You first- Eugene Kane

In today’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Eugene Kane asks the question-

Where's anger when victim is black?

Eugene Kane wants to know why nobody cared about a murder that took place a few weeks ago involving a black man. Instead, when a white man is murdered in the inner city, then people become outraged.

That is a good question.

Unfortunately, Mr. Kane needs to be looking in the mirror when he asks the question.

I read the previous story that Mr. Kane had written about Prentice Barnes. Here is Eugene Kane’s entire reflection about Prentice Barnes-

Last week, another shocking murder happened in broad daylight. Police say Prentice Barnes, 55, the driver of a medical van, was shot in a crossfire while stopped at N. 39th and W. Center streets.

More than likely, it started out as a typical morning for Barnes. Who expects to die at 11 a.m.?

That is it, folks. Nothing else. This is all Eugene Kane had to say about Prentice Barnes.

In fact, Mr. Kane spent more time talking about his own drive thru the inner city than he did anything else.

Why is that, Mr. Kane? Why is it you spent more time talking about yourself than you did Prentice Barnes?

Did Eugene Kane or anyone else from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel every bother visiting Prentice Barnes’ family? Did anyone bother to check on what kind of life Prentice Barnes might have lead?

We know nothing about Prentice Barnes because Eugene Kane or anyone else ever bothered to tell us.

Eugene Kane has the incredible opportunity to be a reflection of Milwaukee’s inner city. He could be writing about the hopes, dreams, fears and anxieties facing today’s inner city families.

Instead, what we continue to hear from Eugene Kane is how outraged he is at the Milwaukee Police Department.

We even hear about how outraged Eugene Kane is about all of the fuss and muss over the beating of a white man on a city bus.

However- what we did not really hear about is Prentice Barnes.

Eugene Kane wants us to be outraged over the daytime murder of Prentice Barnes. Okay- we can do that.

However, we need inner city leaders in Milwaukee, like Eugene Kane, to start telling us what is going on in Milwaukee.

Look in the mirror, Eugene Kane. You need to become outraged first. Then tell us about the people like Prentice Barnes and we will become outraged with you.

Eugene Kane- you need to stop talking about yourself and introduce us to people like Prentice Barnes.

Maybe then, all of us as a community can start dealing with the culture of death that has gripped Milwaukee’s inner city.

Until that day comes, the rest of us are left wondering what in the world is going on in Milwaukee.