Gee, I thought someone else would have diaried this by now. But having searched and found nothing, your humble Badger correspondent submits this for your consideration.
While taking a little breather before we gear up for the Tuesday election, it's worth thinking of the qualities that have marked the behavior of my fellow Wisconsin citizens over these past eight weeks, from the capitol in Madison to the icy shores of Superior, from the Father of Waters in LaCrosse to the streets of Kenosha and Milwaukee and Green Bay.
First: a welcoming attitude, as every concerned constituency has been encouraged to join the circle of solidarity, and we work together to reclaim our Wisconsin tradition of fair, open, and honest government.
Second: tenacity, as hundreds of thousands of people have braved the Wisconsin winter's cold and snow and sleet, marching, knocking on doors, recalling!
Third: humor and creativity, as huge crowds of wild Badgers have hit the streets and legislative chambers and meeting halls with determination and peacefulness.
We may just have seen the culminating moment of this first phase of our movement. All these qualities came together on Saturday afternoon. A previously unheard from sector gathered in Madison to express their, um, grave concerns and show their creative, um, spirits. And talk about tenacity! They came back all the way from the other side to join the effort.
We've had days in Madison highlighting the work and contributions of nurses and teachers, firefighters and cops, students and farmers. But finally we have heard from those whose work is so often overlooked and underappreciated. Feared, even. I give you... zombies on parade in Madison.
Good to see that the media did not miss the story: Out for blood, zombies protest Gov. Scott Walker at Wisconsin Capitol
On Saturday afternoon, the protest movement against Gov. Scott Walker finally died, so to speak. A shuffling, groaning army of zombies lurched up State Street, carrying anti-Walker signs and lamenting the lack of brains -- their favorite food -- at the Republican-dominated Wisconsin Capitol.
Organized on Facebook, the Zombie Walk Against Gov. Walker brought out hundreds of undead with bloody faces, stringy hair, and a commitment to collective bargaining rights. They didn't scare many people as they staggered up State Street, obeying traffic lights and occasionally breaking character to smile at the cheering onlookers.
I'm sorry I had to miss this one. Maybe if they'd scheduled it for after dark, like proper zombie organizers should, I could have joined in. But I guess they figured that no one else would be there to see them at night.
I'm pleased to say, that like all previous outpourings of citizens at the Capitol, this was an entirely peaceful and non-violent rally. (Easy for us regular folks, but you have to figure it was quite a challenge for this group.) Of course, like all those who marched before, the zombies made some excellent signs:
"I Ate Walker's Brain and I'm Still Hungry!"
"Ghouls for Schools: Educated Brains Taste Better!"
"4 Out of 5 Zombies Recommend Neo-Con Brains"
"Unions Keep Firefighters Undead"
And they had good, crowd-pleasing, unifying chants:
"What do we want?" "Brains!" "When do we want them?" "Brains!"
And what's a Wisconsin protest without a good gritty street video to convey the flavor of the day? Here you go!
Yikes, Grothman was right! What a bunch of slobs!
There are plenty of images for you all to feast your (or someone else's) eyes on, courtesy the Facebook page Zombie Walk Against Governor Walker and Zombies For Change In Madison. Here are a few:
Wow. Talk about an angry mob. Well, if I can't lurch I don't want to be part of of your revolution.
All in a day's work. I think we all needed this as we head into the next two crucial days. So get ready: Tomorrow there will be a major rally from 5:00 to 7:00 pm: From Memphis to Madison: Honor History, Make History.
This is going to be an important one. I cannot keep up with all the e-mails from friends providing directions and logistics.
And then the big day Tuesday. GO KLOPPENBURG!!! Why? Here's the answer:
My favorite part of this diary? Being able to put in "zombies" as a tag!.... Thanks, zombies! Solidarity forever! And ever after!
UPDATE: Wow - the rec list! I guess the news is getting out about this amazing event. Even Faux News is covering it! Watch:
