NOT UP IN HERE!!!
Today, I have a new found respect for our leaders in the Wisconsin State Senate. Win, lose, or draw, I can honestly say that they have absolutely done everything they could possibly do to this go around to protect the rights of Wisconsin’s working class. I, personally have accumulated over 24 hours inside these doors of the State Capitol building, and every minute feels like the first all over again. The energy is relentless and at the same time contagious. Signage, percussion, and chants, fill and have filled the halls of each wing of the State Capitol building since Tuesday. Solidairty is the the theme of Unions, but it has become every citizen’s theme in this building.
Not a union memeber… not a problem, people from all walks of life have gathered to support the plight of Wisconsin public employees, the people who have become they prey of the Scott Walker administration and both Houses of the Republican controlled State Legislature.
Of the most bold acts of solidarity, the Firefighters Union, who had been left out of Scott Walker’s budget restrictions on Collective Bargaining for Public employees stepped in to support worker’s rights. It would have been all too simple to not involve themselves in the issue, but they recognized the struggle of their union brothers and sisters and were celebrated as the heroes they are upon entering the State Capitol, because of it.
People have literally resided in this building, and WILL NOT leave until something is done to rectify the will of Scott Walkers impending dictatorship of our State. The cooperation of law enforcement officials has been inspiring; there is no race, age, or gender in this building, we are all a union of Wisconsin residents who will not be walked on(Pun intended). We are standing up to a bully, this is our Tahir Square, but we will surely not allow this regime to reign in terror for 30 years. It has not even been 60 days, but Wisconsin has clearly stated that enough is enough and a recall inevitably looms over Governor Scott Walker’s administration.
In a sea of events taking place over the past few days, perhaps the most compelling took place today, when Senate Democrats who have all chosen to listen to the people decided to flee. This an act that I’d like to deem, brave abandonment. Senate democrats did not have the power in votes to block the Walker budget, but DID have the power to prevent a vote from taking place. With a majority of 19 Republicans in the Senate, they did not make quorum to take a vote, so Senate Dems decided to skip town, and that they did. Wisconsin State Patrol was called in to lead the search, but the last known location of the Senators was Rockford, IL… OUT of jurisdiction.
This story, all deserving, has finally gained National Attention (mainly MSNBC), as well as champions of organized labor coming in from all across the Nation in support of Wisconsin’s Public workers. Out of town, my home can be a joke, but I am damn proud to be from Wisconsin. To Scott Walker and anyone who chooses to infringe upon the rights of our good people, we say, NOT UP IN HERE!
