Theater owner says he’s unfairly caught in the middle of political spat
By Jennifer Eisenbart
Staff writer
Want to rent the Plaza Theater in Burlington?
That’s fine, regardless of your political leanings, as long as you agree to pay the rental fee.
Plaza Theater owner Shad Branen said Monday that “any group is welcome to rent it any day,” and he has no desire to show support for any particular group.
His decision to rent the theater to the Burlington Progressives for a Wednesday showing of “The Koch Brothers – Exposed” drew the ire of local conservatives, as the WeVote Burlington group began drawing up plans to protest the showing.
On the group’s Facebook page – a private page that is available only by asking to be allowed to join – some members called for a boycott of the local theater.
“Seems a well-publicized boycott is in order,” wrote one person on the site. “This theater cannot survive if it chooses sides. There just aren’t enough liberals in this area.”
Another person posted two comments. The first: “It looks like Plaza owners are in the tank with progressives.” Then later, “I don’t believe in boycotts, but I do believe in phone calls to the owners and to the local paper. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t there a connection between the two? Does the name Brannen (sp?) sound familiar? Who owns what? I try to support local business, but the hair on my back stands up when they ‘cross the line’ and use their business to promote political agendas. Nothing wrong with a walk there to make a statement! Wednesday sounds like a good time.”
WeVote page moderator Bonnie Ketterhagen later wrote, “Last Dec., we protested their ‘Occupy the Plaza’ night (against Walker – with petitions). We had plants in the movie, theater and halls. We even recorded them. I recorded talking with Branen. He says it costs $200 to rent it. It is business. While protesting, we counted 25 entering the movie. Some did turn away because of us … My question remains … who is with me?”
Branen, who’s family sold the Standard Press more than a decade ago and has no affiliation with the newspaper, said Monday that the theater is not reflecting anyone’s political views.
“No, definitely not,” Branen said. “I try not to allow my feelings to enter into any business decision.
“They are expressing their political beliefs,” Branen added. “I don’t have any issues (with either side).”
Branen pointed out that the theater has played host to a number of events over the past several months. He also said the “Occupy the Plaza” event brought some protesters in to ask questions, which he answered – and had hoped had clarified any accusations of partisanship.
“If it looks like we’re taking a stance … that’s certainly not the case,” he said. “We’re renting the facility.”
He added that he would like to see both sides of any argument respect each other.
“I would hope anybody would respect the other side from their beliefs,” Branen said. “That’s what this country is about, the last time I checked.”
Ketterhagen said Tuesday that something had been planned, but whether or not she’d have enough people, she wasn’t sure.
“I have the right to stand on a sidewalk,” she said.
Jordan Debbink later emailed the Standard Press with his comments, apparently cut and pasted from the Facebook page. Debbink commented against the boycott, but also made a political stance.
“Let’s take a breath,” Debbink said in his first post. “I also talked to the owner the Night of our first Counter Protest of these Occupied the Plaza people. The owner is just trying to stay in business, and one way he can do that is by renting rooms. He told me that he would charge the same amount to a conservative group, he isn’t taking sides, he is trying to run a business. We were not there that night to protest the plaza but to protest the occupiers and the progressives. Lets make sure we have the message straight.
He later added: “the point of these rallies is not to sway the liberals, it is to clean up our backyard, to show that we are not afraid to stand out in the open and say “Hey enough is enough, we won’t let you rule this city.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: In an attempt to better reflect the evolving opinions surrounding this issue since Tuesday’s original deadline, this story was updated late Thursday afternoon to include the full text of some of the comments quoted and to provide additional comments that appeared on the WeVote Facebook page after the story had gone to press.
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Unless you can proof the Plaza has denied they same to a conservative group (which I am), I say let it slide. Come on people time to move on. Focus on June 5, make sure Walker stays and all of this goes away in 3-4 months, will take that long for left to calm down about it being rigged.
Tax the rich! 100% Estate Tax. Take away the Branen inheritance! Tax business! Take away all evil profit! Occupy!
What are the conservatives afraid of, that the public may get educated on the practices of their party, Scott Walker in particular? Shad is a good guy and just trying to create a successful business and keep the ecomony growing in Burlington. The GOP should enjoy that concept and let people have the freedom to gain knowledge anyway they see fit. Shame… Shame on their scare tactics to boycott one of their own and a great family in Burlington.
Yep the guy has a right to rent out his theater and to whoever he wants.
