It's interesting to me that we planned this before Walker even released his Budget Repair Bill. Although we had no idea what would actually be proposed--in the bill or in the actual budget--we did have concerns about our legislators' perceptions of the role of higher education in the state of Wisconsin. So, about a week before the bill was released, we began to plan a rally in Madison.
Since the initial planning stage, the political landscape has shifted dramatically. And so did ideas about what the day should be about. Many of my colleagues at our far-flung campuses had not been to Madison at all recently, and they viewed this as their opportunity to protest. Others of us really wanted to be positive and try to educate about what we do.
I wanted--no, I needed--to stay positive. There is much to protest, clearly. But my strengths are not in chanting, singing, and marching (although I do get much out of these things). My strengths are in thinking about what's next and in educating.
What I personally needed from yesterday was to feel like I was doing something new and different. I needed to be with my colleagues, many of whom I see only once or twice a year.
I have to say that it was a good, good day. It is easy to underestimate the value of physically being with other like-minded people. We can share so much on Facebook, but being there, hugging, marching together, and standing shoulder-to-shoulder was so healing.
We had a little over 100 people there, which was perfect. We felt together. We did a little chanting, we marched around the capitol, and we went into the Rotunda together, where we sang and visited our legislators.
My favorite moments:
- Singing "We Shall Overcome in the Rotunda," standing right next to a friend and colleague who was a civil rights activist in the Milwaukee Open Housing marches. Wow.
- There was a field trip, and I watched the fourth-graders walking through the Rotunda. They were encouraged to lie down and take pictures of the dome. Truly, it is a beautiful, beautiful building.
- While the children were there, one of my friends lifted up his sign promoting the UW Colleges. Immediately, 50 kids turned toward him to take his picture. He laughed and said, "This is awesome. For those kids, from now on, I will be the face of democracy."
- Walking into the Capitol. Several years ago, I was at a conference in Madison and stayed at a hotel nearby. I went on a walk and was thrilled to discover that I could just walk right into the Capitol building. When I was there for early protests, before the people were kicked out, I was overwhelmed by the experience. On February 15, the first day of the big protests, I was struck by how transcendent it was to stand inside the capitol building and shout, "This is what democracy looks like!" I get chills now, just thinking about it. When I was there with my daughter several weeks ago, I was moved by all the signs on the walls and the community that had developed inside the building. The last time I'd seen the inside of the building, it had been the people's house. Yesterday, I had to go to a particular set of doors to get in. I walked through the door. The walls were naked and bare. I had to walk through security. I had to have my bag searched. I cried. It felt so wrong, and I felt like I didn't belong there anymore.
- I was wearing a campus sweatshirt, though, and one of the troopers did stop me to say he was from the same county and to ask how I was doing as a state employee in such a conservative county. That meant so much to me, and it helped me shift away from my sadness a bit. But it didn't take it away.
1 comment:
I'm so glad you were there, and I share your sadness at the change in the capitol. I take heart that everyday, someone is there, still bearing witness.
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