Who knew three years ago that my blog Public Enemies would have double meaning. BTW - I have blogged the last few days so if you are just looking you have missed a lot this weekend.
A few interesting tidbits about today's protest.
The big Tea Party counter rally was a tremendous bust as only 2000 (if that) showed up compared to 68,000 union, private and public workers were on hand.
The event was very peaceful, or as peaceful as 68,000 people can be.
From the Madison Police Department
On behalf of all the law enforcement agencies that helped keep the peace on the Capitol Square Saturday, a very sincere thank you to all of those who showed up to exercise their First Amendment rights. You conducted yourselves with great decorum and civility, and if the eyes of the nation were upon Wisconsin, then you have shown how democracy can flourish even amongst those who passionately disagree. As of 5:00 p.m., no major incidents had been reported. There have been no arrests. However, discourse and discussion was - at times - loud and heated. That was to be expected. As previously indicated, the goal of law enforcement has been to provide a safe environment for democracy to take place. That goal has been realized for yet another day.
Ians Pizza located on State Street stopped making pizza for personal orders as orders from 35 States and 5 Countries including Egypt, Korea, and Canada... were being phoned in. People were ordering pizza and just saying, "please deliver the pizza to the protesters and say Thank You!
I saw pizza being handed out!
Speaking of Egypt - this was spotted in the 1 week celebration of Egypt's freedom from oppression!
The rally in Wisconsin was seen on Russian Television! Can you believe that? The world is watching Madison!
So you think you are energized?
I was at the rally today with my buddy Elweed. As you know he has a social anxiety disorder, he is the king of apathy and has never voted, EVER, he is very anti social he did not even do income taxes until a few years ago (he got caught up).
He called me Friday night and was excited as he works as a night janitor near the square. He asked if I had been following what was happening (he does not read the blog). I said yes, very much and he asked questions and was extremely interested.
We went to the rally and once we got back to his place and cracked open a beer he said. "I have never been this energized, I can not WAIT to vote! I'm going to register and I am actually going to vote".
I was "talking" to a teacher who was opposed to having school out and thought it was a crime. "The students are not learning if they are not in school".
I said - to be perfectly honest MOST students will grow up and be your average wage earner and have a family and live a happy life. HOWEVER - maybe one of the students will see what is happening, see the excitement of the adults, perhaps seeing a side of their parents they have never seen before. Parents who are voicing their opinion and MAYBE, it will create spark of energy in that kid that was not there before.
MAYBE that spark will grow and grow and the student will grow and become an extraordinary person. All it takes is a spark, look at what happened to Elweed. This is an opportunity that comes along once in a lifetime, this is a very very special moment in history.
I understand how a teacher can be conflicted, but this is such an outstanding real world learning experience. Having a child out of school for a few weeks out of 17 YEARS is not going to cause that much harm.
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I have a coworker who I'm sure we drive CRAZY because she has voted straight Republican all her life except once. She told me Thursday that she did not vote for Walker and she is SO angry at this whole mess that she will never vote Republican again!
WOW!
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This photo seems to be striking a chord on a few major Facebook pages. I took it a few minutes after losing Elweed in the crowd - never did find him again. Met up at the car about an hour later. it was THAT crowded!
Spotted Bob Woodriff from ABC - remember he was the one that was critically injured by road side bomb in Iraq.
It was pretty packed on the square - didn't even attempt to get inside the capitol!
This YouTube video comes from New York City. The held a rally for us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut2RAznnpXM
Just to add a little humor - this is pretty good!
Scott walker, played by Hitler
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqnOeatbDWs
People are telling protesters to bring shovels tomorrow - gonna be nasty. Heavy snow, then melting and freezing rain and then snow again!
Monday big rally with Rage Against the Machine and another band. Forced furlough day for State Workers and Fed Holiday.
I'll mention the Koch Brothers who are behind all of this BS in an upcoming blog. From Forbes Friday.
The Americans for Prosperity group, a Tea Party group that is a Koch Brothers front, has put up a website and petition called www.standwithwalker.com. The website attacks all collective bargaining – not just for public employees’ unions. Americans for Prosperity is also organizing a rally tomorrow in Wisconsin to support Gov. Walker.
Hmmmm - THUD
You know, "at the moment" we are winning the battles! "We" have put off the Senate vote until who knows, the Assembly vote that was basically a rubber stamp no brainer is on hold at least until Tuesday, Walker is DEFENDING himself and his words are now looking more and more ridicules and people are noticing. The World is watching.