I’m assuming the movie was how the Koch brothers are big philanthropists and dedicate many millions to cancer research.
Probably not, typical progressive B.S.
but like I said they paid to rent it let them show the slanted nonsense.
Well said.
Not enough progressives in the area? Last night we packed the theater with 180 progressives! In 2008 President Obama WON one of two city wards and narrowly lost the other. there’s more of us than you think.
The Occupy the Plaza event had NOTHING to do with Scott Walker, it was a documentary called Hot Coffee, about the lies surrounding the McDonalds coffee case in particular and the nation-wide scam of tort reform generally and how it’s being used to take away the Constitutional right of citizens to seek redress for grievances in court in front of a jury of their peers.
And WeVoteBurlington didn’t have “plants” in the audience, we invited you in! That event, like the one last night were free and open to the public. And yes the cost for the big theater is $200. you didn’t need to record that like it’s some big secret, you could have simply asked Shad Branen.
One woman who described herself as a Tea Partier talked with some of us after the Hot Coffee movie said she was gratified that it wasn’t about Scottwalker whom she supports and that she thought the film was well done and very informative on a subject she had not been very familiar with.
You can protest all you want it’s your right. I would note though that we have not taken any action with regard to to WeVote events, nor do we plan to. We actually probably have more in common than you think. for example, Republican senatorial candidate Eric Hovde’s campaign ad drawing lines between greed on Wall St. and a corrupt system in Washington DC is SPOT ON.
As for Boycottes, the last thing Burlington needs is to damage is local small businesses, which I support personally. Even the ones run by presumably “freedom loving” conservatives who routinely tear down our posters and only our posters.
The Coutner Protest that night had nothing to do with Walker either. It had everything to do with Progressives spreading what we as conservatives beleif are lies, and misinforming the public.
Did you see the movie? Have you seen the movie? How do you know something is a lie until you have a chance to evaluate it for yourself? You can’t live in an echo chamber where all you hear is your own beliefs being shouted back at you and have any kind of deeper understanding about the world. Money in politics, the way that Citizens United allows money to be spent is big trouble, and the sooner we can stop this asinine spatting and join together to see and understand the problem the sooner we can get to work fixing it, together.
Funny thing is that Ms. Bonnie Ketterhagen should be favoring free markets, freedom in how to run private businesses in general but when a local business owner figures out how to increase profits she is threatening the owner for — basically making a very wise business decision. What is it, Ms. Ketterhagen, do you favor small business owners increasing their profit margins or only if they are following strict REGULATIONS that YOU WANT TO IMPOSE?
BAP brought in over 175 people into that theater and almost all of us purchased items at the snack bar which put money into a local Burlington business. Did you know that many of us shop at other local businesses? Do you want us to stop shopping at Sentry too? That’s where we buy many of the food items we provide at other events as well as our own groceries. How about the local pizza places we spend money at? The local hardware store? 1,347 people in the City of Burlington voted for Barrett last year……do you think local businesses really want to lose 37% of the voting public in YOUR personal vendetta against businesses that sell us goods and services in your personal vendetta against them? Which businesses can survive a 37% loss of consumers? Please, do tell! I await your response so we can spread the word of where we are unwanted. And, this isn’t a boycott threat, this would be simply complying with business owners wishes.
The inapropriateness of this article lines in the fact that it is printed with the mis-informed understanding that the Burlington Counter Protest and WeVote Burlington is anti-Business. These were the views of individuals that are involved in our org. The purpose of the Coutner Protest is to clean up our backyard a(as is in our Mission Statement) and to show that we are willing to fight back against the political agenda of teh left. Lets make sure we have the story staight before we spread lies. Its not attractive to be mis-informed.
computer errors( Lies, the, straight) thanks
“Clean up our backyard (as in our MIssion Statement)” ? Wow. These are your neighbors and fellow citizens — must you conduct a cleansing because someone disagrees with you? Are you aware of what that sounds like? People are entitled to disagree with you.
excellent Jordan!
It sure easy to distort and lie when the press is on your side. I personally, and so do the voters, disagree with your agenda as they put Bonnie’s husband on the school board. That is why you are all so offended, defensive and in full repair mode to get back your control all over a little protest. Marxism and Anarchy do not work, now educate your selves.
I remember several events around the world where the term “cleansing” was used to kill people. Replace the term “ethnic” with “ideology”, and you’re there.
The article did not state that WeVote was anti-business – local or otherwise. It quoted certain members as saying as much.
Oh the tangled web we weave when we practice to deceive.
No boycott, just using our first Amendment rights, Freedom Of speech. Just a miss quote from The press.
Because of teaparty whining and crying about the progressives renting the a theater room, I will now continue to SUPPORT the Plaza movie theater more then ever! Mr. Branen runs a fantastic business in Burlington. Because of what I see around Racine county, tearing down posters, yard signs, ripping off bumper stickers on cars because that individual supports the Democrats. It’s just how low the teaparty will go to get their point across. NO Bonnie I will NEVER be with you! SUPPORT THE PLAZA MOVIE THEATER!
I seem to recall the wevote crowd standing on corners in support of their causes but I’ve yet to see anyone or any group protest them when they do their thing. Also, the movie last night was open and free to anyone. There was no requirement to be from one side or the other as the film was about money in politics and that is one area both sides, I think, can agree on. Afterall, isn’t the whole reason Washington and government in general is broken is because of money?
Last year, when the unions were talking about boycotts, the conservatives threw a fit about “taking away jobs”. Unions backed down, especially in Union Grove where one union representative went way over the line.
Now, when the conservatives talk about boycotting a family owned small business that offers to rent to them too, isn’t that the height of hypocrisy?
Bring in some conservative movies, I’m sure the theater will be available – heck, I might even come to find out what the other side is saying.
You should know the truth before you speak. Is that what it was in Union Grove? just one guy going over the line. I think not if Dawn hadn’t defended herself who knows were it may have gone. Last night was not a boycott it was a protest in the most civil way. Stop spreading lies and dividing our community.Even the writer stated it was not an anti business platform local or otherwise.
What is all this talk of “plants” like the Burlington Area Progressives are under some kind of super secret surveillance? I imagine you, whoever you are, are welcome at their events just like everyone else. This smacks of some serious paranoia on someone’s part if you can’t stand to have open discourse about political issues in your town. After all, there are people living in the Burlington area who aren’t part of the conservative side of things. They have the same right to meet, discuss ideas and policies, and hold events as everyone else in town. Last time I checked this is still the United States of America and those freedom of assembly rights still hold. Punishing a theater owner for renting space to someone that disagrees with you is right in line with the kind of things that happen in fascist societies. Has it really come to that, people?
Are we talking about the same Burlington Area Progressives that held a large fundraiser for the Iraq and Afghanistan vets? Oh those horrible freedom hating liberals? Or are we talking about the same liberals that paid for and hosted a candidate forum that was applauded by everyone in attendance as fair and balanced? Damned liberals. Also Jordan, If you opened your mind for a moment and attended eother one of the movies you would have found it isn’t as much about right or left but right and wrong. We have more issues in common than you care to admit. Instead of taking the “we must fight them at every turn” attitude maybe you should focus your efforts on something more constructive. I’m willing to bet there would be a lot in both of these movies that you would agree is outlandish and doesn’t belong in our country. But you’ll. never know because you won’t allow yourself the opportunity to see through the fog of your little partisan war.
I’m not always right, the information that I get may not always be 100% correct, although I’m careful in that regard. But I don’t make a practice of lying. If you’re going to challenge my facts and interpretation, fine. If you’re going to call me a liar you should be very specific and back it up with documented facts and reasoned argument.
Protest your socks off, all four of ya. But it’s not YOUR backyard and we will not be “cleaned up”, cleansed, purged or whatever you want to call what you think you’re doing.
Had you BEEN THERE (and nobody was denied entrance), you would have seen a documentary about the Koch Brothers. It wasn’t even an attack on conservatives. It was about 2 very wealthy, powerful brothers (and their father, to be honest). Are they “conservative”? Sure. Do any 2 people represent any cause, liberal, conservative or otherwise? Of course not. I’m fascinated by this “I don’t know what they did in there, BUT I DON’T LIKE IT” attitude.
Ms. Bonnie Ketterhagen is the page moderator. It is up to her to clarify what your group stands for. If you are the public spokesperson then you should make that clear to everyone. If you are not then who is? Protesting in front of any business hurts that business but still there you were in December in the lobby being quite brash and hoping to intimidate people with your little phone camera recording people’s faces. I found that to be inappropriate and rather thuggish behavior, personally. Standing on public land and making a point is one thing, targeting a business is quite another.
Oops, I was addressing Jordan Debbink, should anyone not know.
So all 4 of the protesters are going to boycott? That should scare the business owners
(sarcasm alert).
