on the road to Janesville

 

I’ve reached another personal milestone: my first protest outside of Madison. In the company of about 25 others plus a huge bouquet of heart balloons, I set out on a road trip from Madison to Janesville for a “Soup Kitchen and Speak-Out!” held outside Republican Congressman Paul Ryan’s office. On September 1, National Nurses United led 61 similar events in 21 states. All around the country, the message was the same: Tax Wall Street.

I joined the citizens in Janesville because even though Ryan does not represent my district, the proposals he advocates will affect all of us. The nurses, along with supporters like me, asked Senators and Congress members in their local district offices to pledge to "support a Wall Street transaction tax that will raise sufficient revenue to make Wall Street pay for the devastation it has caused on Main Street." Of course Paul Ryan, like many other legislators, refused to meet with his constituents or hold town hall meetings this summer.

Since their Congressman would not show up on Main Street, the nurses used a stand-in. My photos show the faux Ryan in his overalls (“I’m just plain Wisconsin folks”) as he answers some very pointed questions from the crowd. At one point he hustled off and apparently changed into his tux, because we spotted him later sipping wine.

This outside-of-Madison protest had the same hallmark as the ones I’ve seen in my hometown: smart, passionate people who are really upset but have creative fun while communicating a serious message. Just as they do on Madison’s Capitol Square, the drivers in Janesville’s many passing cars honked “this is what democracy looks like” or gave us a big smile and a thumbs up.

For video of some of the 400 job protests held across America in August http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/09/02/1012889/-Members-of-Congress-face-over-400-jobs-protests-in-August If you have not yet let your representative know your opinion on Wall Street and Main Street, speak up soon-and loudly.

The gift of solidarity

 

Last week was eye-opening. I attended The 1st National Democracy Convention held here in Madison. With about a thousand others from all over America, I listened to inspiring keynote speakers like Tom Hayden, Cheri Honkala,  Margaret Flowers, and a favorite of mine, John Nichols.

I learned that the world really has been watching us. And, during the many sessions on grassroots organizing and non-violent resistance, I realized we experienced something quite remarkable in Madison this winter. The hundreds of thousands of protesters who spontaneously gathered and occupied the Capitol for many weeks were almost all “beginners”. We had no training or organization yet we were always peaceful. And we were persistent.

The people I talked to are truly grateful for what Wisconsin has done so far. We are inspiring many other “beginners” to do what they have never done before. Our creative handmade signs have been a big hit. I realized that Madison is a Mecca for visitors who want to know more about the democracy movement as it expands. We welcome you all!

Join us on September 17 for the annual Fighting Bobfest at the Coliseum at Alliant Energy Center in Madison, an event that drew 10,000 last year. http://www.fightingbobfest.org/index.cfm

Wisconsin’s Bob La Follette fought for democracy and economic fairness. He railed against the robber barons’ control over the political system, called for open primaries, workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance. He thought people and ideas should rule instead of Big Money. We need to Be Like Bob today, right?

The new normal

The recall elections are over. At least for now—there’s still plenty of interest in a Walker recall, but we can’t start on that until November. We’re not exactly resting in the meantime.

Here’s a snapshot of just a few Wisconsin middle class “rumblings for rights and representation” that have continued in the past week:

Defending First Amendment rights in our Capitol. Police threatened peaceful protesters holding signs on the second floor with arrest if they returned the following day. The next day, Solidarity Singers flocked to the second floor balconies. No one was arrested.

“Where is Paul Ryan?” Sit-ins and protests at the Ryan offices in Kenosha, Racine, Janesville, and Lake Geneva went on all week. Unemployed constituents are begging to talk with Ryan about jobs and stubbornly refuse to budge. He has not spent any time this summer break meeting with those he represents. http://wisconsinjobsnow.org/category/where-is-paul-ryan/

The 1st National Democracy Convention. With a thousand others from all over America, I attended the conference here in Madison. I’ll write more about my experience but follow this link for information and video of the sessions. http://democracyconvention.org/

Solidarity March On Thursday, August 25, thousands gathered on the UW Library Mall and marched to the Capitol for a rally to mark the day our state employees first felt the impact of Walker’s “budget repair” bill in their paychecks. Many wore black in solidarity with everyone affected by these cuts. The economic ripple will indeed affect us all. Here are my photos-with heart balloons sparking in the sun.

Just another week in Wisconsin. . .

the education of carrie

 

last week in Wisconsin we celebrated the fact that Democrats won two of 9 historic recall elections and lost none. (Until this month, only two Wisconsin lawmakers had ever been removed from office through recall.)

This week I will be attending the Democracy Convention http://democracyconvention.org/ to be held at The Madison Concourse August 24-28. During my participation in the ‘Wisconsin Middle Class Revolt”, I’ve seen first hand the dire need to strengthen American democracy in our politics, our media, and our constitution. Attending the convention will continue my education, begun February 15, 2011. Here are all of the brand new things I’ve done since then:

Witnessed amazing historic uprising and decided to dive in, not sit it out

Paid full attention to state politics, especially budget-making

Participated in protests (I never did it in the seventies-)

Volunteered as a crowd marshall during frigid winter demonstrations

Spoke in front of hundreds of people in our Capitol rotunda

Created and carried many protest signs

Used Facebook for the first time (to spread my eye witness reports)

Learned to follow Twitter daily to learn what’s happening via #wiunion

Began to Tweet

Followed live blogs

Wrote with sidewalk chalk to express my feelings

Studied Wisconsin history

Watched Rachel Maddow and the Ed Show

Started to sing daily in public (!) at the noon Capitol Sing Along

Spoke at public hearings

Attended legislative sessions

Worked on recalls and traveled (with strangers!) to recall districts

Volunteered in 2 Citizen Exit polls to protect election integrity

Used iMovie to edit my first video

Posted my first YouTube video

Began writing a weekly blog post here . . . I could go on and on.

It’s amazing to me that I was motivated to learn all this in six months, especially the very software and social media I had been actively avoiding using! And, even more amazing, I have met many others just like me here in Wisconsin.

Carrie Scherpelz is a freelance graphic designer here in Madison. She’s always asking the question: “What motivates people to take action?” Her keen observations of human behavior help her create compelling communication that gets results. As a designer, photographer, and writer, she has an integrated approach that will help you increase your direct marketing response rates.

Contact her for graphic design and copywriting services that will improve the effectiveness of your website, logo, direct mail and other print communications.

the mourning after

 

Many Wisconsin hearts were broken, including mine, late in the evening of August 9, when we heard the results of our recall election. After a hard-fought campaign and high hopes, we came up just one seat short of the 3 seats we needed to gain a majority in the Senate.

I felt so sad (heartsick that so many of my fellow Wisconsinites would vote to continue the dismaying policies and tactics of the Walker administration) and so weary (do I have the stamina to keep fighting for change?)

What did I do to help my heart recover from a major disappointment? The morning after, I joined over a hundred others for the daily Solidarity Sing Along in the Capitol rotunda. The singing was beautiful. We started a new lilting chant: “One Day Longer, One Day Stronger”. I felt the truth of that. So many strugglers in the past have sung to keep their hope alive. They lost many battles before they finally won their war. It will not be easy to win in Wisconsin.

During the Sing Along we celebrated the fact that our Fab 14 Democratic Senators are now the SWEET16. We wrote messages (“Good bye! Good luck with the job hunt!”) on the cardboard packing boxes that were delivered to Randy Hopper and Randy Kapanke to send them packing.

Leslie Amsterdam arrived with a huge bouquet of heart balloons. I carried one home and let it drift up to my kitchen ceiling where it will remind me to stay strong, one day at a time.

Tomorrow, August 16, the last of our four recall elections will take place. In two districts, we will vote to show our thanks to Democratic Senators Wirch and Holperin of the Fab 14 for risking their careers to represent Wisconsin voters. They did not run from that responsibility when they ran for Illinois. I’ll always be grateful.

Carrie Scherpelz is a freelance graphic designer here in Madison. She’s always asking the question: “What motivates people to take action?” Her keen observations of human behavior help her create compelling communication that gets results. As a designer, photographer, and writer, she has an integrated approach that will help you increase your direct marketing response rates.

Contact her for graphic design and copywriting services that will improve the effectiveness of your website, logo, direct mail and other print communications.

the revenge of the balloons

 

a short story on this eve of the historic Wisconsin Recall elections:

Once upon a time (on February 14, 2011, to be exact), hundreds of UW students, faculty, and staff created the very first protest against Scott Walker's proposed bill to strip public employees of their collective bargaining rights. They marched to the Wisconsin Capitol and hand-delivered thousands of Valentine cards expressing support for teachers statewide.

Is it any wonder that a red mylar heart balloon became the symbol of a peaceful protest movement that grew and grew? A single, mysterious heart-shaped red balloon floated high inside the Capitol dome for many months.

When that symbolic balloon disappeared one day recently, others were released to take its place. Those balloons were removed by the Capitol staff. Then on July 25 in the Capitol, in a bizarre incident, a woman carrying a red heart balloon was attacked by a state worker who tried to pop the balloon with a knife. Long time DOA Facilities Assistant Director Ron Blair has been arrested in connection with the incident. (Ironically, Leslie Amsterdam, the victim of the attack, is the designer of this prophetic Wisconsin broken heart pin and matching t-shirts.)

The day after the brutal balloon-stabbing, about a hundred heart-broken balloons showed up in solidarity with Leslie and the slain balloon during the noon hour Solidarity Sing Along. (Click here for video of the colorful scene.)

