, that I strongly favor naming this new Madison elementary school after a Hmong leader to honor the Hmong sacrifice in the Vietnam War and the many Hmong contributions to American society. If a Hmong soldier is deemed appropriate, then I would suggest Lee Lue, the heroic Hmong pilot who died in Laos in 1969. If a Hmong educator is deemed preferable, I would suggest Dr. Yang Dao, the first Hmong-American to earn a Ph.D. and a tireless advocate for Hmong education. If a more traditional Hmong educator were deemed advisable, I would suggest Shong Lue Yang, 'the Mother of Writing,' that brilliant religious leader who invented a non-Romanized system for Hmong writing. There are just a few of the many accomplished Hmong and Hmong-Americans appropriate for this honor.

Paul Soglin on Wisconsin's judicial election

I've commented a cople of times previously, but very briefly, on the problem of third party independent expenditures on state judicial elections. Paul Soglin does far better:
Waxing America: Swift Boating Annette Ziegler Style

Regardless of the ineptness of the Linda Clifford campaign, the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) swiftboating of Clifford must be recognized as the decisive force in the Supreme Court election. Now WMC used swiftboating twice with great success. It is not going to pass quietly in the night. It is here to stay.

* WMC has every reason to use this technique in all state wide races and selected legislative races.
* While most people find the technique a repudiation of civil discourse, untroubled WMC gunners only know that success speaks for itself.
* Since the individuals who contribute to the WMC front organization remain nameless and faceless, there is no reason for them to worry about public recrimination or humiliation as a party to this travesty.
* You have to wonder if the boards of directors of major Wisconsin corporations really want to be a party to this. Perhaps most of them are not aware of their own complicity.
* This creature can be destroyed by exposure to sunlight.
* I doubt that any of us can directly obtain the records showing where the money came from. We can apply pressure to the WMC members and sympathetic officials and shareholders. They in turn will take the steps necessary to identify the participants.

Paul, any comment from you on Madison's new General Vang Pao school?