June 5, 2011
Walkerville at midday.
Here's how the tent city protest looked at about 1 p.m. today. (Meade shot the video. I edited.)
We were up at the Capitol Square riding bikes, as many Madison streets were closed for the "Ride the Drive" event.
(I'm not too enthusiastic about "Ride the Drive," by the way. Clearing out all the car traffic makes an occasion, which attracts attention and gets a big crowd of people biking at the same time. But it sends the message that the cars are a big nuisance, so I don't think it really encourages people to bike on other days, and it may even discourage them. It did work to get children out biking on the streets, but I don't think it's especially safe or enjoyable to bike with children. Unlike cars, children tend not to proceed in a straight line.)
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I attended a K-street dinner with many Democratic consultants. The word is that because of newly elected bad GOP governors, the voters will go for Obama/Biden. In sum, no matter what, GOP will help GOP to lose.
What an irony? Obama/Biden will be in WH till Jan. 2017 because of the help by GOP governors, like Scott Walker.
They must be really hurting to afford those $300+ tents from REI. I bet there are plenty of $200 down sleeping bags too!
"Walkerville" huh? Do these people know anything about the Hoovervilles I assume they are trying to draw comparisons to?
For instance, they were created out of necessity not desire for publicity. And the tents weren't purchased from adventure stores.
These are frivolous people pretending to be serious.
Blue clenched fist with a star, huh?
Not a little bit commie looking to you, kinda something the old Black Panthers would produce if they mated with North Korean Smurfs.
I especially like the unicorn with the jet pack, because nothing shows being grounded in proletarian consciousness like a unicorn with a jet pack.
Good grief, the contrarian meme extends to something as benign as a bike ride.
I try not think about the Hooverville comparison. I find their hubris to be vulgar at best. Not to mention that Playing Poor is an incredible insult to those who are actually struggling.
My weirdo college had a tradition wherein once a year, about twenty students would do a... protest? event? public demonstration? and Play at being Homeless.
It's the late 90s. Imagine twenty upper middle-class, white, teenagers raised in the bible belt. These were the type who thought I was a raging feminazi bitch who would spit on them if I passed by, because I suggest outlandish ideas like calling ourselves "women" instead of "girls". (Note: the spitting part -- not hyperbole.)
Now imagine them putting together forts out of cardboard and duct tape in the main lawn of campus. They would giggle as they decorated their forts with newspapers for curtains. They slept outside for one night, to make some sort of statement about homelessness that was only ever publicized in our college newspaper. In the morning, they threw away their "homes", ate breakfast in the cafeteria, and felt good about having Done Something for The Cause.
Vulgar. A sham. A mockery.
But at least they were doing it for homelessness and not aping the homeless in attempts to, oh, lower their tuition. Or whatever it is that the protesters want.
I can at least respect these socialists for having the guts to embrace and accept the label, no matter how full of fail their philosphy is.
America's Politico says:
"I attended a K-street dinner with many Democratic consultants. The word is that because of newly elected bad GOP governors, the voters will go for Obama/Biden. In sum, no matter what, GOP will help GOP to lose.
What an irony? Obama/Biden will be in WH till Jan. 2017 because of the help by GOP governors, like Scott Walker."
I'm going to pull the BS card on this one. Looks like the liberals, as was the case with Floppenburg, are declaring victory way too early.
But then again, with ACORN and gangsters like "Chicago Rahm" on their side, they might as well start tallying up the votes already.
What an irony? Obama/Biden will be in WH till Jan. 2017 because of the help by GOP governors, like Scott Walker.
How does Prosser's victory affect the equation for WI? Hmm?
Blame Jerry Garcia for being a drug addicted, cigarette smoking, red meat eating diabetic fat fuck.
These folks with little to do all summer used to be known as Jerry's Kids. They followed the circus for as far as the gas money would hold out.
Never stayed long enough in one place to piss anyone off.
Now they have this.
I suggest they do something useful like donate that nice equipment to some homeless people. You know, the poor, the downtrodden, the ones who have fallen through the cracks, the ones the liberals tell us they care about more.
What's that? You can't give it away. You are planning on using it for a backpacking vacation in British Columbia during your paid vacation later this year.
Well, maybe after that, unless you need it for a protest camp-out later, in the middle of town, outside the Starbucks, again.
Which one is the real Che's tent?
"I don't think it's especially safe or enjoyable to bike with children"
Cool. How'd that work for you?
-XC
This is why so many protests fail utterly. There is no heart in this. these people are obviously not out on the streets because they lost everything, as was the case with the Hoovervilles , and those who are really in dire straits. If I were a homeless person as a result of these hard times, I would camp my stinky unshowered self right in the middle of this forgery, and show them what being on the streets is really like!
A theme song for this protest... Common People
Sing along with the common people.
Sing along, and it might just get you thru.
Laugh along with the common people.
Laugh along, even though they're laughing at you
And the stupid things that you do
'Cause you think that poor is cool.
Like a dog lying in a corner,
They'll bite you and never warn you.
Look out.
They'll tear your insides out
'Cause everybody hates a tourist.
'Cause Everybody hates a tourist,
Especially one who thinks
It's all such a laugh.
I suggest they do something useful like donate that nice equipment to some homeless people.
Actually... I know you were snarking, but it got me thinking.
Walkerville is a joke, and the longer those tents stay up while the protesters do nothing of value, the worse they will look.
