>> We all think we know what government is.
>> How it works and what it does.
>> But what is it really?
What do we mean by "government"?
>> Is it this? >> Or this?
>> Are these people the government? >> Are you?
>> These are just some of the questions we'll
try to answer for you today. >> On Engage.
>> Hi, I'm Paloma. >> And I'm Zach.
We're here in Madison. >> Hey, check this out.
The biggest building in town. Pretty impressive.
>> If you come to Madison, you can't miss it.
Maybe you came here on a class trip back in grade school.
>> They give free tours of the capitol building all the time.
Look! There's one right now.
>> The fact is, this is our building. And all the people who
work here make up our state government. They work for us.
>> We're their bosses. So it makes sense that
we should have something to say about what goes on around here.
>> It seems far fetched? Well, take a look at this map.
On the far western part of Wisconsin, there's a little
town called Prescott. It's only about 4,000 people.
>> Some kids from Prescott High School decided
that it wasn't far fetched to come to Madison
and have their say.
>> At Prescott High School, in a Native American History
class, a group of students first became aware of the issue
of Native American mascots.
Many schools use these images as symbols of their sports teams.
In recent years, some communities have decided that
these images promote a negative stereotype of Native Americans.
>> We did learn about it in our Native American History class.
>> When you think of Indian mascots, most imagery, almost
all imagery connected with Indian mascots is based
on a particular stereotype.
>> Like the stuff that goes on at games,
kind of like the tomahawk chop and like,
the songs and other things that they sing.
Even the imagery is stereotypical.
>> Being non-Indian people, there's a lot
of people who would say, "Why do you care?"
Why should you care about an issue like this?
>> We had to write an essay on our opinion, about do you
think Native American mascots are offensive.
>> It hurts the self-esteem of Native Americans.
>> It hits close to home, because we have a bunch
of schools in our area that do have Indian mascots.
I know Native Americans, hearing them say,
"That's very offensive to me," made way more of an impact.
>> As they became aware of the problem, the Prescott
students did some research and found out what an emotional
and difficult issue it is.
>> Because people get attached to them
over, you know, however many years.
They take some sense of pride in it, their parents
going to that school, them going to that school.
>> It's all involved in their sports.
Their sports teams made them so proud, that they
are just connected to them, and they identify with it.
>> If you go to a high school, and you have a mascot, and
you're in sports, you're kind of representing that mascot.
You become, like, the Prescott Cardinal.
>> So much of high school is involved with like sports,
and having school spirit.
>> People get really into sports. You are a Chief.
And you are a Cardinal. There's some pride along with it.
>> It's been that way for so long,
and people, I think, when it comes
to things such as this, they feel like it's been that way for so
long that they're entitled to it. >> So I think just to
all of a sudden change that is kind of hard for people.
>> I think we need to look at like, the Native Americans'
point of view, too, like why it's emotional for them.
It's not just emotional for like the people that don't
want to change the mascot. The big issue is, why
is it so emotional for the Native Americans?
That's what I think it is.
>> In our conference, we have two schools
that use the Indian as a mascot.
And so, we decided to organize a student demonstration.
Our teacher had these flyers that had a picture of the
whole Indian in the headdress, and it had like
a big slash through it. We had the idea of,
let's put it on t-shirts. The demonstration went
off without a hitch. I mean, there was no problems
there. Of course, there was heightened security.
>> There were some police officers there.
And I remember we got pulled out and like, interviewed
by some people. But it went pretty smoothly.
>> I think it opened people's eyes in our community,
who might not have been aware of the issue.
>> When I started getting involved with this,
started organizing the whole t-shirt
thing, as far as our school, I was told by friends--
I actually started to believe it too, that, you know,
it's not really going to make a difference.
It's just a t-shirt. But then, the whole
Assembly Bill 35 just seemed to fall right in our lap.
>> Now, we know the State Assembly is planning
on holding a hearing regarding Assembly Bill 35, that
will attempt to eliminate the use of
race-based mascots in public schools.
>> We decided that it would be nice if a
group of students would go down to Madison.
So we met as a group, talked about the issue, talked about
what we're going to say, how we're going to say it.
>> What are some of the core issues, or some of the things that
you think will be important that you share in your testimony?
>> We have to talk about honor,
because everybody brings up that,
oh, yeah, the Native Americans are being so honored by this.
You know, they should be happy we made them our mascot.
>> Anybody else? Travis, go ahead.
>> I think we should definitely discuss, like, local control.
