A Black History Month resolution almost failed to pass the Wisconsin Assembly on Tuesday. A proposed resolution from the Legislature’s Black Caucus honored a number of individuals. But at least one of those names apparently triggered some white Republicans.
“I think the biggest one was Colin Kaepernick,” for obvious reasons,” Majority Leader Jim Steinke said in comments prior to the start of Tuesday’s floor debate.
Milwaukee Representative LaKeshia Myers, on the Assembly floor later, said she and other Black Democrats thought the Wisconsin-born Kaepernick deserved to included in the resolution.
My official statement regarding AJR8 can be found below. For more information please contact Kenya Parker at (608) 266-5813. pic.twitter.com/TZHR6EvAKz
— Rep. Lakeshia Myers (@RepMyers) February 13, 2019
“He decided to take on ownership of a problem that he saw, which was police brutality,” Myers said.
AUDIO: Rep. LaKeshia Myers (:30)
The chamber ended up unanimously passing a resolution with Kaepernick’s name deleted. Myers later asked the Assembly Chief Clerk to change her vote on the resolution.
“To support the watered down version of this resolution would mean supporting the suppression of the African-Americans fundamental right to support injustice,” Myers said in a statement. Madison Representative Chris Taylor tweeted that she was also changing her vote.
