November 19, 2009

Demisemi...whatever. It tripped off the tongue

Rep. Cory Mason serves up demisemiseptcentennial cake

Demisemiseptcentennial. The word tripped off the tongue like white frosting from a layer cake. Which, of course, it was... at the City of Racine's 175th anniversary party hosted by Rep. Cory Mason at the Racine Public Library Thursday night.

Mason spent a few minutes in front of easels holding panels touting some of the city's accomplishments -- as submitted to him by residents -- before cutting into a large Danish layer cake from O&H Bakery. And, yes, the cake was large enough for demisemiseptcentennial to fit onto the cake's sweet frosting, stretching from one side to another.

Library's Becky Spika with Legislative resolution commending Racine's 175th

If there was any disappointment, it was only this: it was too dark for Mason to look out the Library's second-floor windows and see the mouth of the Root River where Gilbert Knapp first landed and founded the city in 1834. "The first 50 years of Racine's history are all about the river," Mason said, before listing some of our later points of pride: the first city in Wisconsin to graduate a high school class, our underground railroad stop, our tradition of industry ("The small engine capital of the world."), and a welcome diversity with too many ethnic festivals to count "that has enriched our community."

Of course, some will say "that was then; what about now?" So I asked Mason what he'd like to see by the city's next big anniversary, our bicentennial 25 years from now, in 2034. He didn't hesitate:

"Every generation has been able to do a little bit better than those that came before. That's the central problem we face today. The transitional challenges are there... in education, in employment. This has been a good community for opportunity in the past; there's no reason it can't be that for the next 200 years."

Mason juggles Eleanor, and questions from Tynisha Person and Morgan Dawson

I put the same question to some young folks, starting with two Park High School government students who were interviewing Mason (while he held his adorable daughter, 11-month-old Eleanor Roosevelt Mason) before his party began . They didn't hesitate either: "Less crime and violence, and more jobs," said Tynisha Person, 16. "And better maintenance for the schools."

"More parks and nice areas to gather. And cleaner streets," said Morgan Dawson, also 16.

Shirleeta Miles, 23, who has lived here all her life, said the city is "pretty good" but could provide "more help for people who don't have much."

And then it was time for cake. Mason, good Democrat that he is, cut generous portions for each of the 60+ persons who came for a slice. And, unlike the world at large, there was enough for everyone.

18 comments:

  1. Seriously speaking, we must mobilize against The House of Wax and its money-mutt minions. For starters, we ought to oust all public officials who reside in the Carnauba criminals' back pockets and replace them with men who are not afraid to take on the Cherokee Red Reprobates. Messy-John-It's-A-Sin, Inc. must learn that it doesn't own Racine. We need leaders who are unbought and unbossed and we need them NOW!

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  2. The baby puncher has returned.

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  3. I hope us taxpayers didn't pay for that cake. Those democrats are going to put this city out of business.

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  4. Anon 11:39: Mason paid for the cake and soft drinks out of his own pocket. No taxpayer dollars were involved.

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  5. I see Gimli but where's Legolas?

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  6. Another Mason lovefest from the left post.

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  7. Mason has to try and pull something like this off once in a while to make himself look good and distract us all from the overwhelmingly bad job he's doing for Racine on the real issues.

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  8. Has Mason ever worked? I mean with his hands and back? 40 or more hours a week for five or more years? He really deserves the opportunity to grow up and that would provide him with it.

    And when is he going to move back to Racine?

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  9. "Anon 11:39: Mason paid for the cake and soft drinks out of his own pocket. No taxpayer dollars were involved."

    When you look at the per diem I'm sure he MADE money. But but but - what was the carbon footprint of that cake? Wasn't he promoting poor health choices with all the sugar in the cake? I'm not sure if the cake was diverse enough. Ahhhhhhhhhhh!

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  10. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  11. Racine Post editors must have Love thing for Cory - what tripe.

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  12. Yes! The lovefest continues with Mason, because when pete's daughter calls who works for Mason the post is going to respond.

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  13. Somewhere in the suburbs of Madison, a garden is missing it's gnome.

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  14. You know, I am never behind the door when it comes to criticism, but making fun of people's looks? Gee, wouldn't it be funny if he were in a wheelchair with a patch over one eye too -

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  15. Am I the only one who caught that the students didn't hesitate or blink in coming up with real visions for the future of our city? It isn't hard... safety, jobs and improved education.

    The truth is Mr. Mason, not every generation is doing better than those before it. The only transitional change in trend is that Racine is in trouble.

    Our unemployment rate is sky high, our streets are not safe and the public schools are failing, in building structure and in their capabilities of educating the poorer, street-wise children, of which, we are seeing more and more.

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  16. I wonder if the left, for that matter all out of touch elected officials, understands that the frustration in the blogs is deeper than what they discount it to be. People are mad about Washington spending and waste. They are mad about Madison spending and waste. They are mad at Mt Pleasant and Racine tax increases and spending on things that could wait during an economy with 20% unemployment. Mason's artilce has just given a heading for people to vent a growing frustration.

    Last night the US Senate went forward to discuss a healthcare plan that the CBO and every respected economists says we can't afford as a country. Washington is bent on spending money when far less costly options are available to start dealing with healthcare issues. Cap and trade continues to move forward when clear evidence shows that Gore's and other climate change retoric is based on bad science. Either of just these two program can ruin the US economoy for years maybe decades but Washington wants to do both.

    The fact is both parties tell us we are at a tipping point. Spending/wasting money in a weak economy is going to tip us in the wrong direction.

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  17. I have no regard for Mason's politics - but come on this was just a fun social event.

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  18. I guess we'll have to comment on this article since the boys are protecting their boy by closing the other site. The comments out there were actually mild. So Dustin and Pete what I was going to say is that Mason will do anything to get publicity even if it makes him look stupid, which he is. Why propose a bill that is already covered under Federal guidelines. Oh, I know maybe he can raise taxes by introducing unneeded legislation. boys you cannot protect him forever - he'll be gone next year and good riddens.

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