If you know what they are going to argue towards you,
then you can form a rebuttal that is more effective.
For some reason, I didn't expect them to be so
much, like agreeing... You know, from a young age,
you're taught to do what's right. And to me,
this is something that seems right to do,
like helping out other people, helping their voices be heard.
>> Before we go up there and testify,
will they know that we are all from the same place?
>> I think they might.
My hope is that you will be able to testify back-to-back-to-back.
That's what my hope is. I don't know.
This is new to me, too. I've never done this.
>> My name is Zach Simones. I'm a junior at Prescott High School.
I'm here today acting as an individual, and
in no way representing the opinion
of the Prescott School District. That's basically it.
>> We talked to the Education Committee.
>> I also think that we were talking to the public today.
This is a really good opportunity to get our
voices out and tell the public about the issue.
>> The hearing was huge. I am going to impose some
fairly strict limits on time. So with that, I'm going to
invite Senator Spencer Coggs to return.
And Representative Soletski, the author of the Assembly Bill.
>> Today, we'll hear testimony from children, parents and grandparents.
There's a lot of people here. We had six students from the Prescott
School District, and about 25 students from the Menomonie Nation School.
>> Listen to what the people will tell you today.
That's why we called a public hearing,
so the public can weigh in on the matter
that we're going to vote on eventually.
>> People come and they present opposition to that particular bill.
>> Some areas are known for the Indian logo.
My grandson and I are proud of that. Do not pass this Assembly
Bill 35, because we want to keep our history and heritage.
>> Probably the most impressive testimony that
was given that day was given by young people.
>> Honor means to have good respect, or to be held in esteem.
Allowing public schools to use race-based
mascots certainly doesn't constitute honor.
>> What surprised me the most is how not nervous I was.
Like, I went in, and I was like, oh, man, this is
going to be bad. But I got up there and I spoke,
and everything went really well. In many schools in
Wisconsin, mock war whoops and tomahawk chops can be seen
and heard at football and basketball games.
The preparation was a big step, because we went over
what we were going to say. We wrote it down.
We made changes and everything. Fans paint their faces,
wear feathers in their hair, and play music that does
nothing but demean and mock the culture of Native people.
>> Preparing definitely helps you. You know what
you're going to say, so when you go up there,
you can have, like, good eye contact
If they truly want to honor Native Americans,
then these schools should change their mascots.
And in fact, they should do so enthusiastically.
>> I didn't know what to expect. And I'm so glad
that I took this opportunity. I firmly believe
that the race-based mascots are offensive.
I would say getting involved is definitely
over-the-top worthwhile. Native Americans are
the only, I repeat, the only racial minority in the United
States whose names are used as sports team mascots.
>> Once I got up there,
I wasn't nervous at all, because like, I had a purpose.
I believe these mascots severely distort cultural
practices and traditions of Native People of Wisconsin.
>> It's all about culture and respect.
I urge the members of this committee and all the members
of the Wisconsin State Legislature to show their respect
by passing Assembly Bill 35. Thank you for your time.
>> I'm very, very impressed with the amount of research that
had to go into the individual testimony that you gave, and
the confidence that you showed as you gave your testimony.
But more importantly, the quality.
>> I hope that by testifying today, our testimonies can help
convince some of the people on the committee and in the
Wisconsin State Legislature to pass this bill, because
I think it needs to be done. I hope that we've affected that a little bit.
>> If you get involved, then you know what's happening.
>> You're actually inputting your voice, and
you're actually having a say in what goes on.
>> We all came together at this last moment.
We didn't believe we were going to make a difference.
And then, to come down here and to meet the people who say
you are making a difference, it really feels worthwhile.
>> For more information, visit
us on the Web at: ecb.org/engage
>> We all think we know what government is.
>> How it works and what it does.
>> But what is it really? What do we mean by "government"?
>> Is it this? >> Or this?
>> Are these people the government? >> Are you?
>> These are just some of the questions we'll
try to answer for you today. >> On Engage.
>> Hi, I'm Paloma. >> And I'm Zach.
And right now, we're in the Rotunda of the Wisconsin State Capitol.
>> Get this, the interior volume of this dome is
greater than any other in the entire United States.
>> The dome is visible for miles. And people here in Madison pay
big bucks for homes or offices with views of the capitol.
>> But what about the things that people don't want near their homes?
There's a common phrase called NIMBY, not in my back yard.
>> When conflicts about NIMBY come up, the government may have to step in.
And sometimes, the final decision is made
right here, in the Wisconsin State Capitol.
>> Wisconsin's landscape is changing.
Wind turbines, hundreds of them, have been popping up
all over the state. You've probably seen them yourself.
To many, these are sleek powerful machines,
important symbols of our move to green energy.
>> A few years ago, we made it
a priority in this state that we were going to try
to capture renewable energy to offset carbon fuels.
>> By the year 2015, ten percent of all the electric energy used
by the consumers in Wisconsin must come from renewable resources.
>> Most of that, we think, is going to come from commercial wind projects.
Well, personally, I like wind energy, because it's a clean and native resource.
>> We are a state that has not the strongest
wind in the Union, but we have very good wind.
>> A locally available resource.
It doesn't deplete over time. It's self-replenishing.
>> I think wind development has a strong future in Wisconsin.
>> But not everyone is a fan of wind turbines.
>> I'm all for green energy. The more we can do to save
Mother Earth, I'm all for it. But look around.
>> They're everywhere. You can't look in any direction
and not see all of them.
This is just such a mess right now.
>> Ann and Jason Wirtz moved into their
100-year-old Victorian home in 1986.
Every night when I drove home, I looked to see which way
those turbines were facing. And I knew by the
direction of the wind, and how they were spinning,
whether I was going to get a good night's sleep or not.
>> You could actually put your hand on the wall and feel the vibrations.
>> The longer I was exposed to it, the worse it got.
It just had to change, or I wasn't going to survive.
The realtor told us there's real concern over selling
property with wind turbines this close to it.
We can't continue to live here, and we can't sell it.
What choice do we really have?
We're just walking away. We're abandoning it.
>> Sometimes, the individual does need to sacrifice
for the betterment of his or her community.
>> Individuals should never have to pay the price
of health and safety. Ever, ever, ever.
My name is Lynda Barry. I'm an advocate for people
who are living in industrial wind farms in our state.
I'm trying very hard to get the word out
that there are down sides to wind power.
I actually got interested in it because a neighbor of mine
invited me to a meeting about this wind farm that was coming.
And when we got to the meeting and started to find questions
that people had, it just raised some red flags for me.
I started to do some research, and really began to become
troubled about the proposal. I found that there was
no place on the Web that specifically addressed
what was happening in Wisconsin. So, I started
a Web site called Better Plan Wisconsin.
I started to hear from people who live in wind farms.
And once I put the Web site up, I started hearing from members of
local government, who were also trying to find out about ordinances.
>> We had town governments adopting ordinances in the past
few years trying to regulate the siting of wind turbines.
>> Saying there can be no construction
in our town of a wind farm.
>> What we were finding is local villages, local towns, local cities,
you know, were saying the not in my back yard thing.
We're having a hard time siting these wind farms,
because of this hodgepodge of local ordinances.
If we're going to capture wind, we need to
be able to put these windmills someplace.
>> Wind energy is no problem. But when you put them
right next to people's homes, there is a problem.
>> You can't have one village, one city, one town, dictate energy
policy for the rest of the state. And we built that into the bill.
>> Senate Bill 185, relating to regulation of wind
energy system and granting rule-making authority.
>> It's a bill for being able to site windmill farms
here in the state of Wisconsin. What the bill does,
is it charges the Public Service Commission with
establishing criteria, establishing guidelines.
>> The Public Service Commission is an independent state
agency that regulates utilities. The bill that is pending
would allow the Public Service Commission to make standards
for these large wind projects in areas such as noise, setbacks,
which is how far the projects are from somebody's house.
>> This was all about taking the power away
from local government and giving it to the PSC.
>> Local control is the idea of protecting the community
and the neighbors in the area. So this bill still retains
some local control, but within the guidelines and parameters
that the Public Service Commission is going to set.
>> Sometimes, you need a third party, like the
PSC, to make some of these tough decisions.
>> I am in Madison today visiting legislators at the Capitol.
The Capitol is like being in a big video game.
I get lost there every time I go.
You can't believe that you're really supposed to be walking
all alone down these little twirly little corridors.
This is just part of wandering. So, 319 South,
I'm trying to find it. Let's see, 319 South.
Where am I?
>> Again, good morning and thank you
very much for the members' attention
to Senate Bill 185. We did have a public hearing.
A public hearing is an opportunity for members
of the public to come and have their voice be heard.
Anybody who's here who wants to testify in front of this
committee is going to have an opportunity.
>> The fact of the matter is, we have PSC approved wind farms
that are running right now, where people are having a
whole lot of trouble. It sounds so big when I tell
my friends, yes, I was up testifying at the Capitol today.
But it turns out, anybody can testify.
>> Are there any questions from the members?
>> So, I took off from work. I spent the day in Madison.
I testified in front of the Senate.
My name is Ann Wirtz. I'm married
and I have four children. My family is leaving our home.
We are leaving because we are forced to live
amongst 400-foot wind turbines.
I did want to go, but it was very hard.
I have not been able
to sleep well for most nights since the wind turbines
started turning. I spent all day down there,
testifying with hundreds of people. This needs to stop.
>> We hear people coming in.
And you know, this stuff really bothers them a lot.
>> You will not and cannot understand the devastation that these
wind turbines did to my life. Absolutely devastated my life.
>> I understand when people come in and they're distraught.
>> I would ask you, beg you, please, no more wind turbines.
>> The difficult part is that even when we see some very heartfelt,
some very real concerns, we still have to do what's in the public interest.
>> One of the things I learned is that in a hearing
like that one, there's a three-minute limit.
>> We still have about a
hundred people or so who want to testify.
>> Three minutes. So, you really have
to have your point of view down.
>> When average citizens take a day, take that
time to drive to Madison, sit in a crowded room so
that they can actually voice their opinion,
that has meaning. That has value.
>> When I saw all of the people there testifying,
I actually felt pretty good.
>> It's something powerful to be in a room full
of people from different parts of the state.
You don't know each other. And to see other people
stand up there. It's a good civic thing to do.
>> Legislators have to balance the needs of a particular industry
segment with what they consider to be the public interest.
>> There's really only one solution for
this problem, which is to establish
permitting standards that would be uniformly applied across Wisconsin.
>> We heard from people who were
very much in favor of the bill. We heard from people who were
very much opposed to the bill. A lot of concerns were raised
at the 8-hour-plus hearing about health concerns.
And I think because of that public hearing, we have a much
better bill in its final product than in its first draft.
Legislation that strikes that middle ground, that balance that
provides for the common good, but does not sacrifice
personal liberties is always going to be a balancing act.
There's 132 legislators in this building,
33 in the Senate, 99 in the Assembly.
Each of us represents a unique and individual district.
So, not everybody is going to agree.
A bill has to pass in both the Senate and the Assembly before
it gets to the governor for his signature or his veto.
>> Senate Bill 185, relating to regulation of wind
energy systems and granting rule-making authority...
>> The rules of the Senate, the rules of
the Assembly can be somewhat confusing.
(man speaking very quickly)
>> Adoption of Assembly Bill... adoption of Senate...
commerce and utilities, energy...
>> Somebody once said that making
laws is a lot like making sausage.
It's not always pretty. I think we have struck
that middle point between the folks who want it all and
the folks who want nothing. It's not an easy process.
It's not an efficient process. It is a slow process.
But it should be. We've spent an enormous
amount of time in our committee, with the
committee members working on this bill.
>> It took us a long time to get us to where we are right now.
And there's nothing wrong with that.
>> When you're making laws that impact people's lives,
it should be a slow, difficult, cumbersome process.
>> All those in favor of -- signify by saying "aye"
as your name is called. Those opposed, "no."
>> If this is the plan for the state,
it's important to get this thing right.
>> Decker, Ellis...
>> This bill represents our best chance to fix the problem.
>> Hanson, Harsdorf...
>> It's a big bill with large consequences.
>> We don't have a king that's going to make a decision.
>> Kanavas...
>> Decisions that really affect people in a very dramatic way.
>> I felt like my life was in their hands.
>> Kreitlow, Lasee...
>> Dictatorships are very efficient. Democracies are not.
>> There are 23 ayes, 9 nos, so it gives
final passage to Senate Bill 185.
>> The stuff that we do in this building impacts everybody in Wisconsin.
We change the legislation. It was good to know, we're going
to have a rational energy policy here in the state of Wisconsin.
I think it's important for people to get involved.
This is their democracy. This is their government.
>> When you get involved, what you will find
are the people who really care, who are really working hard,
and whose minds are actually changed by the information
that you give them. Letters matter. Phone calls matter.
It all makes a difference.
So I have more faith in government now, because I'm
one of the active members. We the people is real.
We the people is a real thing.
>> For more information,
visit us on the Web at: ecb.org/engage