I just left the WI Capitol building. I was studying for an exam when news came through that the GOP were planning on passing the union-busting provisions of the "budget repair" bill by separating them from the fiscal provisions. To do this, they had to admit that union busting had nothing to do with fiscal policy. When that news came through, I'll admit my first reaction was to reach for a bottle of scotch. When news came through that it passed, something else happened to me. Judging from the crowd inside the capitol, the same thing happened to thousands of people. This fight is only beginning.
I strode toward the capitol around 8 pm with my collapsible green vuvuzela (now emblazoned with a "Recall Walker" sticker), expecting to stand outside and make some noise. I was dressed in the necessary layers for a Wisconsin winter, and was ready to freeze for a few hours in the hopes that one more body might help make us newsworthy. Text messages flew back and forth among my friends as we tried to find each other in the crowds. Cars were driving in circles for several blocks around Capitol Square honking loudly (I naturally answered them with my plastic horn of justice). As I approached the southern corner of the square, I saw groups of people sprinting toward the capitol door. When I got closer, I saw, why they were running.
The doors were open. For over a week capitol access to protesters had been completely cut off. At first, people could only enter as occupying protesters left. Then no food was allowed in, or sleeping materials. Windows were secured so that no food could be passed in secretly. Then signs and musical instruments were disallowed. Then an assemblyman was tackled trying to get to his office after hours. The building has been locked down.
And the doors were open.
I joined the crowd and ran inside. People were holding the doors open and calling for people to run in, assuming that we would be shut out soon. Thousands of people were already inside, with signs, drums, horns, bullhorns. The place looked like it did during those first few days. I've been saying it for weeks; if this bill passes, the only thing that changes is that we will be protesting an unjust law instead of an unjust bill. And that's what happened tonight. The crowd kept growing over the time I was there. I found some friends, and we yelled, cheered, and shared bits of news just as we have been. We compared vuvuzela techniques. (If you play it right, it can almost sound like music instead of a blunt instrument)
Things have not changed. The crowd is peaceful. The crowd is angry. The crowd is still overjoyed to be standing together in the peoples' house for the ideals we believe our state is built on. I headed for home, and my friends stayed. Rumors had begun to swirl that the police would evict us. They haven't. They've requested that people remove sticks from their signs - this has been going on since the beginning and no one has ever had a problem complying with this request.
When I left, people were still arriving at the capitol. This is not petering out. This is not running out of steam. There was already a big rally planned again this Saturday.
I'll be there. Wisconsin workers will be there. We're not just fighting a law. More and more people are realizing that we are fighting for a way of life - an ideal of governance that values the needs of people over the needs of capital. That fight is just beginning. Care to join us?