Just to clarify again, Like Jennifer did: WeVote has never promoted boycotting local business. We protest the ideas and the movements of Progressives and liberals. We are for fiscal sanity in our local, state and federal levels of government. Anyone who says anything different about WeVote is ill-informed and therefore telling an outright lie. thanks
Great, now we have actual human beings upset because Koch Bros are being exposed to their BS???? Wow people really love an evil empire. You are all going to burn in the end!! SCOTT WALKER (KOCH’S EVIL PUPPET) BE GONE!
To be clear, being ill-informed and telling an outright lie (a term you WeVoBees seem to like to throw around a lot) are two different things. Being ill-informed leads to mistakes. To lie requires the intent to deceive your audience.
WeVote didn’t “officially” plan a boycott, fair enough. What does seem clear though is that your group intended to do something beyond merely protesting to disrupt our event as indicated by your fearless leader in this excerpt from the Standard Press article:
“Ketterhagen said Tuesday that something had been planned, but whether or not she’d have enough people, she wasn’t sure.”
Well as we saw Wednesday, you don’t need a certain amount of people to protest, you can do it with 4. On the other hand, the required people for one of the 60 seat Plaza theaters, or perhaps 200 seats as we had, is another matter entirely. If you want to pack a theater at the plaza with WeVoBees you should pay for it yourselves.
As for “prfotesting the ideas and movements of Progressives and liberals”, since you haven’t sen the movie you really don’t know what you’re protesting, do you? Protesting an event simply because of who is involved without knowing anything about the issue at hand? Sounds pretty darned ill-informed.
And if you think that having global corporations not only write laws, but get to vote on them equally, in secret with people who are supposed to be YOUR Representatives and then have those laws imposed on you at the state level, if you think that’s freedom, if you think that’s how a rePUBLIC is supposed to function, then Americans For Plutocracy has got you right where they want you.
People governed in the secret interests of others do not have informed consent, do not have self determination, in short, they do not have liberty.
Fiscal sanity good. Koch brothers = fiscal insanity = purchasing politicians = undemocratic = legalized corruption.
I understand you want to boycott places that do business with “liberals”. I’m happy to help you out. At various times, I’ve shopped at Pick N Save, Sentry, Aldis, Wal-Mar, and Gooseberries. So buying groceries may be tough–you may want to get a farm. Be careful, though, because I also shop regularly at Farm and Tractor Supply. Eat out? I can’t recall a restaurant I haven’t eaten at at least once, but there may be some. There’s probably nowhere I haven’t bought gas, and since my taxes ALSO pay for the streets, you won’t be able to drive on them. And you think I’ve made things tough for you? I’ve just talked about ME. You factor in the other libbies in town and their spending habits, and I think your boycott will be pretty hard. I want to let you know in advance that I admire your effort.
I would consider these people on the far right that is why you have 4 people. I think most people that lean to the right probably don’t agree with protesting a local business for renting out space. Also conservatives are not usually the ones protesting or holding demonstrations they leave that to the liberals.
That’s odd, I seem to recall a lot of townhall meetings disrupted by angry conservatives a couple years ago and plenty of Tea Party rallies and protests since President Obama got elected, with lots of nonsense about socialism, marxism, birth certificates and government take overs. I think who protests varies with time, place and the issues at hand.
I do agree that the Tea Party is definitely a reactionary extremist fringe group. And WeVote Burlington is defintely a Tea Party group. I know because I attended their legislative night back in December which was coordinated with the Grandsons of Liberty, a Tea Party group. I also researched their legislative agenda which included extreme bills sponsored by Tea Party Groups from across Wisconsin, written by the feudalistic American Legislative Exchange Council (fALEC) and handed down to them by Americans for Plutocracy.
How lucky we are to have a family owned theater in this small town. They deserve our continued patronage and thanks for renting to a legitimate group wanting to show an informative documentary movie. How lucky we are to have freedom of speech…and freedom of thought. Ideologies that shut out critical thinking are critically flawed. Thank you Mr. Branen for all you do for our community. For all citizens, fair-mindedness and integrity is a valuable asset.
You got to love it. Liberals protest wars, money in Washington, corruption, Wall Street and the elite 1% that are exploiting the working class. Conservatives protest Health Care, birth certificates and liberals.
Just shows who’s on the ball and who has their heads so far up their back sides that they can’t tell what is even in their own best interest.
Shad Branen said it right: I would hope anybody would respect the other side from their beliefs,” Branen said. “That’s what this country is about, the last time I checked.” And good for him!