By Karen Stokes

Congressman James Clyburn visited Milwaukee on Monday, where he met with local leaders and activists at the Milwaukee Civil Rights Community Meet and Greet, held at the African American Women’s Center, to talk about the importance of the 2024 election.

In an approximately 30-minute speech, Clyburndisplayed humor, wisdom,and experience, and reflected on losing three elections running for office.

“When I lost the third time a friend of mine said what are you going to do now, you just lost for the third time and you know what they say, three strikes and you’re out. I said to my friend, “That’s a baseball rule. Nobody lives their lives by baseball rules. If I had quit after losing the third time, I never would have become the number three guy in the U.S. Congress.”

“If something were to happen and you’re not victorious, don’t give up. Stay in the fight,” he said.

The message of the day was for voters to stay engaged, emphasizing that this is the most consequential election of our lives.

As a former history teacher, Clyburn provided an important lesson on how history can repeat itself.

“People say America has never been like this before, let them know it’s been like this before, it’s been like this when we first formed the country.

Representative Supreme Moore Omokunde and Congressman James Clyburn (Photo/Karen Stokes)

The Congressman quoted Thomas Payne in 1776, Payne who was not an American saw how Americans were plotting against each other. He wrote a pamphlet called ‘The American Crisis’ and wrote, “THESE are the times that try men’s souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country but he that stands it NOW, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. . . .”

“This is going to be a hard conflict,” Clyburn explained. “But we can’t be summer soldiers, we can’t be sunshine patriots that run from the fight when the storm comes, we have to be soldiers and fight, we cannot sit aside.”

Citing an example of how history can repeat itself. Clyburn explained that in 1876, the election got thrown to the House of Representatives because at that time, to win the presidency you needed 185 votes in the electoral college. When the election was over, a man named Samuel Tilden from New York had 184 votes, one vote short.

Local leaders and activists at the Milwaukee Civil Rights meet-and-greet (Photo/Karen Stokes)

Rutherford B. Hayes, from Ohio, had 165 votes, the election then went to the House of Representatives, the House appointed a committee of 15 people and the committee met with both candidates. Hayes told them if you give me these votes, I’ll bring an end to Reconstruction. I’ll remove all federal troops, I’ll leave the Negro to your devices. The committee voted 8-7 giving 20 votes to Hayes. Hayes went from 165 to 185 making him president of the United States by 1 vote. One vote brought an end to Reconstruction, one vote started Jim Crow.

“This is what they were trying to do on January 6, 2021, send the election to the House of Representatives, so they would have a chance of keeping Trump,” said Clyburn. “Don’t certify the vote, send it back to the states and we’ll take care of it from there, that’s what they were trying to do.”

The question was asked if you were better off than four years ago? Businesses were shut down four years ago, schools were closed, people were sick and dying, people were watching their loved ones expire, and Trump suggested injecting bleach as a solution. That’s the kind of leadership he offered. That’s how he left the country.

Representative Kalan Haywood (Photo/Karen Stokes)

“Thanks to the work Joe Biden did like The Rescue Plan, which reopened businesses so people could go back to work, reopened schools, and lifted children out of poverty, that plan passed without a single Republican vote, and he didn’t stop there.”

Clyburn shared that he keeps two books by his bedside: the Bible and McCullough’s biography. He studies both religiously. From the Bible, he highlighted an important lesson: “Faith without works is dead.”

The Congressman’s closing remarks were “If we sit on the sidelines and don’t get out to vote we can’t make a difference. Get involved, let’s make sure we win this election.”

MILWAUKEE – Six people were injured in overnight shootings in Milwaukee on Saturday, July 6.

20th and Layton

According to the Milwaukee Police Department, a 26-year-old was shot shortly before 12:30 a.m.

The victim was able to drive to the area of Layton and Drexel to get help, and was taken to a hospital for treatment.

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6th and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Drive

Just after 1:30 a.m., four people were shot; a 15-year-old, a 17-year-old, an 18-year-old, and a 21-year-old.

The 17-year-old’s injuries are considered life-threatening and taken to a local hospital. The 15-year-old and the 21-year-old also arrived at a hospital for treatment.

The 18-year-old went to the area of North Port Washington to Road and Richter to get help and was also taken to a hospital.

54th and Hampton

Just before 3 a.m., a 47-year-old was shot and taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries.

MPD tips

Anyone with any information on any of these shootings is asked to contact Milwaukee Police at 414-935-7360 or to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 414-224-Tips or use the P3 Tips app. 

Milwaukeeans must be used to all this rain by now because even some ominous skies didn’t stop Brew City for turning out big for hip-hop/R&B singer Bryson Tiller at the Big Gig Friday night.

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Those skies opened up briefly just before Tiller took the stage at Summerfest’s BMO Harris Pavilion at 9:30 p.m., and the downpour was heavy enough that even those of us seated well under the roof could feel it.

Still, people kept coming.

Milwaukee popped out to Summerfest for Bryson Tiller tonight. It started raining right as his set began and the crowd only got more hype from there 😂 pic.twitter.com/Zw4w8rSXcs
— Dylan Hunter Carter (@DylanHCarter) July 6, 2024

But it would’ve taken a monsoon or more to dampen the spirits of the devoted crowd at Tiller’s show, which pretty much filled the reserved seats and drew a large crowd to the open area behind.

Though Tiller’s setlist looks formidably long, the Louisville singer mostly did abbreviated versions of hits from all four of his albums, stretching from 2015’s “Trapsoul” to his self-titled record, released in April.

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Tiller’s tour ended in late June, and the Summerfest date was an add-on after break of a few weeks, but, still he was in top form, segueing seamlessly from song to song, accompanied by a DJ and a dancer.

Though there was no band, there were plenty of swirling, colorful graphics on a screen behind Tiller and company for added visual interest.

The crowd was on its feet for most of the performance, usually singing along, but that participation really ramped up for some tunes, like “Run Me Dry,” “Exchange,” the H.E.R. tune “Could’ve Been” (on which Tiller was featured), “Overtime” and the encore, “Whatever She Wants.”

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Midway through the show Tiller teased the audience with a snippet of “Whatever She Wants,” vowing to play it in full later on. When Tiller thanked the crowd and said goodbye at 10:22, much of the audience started to file out, despite having not heard this recent hit.

@brysontiller put on a damn good show tonight in #MILWAUKEE…you had us lit. We love you here come back #414 #summerfest #2024

— RoZilla (@AyyyyeyoooRo) July 6, 2024

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But the house lights hadn’t come on and some of us had seen setlists from the shows at the end of the recent tour and suspected he’d be back.

When Tiller came out to play the song, reminding the crowd of his earlier promise, folks ran back into the rows of seats and went wild, capping a relatively short, but high-energy and eagerly appreciated headlining set.

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SETLIST

• Intro (Difference)
• Sorry Not Sorry
• Inhale
• Run Me Dry
• For However Long
• Outside
• Exchange
• Let Em’ Know
• Wild Thoughts
• Timeless Interlude
• Ciao!
• Canceled
• Open Interlude
• Could’ve Been
• Playing Games
• Blame
• Finesse
• Persuasion
• Let Me Explain
• ÆON L U S T
• Overtime
• Just Another Interlude
• Calypso
• Don’t
• Sorrows
• Right My Wrongs

Encore: