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Meet Me at the Corner
A former newspaper reporter who has lived in Franklin for nearly 40 years, Marjorie is active in several Franklin and Hales Corners organizations.
Matthew Zellmer: A Personal Viewpoint from Hales Corners
By Marjorie Pagel
Tuesday, Mar 4 2008, 04:52 PM
At the end of December 2007, Matthew Zellmer, of Hales Corners, was named to the Reader Advisory Committee of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Editorial Board. Since then, his opinions on a variety of issues have appeared in the Crossroads section of the Sunday paper.When Zellmer first learned he had been accepted on the Reader Advisory Committee, he shared this happy news on his blog at www.onmilwaukee.com:
“Greetings amidst time away from work during the holidays. I received word that I’ve been accepted to the 2008 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel advisory committee, meaning as many as 12 people (including myself) will be advising the paper’s editorial board on what positions to take on news stories. We don’t have all the details of what the position entails yet, but we’ll apparently be working from a list of something called ‘advisory hits’ and getting an opportunity to pen occasional snippets of commentary that will appear on the editorial page, ideal for an aspiring journalist like me. I’m excited to be the first person with a significant disability to serve on the committee, and even more pumped that this role could lead to a community columnist job at the end of the one-year term. I’ll do my best to post goings on from our monthly meetings in this space, unless a ‘What’s Said Here Stays Here’ edict is imposed. Please feel free to email me thoughts on what’s important to you in terms of news coverage. Happy New Year.”
Early congratulations came from Independence First, where Zellmer has worked as a volunteer. “Check out his blog,” the newsletter editor advised readers. Zellmer’s blog, "The World On Wheels," was originally intended to offer “his insights and experiences being a young professional with a disability in Milwaukee.” Lately, though, it covers a whole range of topics, including primary election politics and teenage pregnancy. (See “Election Year Advice,” published Jan. 27, and “Pregnant Pause,” Feb. 24.)
Here’s an excerpt: “Don’t pay much attention to anything the national media call a ‘trend.’ Hillary Clinton went from surefire nominee to dead after one caucus nominee to dead after one caucus defeat, now she’s suddenly rejuvenated. Barack Obama was the hot guy, but his expected post-Iowa bounce hasn’t translated into more victories. Rudy Guliani was a GOP lock until almost no one actually voted for him. Nobody knows what’s going to happen, but that’s a good thing. Wisconsin’s primary might actually matter this time. It’s up to the voters to make informed decisions.”
Of course, a lot has happened since Jan. 27 in the various primaries, but Zellmer had it right – it’s not over yet.
Here’s another excerpt: “Teen pregnancy is a growing problem best solved the old-fashioned way: by teaching abstinence. Contraceptives aren't foolproof, and the magnitude of the crisis suggests they often aren't used at all. There is no compelling reason society should accept the notion that kids are going to have sex. No matter what they might think, teens aren't ready to have sex. Their loved ones and schools need to explain why.”
One of my personal favorites from this Hales Corners blogger was posted on Jan. 21, a day off from his job with the NBA in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“With the day off on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (thanks, NBA, for the respite) I got to thinking. The good Reverend once said, ‘I have a dream that one day people will be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.’ This was a man of vision, someone willing to be thrown in jail (and sadly, give his life) to see justice served and social change enacted. This was a man who emerged and is remembered today as unquestionably the most influential leader of the Civil Rights Movement. Forty years after his assassination, we of course focus on the progress he achieved toward racial equality.
"But as someone with a physical disability, I see another application of Dr. King’s vision. I believe that if he had gotten the chance, he would have been at the forefront of the disability rights movement as well. One could just as easily replace “color of their skin” with ‘functioning of their limbs’ or ‘effectiveness of their eyes and ears.’ From my observation, MLK had such a desire to implement positive, revolutionary reforms that there’s no reason to believe he would have stopped fighting after conquering the barriers of segregation. And since his methods of choice were nonviolence, oratory and civil disobedience, there’s no reason to believe his message wouldn’t have resonated with the masses in any era. But unfortunately he left us too soon, leaving everyone to wonder how much more he could have achieved.
“That’s not to say people with disabilities can’t use him an example of how to advocate. We do need to be careful not to distort his message by excessively whining, complaining, or becoming overly reliant on the government in an attempt to advance ourselves. I don’t believe he’d want that anymore than he’d want kids to skip school in order to attend ceremonies honoring him. (You may scoff, but I witnessed this happen.) What I believe MLK would want is for people with disabilities to battle for change using faith, intellect and determination, just as he did. Can’t you picture him sitting on the steps of a government building in the 1980s, refusing to go in as a peaceful protest of the lack of a wheelchair ramp? I sure can.
“So as we commemorate this solemn occasion today, let’s thank him for helping open the door to opportunity for so many previously oppressed minorities. Let us also remember that we need to try to walk (or push) through the door ourselves, rather than wait for someone to help us.”
Zellmer’s online I.D. is “mz80” and on his blog he describes himself briefly: “I graduated in 2003 from UW-Whitewater with a Bachelor's degree in journalism and then in 2006 earned a Master's in communication from Whitewater. I'm an aspiring sportscaster but just landed a job as a sales associate with the Bucks, so now you know whom to call for season tickets.”
I hope this brief introduction to Matthew Zellmer, aspiring sportscaster, will have you watch for his next published opinion at www.jsonline.com/blog/index.aspx?id=107 and on the onmilwaukee website listed above.
You can reach him at mz80@yahoo.com.
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