It's been so uplifting to read the diaries and see the photos from yesterday's rally in Madison, where the state welcomed back the 14 courageous Democratic state senators who crossed state lines in order to reveal the outrages hidden in the Walker-administration's budget legislation. With tractors. :-)
I so wish I could have been there. But guess what -- I'm going today. And if you're in the area and so inclined, please come join me!
Madison's annual St. Patrick's Day parade is on for this afternoon, though the permitting was delayed -- for some reason Governor Walker is very reluctant to have people congregate around our very own seat of government. I'm going to be marching with the Autism Society of Greater Madison (ASGM) , because my greatest stake in this struggle is my 6-year-old daughter who is on the autism spectrum. Details below the jump...
This Sunday, March 13, ASGM will participate in Madison's 14th annual St. Patrick's Day parade! For those who want to join us for some fun before the parade begins, we will be at the Great Dane off the square at 11 a.m. Come and decorate a puzzle piece to carry in the parade or just be sure to meet us there by 1 p.m. to get to our marching spot. Many people have wondered about the nature of the parade this year, considering potential protests going on concurrently. ASGM's parade presence is a collective effort to raise awareness about autism, however we also realize that the Medicaid aspects of the budget bill will negatively affect many individuals with autism and other disabilities. We ask that if you are marching with us and want to show your opposition to the bill, that we remain civil and that signs be specific to the Medicaid issue. While we as a group are not happy with the way the budget "repair" bill treats people, we are a non-partisan group. Please keep this in mind when making/bringing a sign. Need sign ideas? "Save BadgerCare," "Medicaid Matters to People With Autism," or "Autism VOTES." Be creative and kind!
You'll know me by this sign:
This sign was created at a sign-making craft project at a church retreat, and colored by a little fellow of the age of six, just two days older than my daughter. For the first two years of their lives, our family did a daycare swap with this little guy's family, so he and she were daycare buddies up to the age of two. They've not been close lately, as he is on a typical developmental path and she is on a path all her own; but he really wanted to create a sign, and his mom (a Madison social worker who works with adults with disabilities) traced the words "Protect Medicaid" for him to color and explained just a little bit that this was to help our daughter and others like her.
Yes, I'll be the one with that sign. With the tears in my eyes.
Hope to meet some of you there!