Comments on: American Heroism is Alive

By: Samantha@IW

Samantha@IW — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:21:00 +0000

That sounds like a bad day. Milwaukee should be very proud of him. I’m sure the grandmother was relieved to see someone coming to intervene. The chief of police’s “local knuckle head” comment was quite amusing. . . . . I hope this guy was ashamed of himself once he sobered up but somehow I doubt it.

By: Ann@IW

Ann@IW — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:45:42 +0000

Wow! What a guy…very impressive. Adding my wishes for a speedy recovery. He’s an excellent mayor.

By: Lily@IW

Lily@IW — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:29:05 +0000

Wow, he was really brave. It could have been the end of him. Who knows what would have happened to the grandmother had the mayor not intervened?

Good for him and wishing him a speedy recovery.

By: Pam@IW

Pam@IW — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:44:36 +0000

I was wondering what injuries the Mayor sustained and I found this:

Earlier Monday, Barrett's brother, John, said the mayor was hit so hard in the face that the blow knocked out a bottom tooth and some top teeth.

Barrett's hand was shattered and repaired in a three-hour surgery. A doctor placed stitches in the mayor's head, and he had plastic surgery to repair another cut that extended from his cheek to his nose.

John Barrett said the assailant threatened to use a gun during the altercation Saturday night and then punched the 55-year-old mayor so hard in the stomach that he buckled.

The man then told Barrett to lie face down on the ground.

"This is when Tom thinks 'Yikes, this guy could kill me,'???" John Barrett said.

At that point the mayor came up swinging and the assailant, Anthony J. Peters, opened up an extendable, police-style baton and started beating him, John Barrett said. I just could not even imagine going through this. I hope he has a speedy recovery.

By: Anya@IW

Anya@IW — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:50:12 +0000

Well people from Wisconsin are good people (with the exception of Anthony J. Peters!).

Seriously, this is a refreshing story. The citizens of Milwaukee should be proud. Barrett acted without regard for his own safety and potentially kept a bad situation from getting worse.

Thanks for the feel good story.

By: Jennie@IW

Jennie@IW — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:45:35 +0000

A disturbing story, but a timely reminder that politicians are people too, with positive and negative attributes. I applaud the mayor’s selflessness and courage.