Yesterday, a bunch of people who deeply love their state gathered in the Rotunda of the Wisconsin State Capitol to celebrate Festivus. This event was organized by my friend and comrade, Giles Goat Boy.
Due to insurance liabilities, there were no feats of strength. Feats of endurance and dedication are performed in the Rotunda daily. The first Solidarity Sing-along occurred on March 11, 2011. The singers have met at noon in the Capitol every weekday since then, yes, every single working day. January 6th 8th will mark the 1000th consecutive Solidarity Sing-Along. (Thanks to Jason Huberty for the correction!)
I chronicled last year's Festivustivities, but that was a brighter time. Our grievances were aired with hope that some would be remedied by a better state government. The recent elections ruled that out for the most part.
Some of this year's grievances were very dark indeed:
> If you nap on a park bench in Milwaukee, a cop will hit you in the head with a nightstick and if you resist, he'll shoot you fourteen times.
> The State Dept. Of Natural Resources had rules about frac-sand mining. The mining companies ignored them, so the DNR just deleted the rules "like a New Year's Resolution you never intended to keep."
> There have been over 350 arrests of participants in the Solidarity Sing-Along.
All of them* were thrown out in court. Walker's AG has appealed 200 of them. *Correction: I have been informed that several cases have yet to be tried and therefore The statement is over-broad. All those that have gone to court were thrown out. Some cases are still pending.
See you in court.
> The mining billionaires who own the Wisconsin GOP continue in their plans to poison and destroy the Bad River Watershed in Ashland and Iron Counties. This watershed feeds Lake Superior and includes Copper Falls State Park and the wild rice beds of Kakagon Slough.
> A Capitol Police Officer has been arrested twice in domestic violence incidents. He was allowed to walk away by participating in a first offenders program, twice. It's always the first time when you wear a badge.
> One State Legislator, Andy Jorgenson did stop by and voice his grievance. He lamented that his colleagues across the aisle don't know how to discuss, debate and find common ground. He thanked us all for paying attention to what our government is up to. They aren't all idiots. Thanks for showing up Andy. I wish you were my Assembly Rep.
We sang, and there was some laughter, and people renewed old friendships and made some new ones. Being the eighth night of Chanukah, shouts of Molotov! rang in the dome.
The neofascists apparently own the copyright to "Merry Christmas" and have weaponized the good wish. Festivus is all we lefties have left. The Capitol Police ignored the event, realizing that they could not win the war on Festivus.
A few of Singers, including kideni and Wisco Wherls have made a practice of "closing up the Capitol." In the last half-hour before the building is closed to the public, they meet to sing some of the slower, more introspective numbers in their repertoire. Many of the Festivistas joined in and we closed the Capitol with We Shall Overcome , Keep Your Eyes on the Prize, and Solidarity Forever.
We stand with the dusk at our backs.
Night will be long and getting colder.
Song flows through stillness and fog.
Here, we sing, we hold, on hard ground.
Darkness will not move us.
More pictures and links below cheddar curd.
All the photos in this diary are used with the permission of Lisa Wells. (Thanks Lisa!)
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