A year ago I was preparing for surgery at C5/C6 on my neck, surgery for an injury from twenty years previous when I was in the Army, surgery I was too proud to get even though it had caused me to lose most of the strength in my right arm. Governor-elect Walker was demanding that Governor Doyle and the democratically led Legislature not do anything that would tie his hands in fixing the state budget. Little did I know what was ahead, both in terms of my recovery from a major surgery and how Governor Walker would change my life.
January 11th, 2011 the day after my surgery - at this point, I honestly did not care who the governor was, I just wanted Vicodin and my furnace turned up to about ninety.
During my time off my beloved Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl - then, just a few short days later, Governor Walker killed the states Super Bowl buzz when he announced that he was introducing a bill to end collective bargaining in the state. One week before I was scheduled to go back to work the protests started - on February 16th I made my first journey downtown to the State Capitol.
A lot more below the fold....
On February 16th, 2011 - I had never attended a protest rally in my life. Up to that point of my life I scoffed at protesters - wondering why they were wasting their time. That notion died on February 16th, 2011, I was now a protester. The photos of that first protest are not the greatest especially inside the Capitol as it was so crowded it was difficult to get a good photo (I switched to my iPhone at one point because it was easier to take photos with it)...but I do think the convey the feelings of those involved in the protests:
Students from my Alma Mater, Madison East High School, walked out that day to show their support for their teachers:
On February 18th Ed Schultz came to Madison for the first time and the Capitol was still being occupied:
Hey, the guy went to play for the Vikings...so it is possible he had a hand in this:
Jesse Jackson stopped by Ed's Show that night:
Did I mention I met Ed that night:
February 26th, 2011 - the first really large protest.
Even though Walker exempted Police and Firefighters from his draconian proposal - police and firefighters joined in us in solidarity:
This photo is in the 2012 Peace Calendar (May) put out by Syracuse Cultural Workers:
March 2nd, 2011 - The blog post that was the most difficult for me to write. Even today when I re-read this post I get teary eyed - it was the day Democracy died in Wisconsin:
The day the Capitol Grounds became a police state:
And our legislators were forced to have office hours outside:
March 5th, 2011 - A smaller protest with one big guest:
Fighting Bob - this is not his Wisconsin anymore:
I think it was easier to get on an airplane than it was to get into the Capitol:
My ex-wife and my son:
Contrary to what Governor Walker said - the vast majority of people protesting were from Wisconsin:
A fellow Kossack Giles Goat Boy:
You would think Fox would get the hint...
Dirty Union Thugs!
March 9th, 2011 - the night the bill passed illegally - these photos were taken directly below the windows of the conference room where this illgal act occurred:
March 10th, 2011
It is like a police state:
The photo that went viral:
March 12th, 2011 - the largest protest Madison has ever seen.
I still feel that this was the most powerful sign I saw during the protests:
This photo had the most views of any photo I have ever taken - and I have no idea why:
It never was just about collective bargaining:
Note to Walker - you lose the farmers, you have lost the state:
The night of the first recalls:
As the protests wound down, I was awarded a scholarship from Democracy For America for my blog posts about the protests to attend Netroots Nation. I have fully recovered from my surgery and I was invited to write for Daily Kos Labor - None of this would have happened without Governor Walker's actions (Well, the neck would have healed)...maybe I should send him a thank you note:
Governor Walker - We are not going away, we are not going silently - WE WILL TAKE OUR STATE BACK!
RECALL WALKER! RECALL KLEEFISCH!