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Tuesday, June 14, 2011

One day longer, one day stronger

The Wisconsin State Assembly debated today pushing through a bill to end collective bargaining, the same proposal that led to massive protests starting in February. In response, thousands of people yet once again descended on the capitol.

I've attended a couple protests since coming back from Ecuador--last Thursday at the Fluno Center where Gov Scott Walker and Rep Paul Ryan were talking to realtors, yesterday at the Wisconsin Manufactures and Commerce that writes much of the Republican's most oppressive legislation.

But today was one of the largest that we've had in a while. It felt good to go back to the positive energy we had earlier in the year.

Two stories from today rather illustrate what these ongoing protests are like:


1. As I was taking pictures, a very Republican looking woman walked in front of my camera only to inform me that she was not sorry she had done so.

2. A solidarity sing along in the Capitol Rotunda included the song "Solidarity Forever" ending with a chant of "Thank you! Thank you!"

The evening rally ended with us surrounding the capitol, linking arms, and singing "We shall overcome." Pardon the militaristic expression, but while we lost 2 more battles today we will win this war.





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