When even the most privileged and pampered members of our society - CEOs of major corporations - can be vilified for criticizing the policies of our government, a new era of American fascism has officially begun.

There are plenty of legitimate reasons to find fault with the behavior of corporate CEOs these days. Looting their own companies and raping and pillaging their workers spring to mind.

But a corporate executive who takes a principled stand against war and repression is a community leader to be admired, not condemned.

Richard Abdoo, chairman and CEO of Wisconsin Energy Corp., found himself doing something no American citizen should ever have to do: defending himself and ultimately apologizing for expressing a political opinion.

Abdoo sent a personal contribution of $250 to an organization called Not in Our Name after it published "A Statement of Conscience" opposing unlimited, pre-emptive warfare by the United States around the world and the repression of dissent and suspension of legal rights at home.

As a result, Abdoo's name appeared on a Web site with the names of 30,000 other Americans, many of them prominent writers, artists and human rights activists, who signed the statement of conscience. That generated a carefully orchestrated campaign of McCarthyism that would have made the late, disreputable Wisconsin senator proud.

First, right-wing Milwaukee talk show host Charlie Sykes blasted Abdoo on the air for supporting an "extreme and intemperate attack on the war on terror." If it had ended there, it would simply have been standard right-wing radio nonsense - an extreme and intemperate attack on someone who dared to hold an opinion that Sykes did not.

But the next day, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the state's largest newspaper, which also happens to own the radio station on which Sykes appears, published a front-page story reiterating Sykes' criticism and requiring Abdoo to "defend" his personal political contribution.

The day after that, the newspaper itself joined the lynch mob. An editorial declared: "The question is whether Abdoo, given his position and responsibilities, should have financially supported a manifesto that is so unbalanced in its condemnation of U.S. foreign policy, the Bush administration's war on terrorism at home and abroad and congressional support for those policies. The answer, in our view, is no."

Legitimate journalists at the newspaper who understand the function of free speech in America have to be embarrassed.

Ironically, the newspaper itself has raised questions about many of the excesses of both the Bush administration's pre-emptive war policies and its violations of civil liberties and due process at home. However, it has done so in the cautious, wishy-washy tone of an intentionally bland editorial page.

To suggest that citizen criticism of government policies is no longer legitimate when it dares to go beyond the rhetorical mush of wimps is to completely misunderstand the purpose of robust free speech. In a time of repression, controversial opinions are just about the only ones worth having.

The other dangerous, un-American idea behind this attack on political expression was the suggestion that Abdoo should have less freedom because of "his position and responsibilities" as a corporate and community leader. Just last month, Abdoo took over as chairman of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce.

But business and community leaders have never been criticized in Milwaukee for expressing extremely conservative political positions. They publicly advocate for more tax cuts for their wealthy selves and for the diversion of tax money from public schools where most poor children are educated to private schools which their own children are educated.

Abdoo had no selfish motive for opposing war and supporting civil liberties unless you count the benefits we all derive from living in a peaceful and just world. In that sense, Abdoo was demonstrating much more positive community leadership than the self-centered agenda of many other corporate executives.

It is business and community leadership in the tradition of Bill Gates and Ted Turner, corporate executives who have put their names and their wealth behind idealistic efforts to conquer AIDS or fight world poverty.

Somebody has to have really big ideas at a time when the ideas of politicians seem to be getting smaller - cut taxes again for your wealthiest supporters or start your own personal war to avenge your father.

After the concerted media attack on him, Abdoo issued a public apology to his employees for his small contribution to "a group that advocates peace and opposes repression." He said: "I deeply regret any misunderstanding, anger and adverse publicity that have resulted."

Something is terribly wrong in this country when someone has to apologize for supporting a group that advocates peace and opposes repression.

The ones who should apologize are those forces of repression who intentionally spread misunderstanding, anger and adverse publicity about someone for exercising political freedom in a democracy.

Joel McNally is a Milwaukee writer.

Copyright 2002 The Capital Times

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