Walker does NOT want to be where is is right now! This Cheesehead Right Wing Puppet Pharaoh is being attacked and all he has is FOX. His counter rally was a complete joke.
I saw one sign "I voted for Walker, and he spit on me".
Cheers!
Rod
All I can say right now is that I love Gordon Hintz!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI will write it again, shame, shame, shame on those teachers who have put themselves BEFORE the needs of their students. What about the special needs students who it is IMPERATIVE that they be in school getting the therapies they need. What is the answer to them? How would it be if every job profession pulled this crap? You are on a plane waiting to go on vacation and all the pilots walk out, no vacation!! You are on the operating room table and all the doctors say they have had it and are walking away from their jobs! Hey, why not everyone in the US say we are no longer going to work, we will all sit home on our behinds because we feel we are not being treated right. Lets all just sit around and suck our thumb and whine about how unhappy we are and let the country go to hell in a handbasket!!
ReplyDeleteHow would it be if every job profession pulled this crap.
ReplyDeleteI would not be surprised if that actually happens! I heard a lot of talk of that yesterday!
Let's all not ever go to work again, lets follow the lead of Wisconsin teachers!!!! Maybe tomorrow or even the rest of the week I will just stay home, maybe I won't even bother calling in. The hell with the kids who cares if they are educated. Let the rest of the world pass us by when it comes to educating children. Oh, and I thought we weren't supposed to compare public figures to Hitler? Oh, only Democrats can do that!!!! So I guess it is alright to do that!!
ReplyDeleteSo yo are all right with trimester year, a $10 per hour pay cut and teaching on Saturdays (along with receiving no vacation pay or sick pay).
ReplyDeleteSweet - and those special needs kids might not actually be able to go to school as all funds for that will be dropped! That is won of the things that might be dropped in education.
There is no teacher in my state who gets paid vacations, never have. $10 an hour pay cut, that has already happened to us and we DID NOT walk out. I find it amazing that Gov. Walker campaigned on doing exactly what he is doing now, and was voted into office. Why didn't the Democrat candidate get in? I don't believe for a minute that Gov. Walker is proposing that he is eliminating spec. education in schools. It would be against the law. No, this walking out is purely selfish, I work in spec. ed and I could NEVER not be their for my students. I don't care what they take away from me!! When you enter a profession such as teaching, nursing, becoming a doctor, you put student and patient before yourself.
ReplyDeletesuggest that you not read the blog until this is over (4 weeks) because you will only be upset - what I'm printing is not my view but truth!
ReplyDeleteThe Bill!
SECTION 32. 16.765 (2) Except with respect to sexual orientation, the contractor further agrees to take affirmative action to ensure equal employment opportunities."
So you agree with Walker that it is OK to not allow gays and lesdbians equale oppertunites in employment?
Is that what you are teaching your children? Is that why you like Walker?
People FOR walker have not read the Bill.
Callie - don't be a stranger but I'm pretty energized on this and I feel I'm just going to make you angry - stop watching FOX and watch ANY other news service!
If people hate Walker so much and don't like what he is doing, why was he voted in? From what I have read he is doing exactly what he said he was going to do during his campaign. The people of Wisconsin must have agreed with him. Just like they agreed with Gov. Christie of NJ and Gov. Andrew Cuomo of NY who is going to do even worse!
ReplyDeleteYou will see that many people are surprised that he is NOT doing what they voted him to do. He never ever mentioned Union Busting.
ReplyDeleteNotice that many groups are coming out publicaly and saying they regret backing him - The State Troopers have said they regret it.
He only won by a small amount.
Obviously people who still like him (growning less every day) believe there is no room in our world for give and take - only take.
What really makes me laugh is when commentators say the Republican Party is trying to bust the Unions. They seem to forget that Gov. Cuomo is a Democrat and he is doing the same thing in NY.
ReplyDeleteFrom Randi - I am also from NY Rod, and Governor Cuomo is definitely not doing the same thing. What Cuomo is saying is we have to cut some budgets to balance the state budget - he has never said a word about going after unions or their right to collective bargaining. Whoever you are speaking to is seriously misinformed. If Cuomo was trying to do what Scott Walker is trying to do, his approval rating wouldn't be near 80% right now.
ReplyDeleteFrom Jessica - I live in NY too, and if Cuomo tried to pull what Walker is, there would be a MUCH bigger uproar than you are seeing in Wisconsin.