It would be amazing if they pooled their talents to offer services to the community for donation. (Massage therapists, face painting, guitar lesson, tutoring, etc.)
Then, instead of giving the money to charity or keeping it to fund Dem shenanigans, they give the money directly to Walker/govt. A gesture to show that they will do whatever they can to help the economic problems (besides sacrificing collective bargaining).
That'd be a mighty strong statement, and the press would eat it up.
Lucky for us, they are content playing house and singing 60s music.
Does Madison have "blue" laws that don't allow businesses to open on Sundays?
If I were the owner of Tabby & Jacks I'd be really pissed at those clowns hanging out in front of my store. Oh well, they'll just have to take it for the cause.
Hegelian has a good point, although my impression was the fist logo reminds me of the "Yes, We Can" neo-Commie "artwork" combined with the Keep On Truckin' posters of the 70s.
Joanna said...
My weirdo college had a tradition wherein once a year, about twenty students would do a... protest? event? public demonstration? and Play at being Homeless.
Not even close. The women's college situated in the town where I grew up has a tradition (still observed for all I know) where the graduating seniors and female faculty run nude across the campus on the last day of Finals.
at least they're not supporting a bunch of thugs trying to take away everything the American worker has gained in pay and benefits over the last 100 years.
You all should be ashamed of supporting a government that is ruining the American dream for the majority.
Even Sweden considers the US a third world country. Just look up articles about IKEA in Virginia...in Swedish newspaper.
An interesting video would be someone politely asking the tent dwellers which unions represent the workers who made the tents.
Ditto the cell phones they use. And their blue jeans, underpants and tee shirts. And the Subaru it all arrived in.
And the weed, was it grown, harvested, transported and retailed by union weed-workers?
I'd start counter-intel rumors, like the one about the Koch Bros actually controlling most of the weed business in the mid-west and funneling the profits into Rebublican politicians' campaign funds.
Of course that's not a rumor. How do you think all the money the Repubs need for the re-call campaigns is being raised.
Here, I'm having a mark-down sale on nickelbags...it's nearly July already.
edutcher--damn--they didnt let us do that at USMA :)
I attended a K-street dinner with many Democratic consultants. The word is that because of newly elected bad GOP governors, the voters will go for Obama/Biden. In sum, no matter what, GOP will help GOP to lose.
What a coincidence. I was at a dinner with Republican consultants. The word is that because of the horrible jobs outlook, Obamacare, high gas prices and crappy housing market, the voters will for the GOP. In sum, no matter what, GOP will win.
And after the election, we can both go back to dinner and those same consultants can tell us why they were wrong (again and again).
"Michael Haz said...
An interesting video would be someone politely asking the tent dwellers which unions represent the workers who made the tents.
Ditto the cell phones they use. And their blue jeans, underpants and tee shirts. And the Subaru it all arrived in..."
SPLENDID IDEA!!
As a bike commuter, I really do not like Ride the Drive. If you want to ride on the street -- it's the legal thing to do, you know -- man up and do it.
I don't mind kids riding in the street at all. I am extra careful around them, of course, if I'm in the car, because they are unpredictable. But in general I find them better road-sharers than the commuter in a hurry to get home to their house in Fitchburg.
I'm a bike commuter, too, but I enjoy this event. One station offered to fine-tune the fit of my helmet, got my brakes adjusted and had a chance to test ride some of the newer bikes on the market. The kids don't bother me - it's a family event- the parents and co-riders seemed to give everyone a lot of slack.
Shorts are for warm weather. Bikes are for kids. Priorities!
"Ditto the cell phones they use. And their blue jeans, underpants and tee shirts. And the Subaru it all arrived in."
There's a guy who frequents Crema Cafe in Monona who has a "Support Union Jobs: Recall Walker" on the back of his....wait for it....TOYOTA pickup. Obviously, when it's his own money at stake, he votes for non-union workmanship/value.
RogerJ: Thank GOD the gray trou at USMA don't show any more than allowed by regulation!
wv: curesses. Massage therapy?
I'm a very practical sort of person so I'm wondering, where are their bathroom facilities?? Where do they put their garbage?? How do they remain bathed? Do they cook out on grills??? Can you enlighten me please??
I'm thinking that the residents of Madison will soon tire of these squatters.
If you were at a campgrounds ... so few tents would mean it was a pretty empty place.
Oh, and oddly enough, nobody had up "Goodbye Kloppy" signs. I thought they were all her fans, and all. But not even a card to sign. How come?
To America's Politico. I see what's gonna come up in November 2012, right here, from my front porch.
I see a ONE NATION sign just like my old UNITED WE STAND sign, that I saved way back from 1992.
I see an Independent run. And, if Sarah Palin wants to add money to her attempt, all she has to do is name Donald Trump as her veep.
Best flying machine out there. Just like Trump's new 757. With a big T on it's tail.
Oh, and by the time November 2012 rolls around, Palin may be calling Arizona "home #1." Will "home #2" remains on the lake out at Wasilla.
The MSM will go nuts trying to follow "teamwork." And, the American people. The GOP? You gotta be kidding me.
All of this pressure at the "star" on the fist will cause carpal tunnel syndrome,
ironically making it more difficult to clench the fist.
And as we've seen there will be a widespread numbness to the whole thing.
Cuts must be made.
TENT OF THE STAR FIST
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