Walker removes an artistic reminder of how governors can "support the hopes and dreams of children" touched by tragedy.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Dan Bice did a nice piece on Scott Walker's celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. The summary below is a revealing look at Walker's thought process and sociopathic tendencies that no one in the media wants to discuss.  Is it really just artwork?

Artist David Lenz has seen his work displayed prominently in the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery … But Lenz couldn't make the cut with Gov. Scott Walker and the Executive Residence. Earlier this year, the governor and first lady Tonette Walker took down Lenz's painting "Wishes in the Wind," a realistic portrait of three children - one black, one Hispanic and one white - playing with bubble wands on a Milwaukee street … The painting was completed and placed prominently above the fireplace mantel in the drawing room in November … The governor and first lady have replaced it with a century-old painting of Old Abe, a Civil War-era bald eagle from Wisconsin.

Lenz described himself as "deeply disappointed" by the decision to take down his artwork. "This seems symbolic," said Lenz, referring to Walker's proposed cuts in state funding for Milwaukee schools and city and county services ... "You would think we could all agree on the need to support the hopes and dreams of children."

A spokesman for the governor dismissed the criticism. "Not true," said Walker's press secretary Cullen Werwie … explanation for changing the mansion's interior design. To honor the 150th anniversary of the Civil War … the Walkers have decided to place artifacts and paintings from that era throughout the first floor.

… Lenz said he carefully selected the three children portrayed in "Wishes in the Wind." The African-American girl, featured in a Journal Sentinel column on homelessness, spent three months at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission with her mother. The Hispanic girl is a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. And the boy's father and brother were killed by a drunken driver in 2009. "The homeless, central city children and victims of drunk drivers normally do not have a voice in politics," Lenz explained in an email. "This painting was an opportunity for future governors to look these three children in the eye, and I hope, contemplate how their public policies might affect them and other children like them." He added: "I guess that was a conversation Governor Walker did not want to have."

Historian John Gurda said … "This is indicative of that tone-deafness," Gurda said. Long a supporter of Lenz's work, the owner of Pieper Electric Inc. (Richard) Pieper said he and his wife were also disappointed by the first family's decision … he saw nothing symbolic in Walker's decision to remove the painting, saying the suggestion was "fecal matter."

Ald. Nik Kovac said … "Once the governor decided he didn't want it, he did everything right," Kovac said of the loan to the Milwaukee library. "But the fact that he didn't want it says a lot."