Rally

It was like being at a parade, a circus and a fair all rolled into one. Well, okay a fair without any rides.

Or cotton candy or funnel cakes.

And I didn't see any elephants or clowns.

Or ladies doing acrobats on horses.

But it was patriotic, entertaining and fun.

The rally was one of the most amazing demonstrations of democracy I have had the privilege to be a part of.

HE, the kids and I with the capital in the background.

Folks were cheerful and polite.

And really creative:

We arrived between 10:30 and 11:00 to watch the Tractorcade--Wisconsin farmers in support of worker's rights.

I love the smell of freedom in the morning!!

Or maybe that's cow poo. In the Badger state you can never tell.

Or maybe they are one and the same.

Then, we walked around the square partway to State Street to find a restaurant and grab some lunch. At this point the crowds were slightly larger than your average summer farmer's market crowd.

And the sun came out!!

On our way back to the capital square we witnessed the Union Taxi parade:

And the crowds were definitely getting heavier. As we arrived at the top of State street we could hear someone speaking over speakers set up at the top of the steps nearest the capital building. I knew I recognized that voice and my suspicions were confirmed when I asked someone standing there (we were too far away and had no view through the crowd of any of the speakers) it was indeed Susan Sarandon.

We continued working our way from State street counterclockwise around the capital--going with the flow, and stopped at Ancora coffee for a hot beverage (in a ceramic mug:-) and then ventured back outside to head back to State street ~counterclockwise~ to listen to live music and wait for the 14 Democratic Senators to arrive and address the crowd at 3:00.

Folks chanted "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" to the Senators. There is nothing like hearing silence from a crowd of 100,000 as they listened to each of the Senators, followed by passionate cheering after every few words. It was very moving. Later, at dinner Aidan said "my eyes got wet when the people were chanting". I know how he felt.

Jesse Jackson followed the Democratic 14 and asked us to take a moment to pray for the victims of the tragedy in Japan.

We did.

And then we headed home. 

With our hearts full to bursting.

I have never been more proud to be a Wisconsinite.

First They came...

~Pastor Martin Niemoller~

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

We will take Wisconsin back.