"I think the Capitol balloon symbolizes the solidarity that Wisconsinites are feeling, and our love for the Capitol," says Nicole Schulte, who provided the photos for this story. "The balloon is a symbol of our fight."

We’ve come a long way since February 14. And tomorrow we’ll show some more of our fight as we cast our votes in the recalls.

Carrie Scherpelz is a freelance graphic designer here in Madison. She’s always asking the question: “What motivates people to take action?” Her keen observations of human behavior help her create compelling communication that gets results. As a designer, photographer, and writer, she has an integrated approach that will help you increase your direct marketing response rates.

Contact her for graphic design and copywriting services that will improve the effectiveness of your website, logo, direct mail and other print communications.

If you are interested here is a a 7-day free trial to lynda.com.

wisconsin ballad-making

 

Every weekday at Madison’s Capitol from noon to one, a growing group of regulars—plus frequent visitors—sing out about the struggle for the progressive soul of our state. Today is Day 116 of the Solidarity Sing Along, and we are just one week away from an historic recall election. On August 9 we plan to stop Scott Walker’s right-wing takeover of Wisconsin.

As I was singing one day recently, I realized I had memorized all of the words in the songbook! For thousands of years, I mused, oral history has been passed down from generation to generation, from memory, through music like ours. Today we are writing and singing the ballads that will help people remember the 2011 Wisconsin Worker’s Revolt: Come on Wisconsin Workers, good news to you I'll tell, Of how the good old union is still alive and well.

They say that in Wisconsin, there are no neutrals there You're either with the workers, or with the Billionaires

Don't believe the Governor, don't listen to his lies Working folks don’t have a chance, unless we organize! -Adapted from the old labor song “Which side are you on?”

I never knew how much I loved Wisconsin till I stood in the capitol dome, Signs on the walls, and drums in the halls, cries of "Freedom!" ringing out all night long. All of us standing together, teachers in red, cops in blue. Hundreds of thousands show people have power, so tell me what are we gonna do? -A new song “Scotty, We're Coming for You!”

I had a dream the other night, the Capitol was still, I thought I heard Republicans a-sneaking through a bill. The law says no, you can’t do that, you have to give us time, To read the bill, and know what’s there, and make you toe the line.

Now fourteen spunky Democrats, to Illinois had fled, To stop the vote, or so they hoped, so quick good-byes they said. When they came home, the people cheered, and heroes they were called. They bought us time to organize, and gather in these halls.

Well, it snowed all day that Saturday, the people didn’t care, Their cause so hot, it kept them warm, and thousands filled the square. Now I come from all Wisconsin with my ballot in my hand, And I say to you Republicans, I’m gonna take a stand! -Sung to the tune of O Susanna!”

Bring back, bring back, Oh bring back Wisconsin to me, to me!

Wisconsin whose motto was “Forward” was populist as it could be, But now the new motto is “Backward”, Oh bring back Wisconsin to me.

Though we may be “God’s frozen people” we bask in the warmth of our plea, Don’t bury my rights in a snowbank, Oh bring back Wisconsin to me

They’re trying to stifle our voices, they’re trying to keep us derailed They’ll find it’s not easy to do though, McCarthy once tried and he failed. -Sung to the tune of My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean”

I went to the Capitol to join the Sing-a-long, State trooper searched my bag, though I’d done nothing wrong, “First amendment, fourth amendment don’t apply to you”, I think I’ll make a call to the A.C.L.U.

They locked all the doors, while voting on a bill, The people stormed the square, climbed over windowsills, Now come on Wisconsin, it’s time to take a stand, Show the nice policeman the court order in your hand.

They tried to push us out but we stood our ground, We filled up the rotunda with our angry sound, Walker wasn’t happy that he lost his privacy, So he tried to lock us out and throw away the key.

We marched in wind and cold, through the rain and snow, The women and the men, the young and the old, Hundred thousand voices raised in solidarity Walker in his hidey-hole pretends he cannot see. - (sung to the tune of “Three Little Fishies”)

NOTE: “Progressive Majority and Grassrooting Productions are launching a grassroots project that will give the next generation inspiring and hopeful protest songs. The labor fights in Wisconsin and across the country, have proven that we need to unite our voices to get our freedoms back. We’re launching this campaign to put the microphone back in your hands. So send us your beats, tunes, lyrics, photos or full-fledge protest songs! When you do, other folks will use your work to riff or create a whole new work.” http://thenationsings.com

Carrie Scherpelz is a freelance graphic designer here in Madison. She's always asking the question: "What motivates people to take action?" Her keen observations of human behavior help her create compelling communication that gets results. As a designer, photographer, and writer, she has an integrated approach that will help you increase your direct marketing response rates.

Contact her for graphic design and copywriting services that will improve the effectiveness of your website, logo, direct mail and other print communications.