We sat at the conference table in grand old City Hall with sunlight streaming in. As we compared backgrounds and notes about being a chief elected official, it became clear the person across the table had sisu.
You may have seen that word on a bumper sticker. It’s Finnish, and loosely translates as guts and perseverance. When things get really tough, we Finlanders remember the Winter War, when Finland was invaded by Russia, whose soldiers outnumbered Finnish soldiers 1 million to 200,000 and whose tanks outnumbered Finnish tanks 6,500 to 30.
Finland prevailed.
So when thinking of Walker’s millions of out-of-state dollars, I know the people of this great state have already shown the sisu needed to prevail in the fight we did not start and did not want.
As for who should face Walker, know there is zero evidence to support the claim “Falk cannot win up north.” Around here, Kathleen is known as a hardworking, straight-shooting budget balancer who hunts and fishes. This means she understands conservation more deeply than a political party’s talking points, and that means something to us. Her plan for developing the pulp industry will translate to good north woods jobs and that is huge.
On May 6, Kathleen will be in Rhinelander for a campaign rally. It will take place at Democratic headquarters and no congressman will be standing with her. No party honcho will be introducing her. This is something that runs deeper: The people who live and work here will stand with the woman who has proven herself to earn our trust and our votes.
The person introducing Kathleen will be Morgan, a 15-year-old whom I met at a recall rally in Tomahawk one cold February day — this is what democracy looks like.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Kathleen Falk Has Sisu!
That comes from a must read commentary from Mary Kinnunen, former mayor of Rhinelander:
Labels:
2012 Elections,
Kathleen Falk
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I like that word, "sisu".
ReplyDeleteFrom northern Minnesota, throughout northern Wisconsin, and into the U.P. ..., Finn power!
ReplyDeleteBut, ... tervetuloa immigrants?
What an inspiring endorsement! Love the comparison to the invasion of Finland by Russia, too.
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