Too much news going on for a blogger to keep up with!Before heading off to musical theater rehearsal yesterday evening, I made a quick stop at the State Capitol to see the big demonstration there and demonstrate solidarity with the folks in Wisconsin.
Since the demonstration concerned events in Wisconsin rather than California, it seemed more good-humored than most. The demonstration was somewhat-smaller than either the Prop. 8 gay counter-demonstration of November 2008, or either of the two most-recent April 15th Tea Party rallies at the same location. The PA system was woefully-inadequate for such a large audience, and so two rings of demonstrators were evident: those clustered tightly around the speakers to hear what they were saying, and everyone else, who relaxed on the periphery and met with friends to swap stories and share camaraderie. Most people were smiling and in good spirits.
According the Sacramento Bee: About 2,500 public employees gathered Tuesday evening at the state Capitol in Sacramento, their minds 2,000 miles away with counterparts in Madison, Wis.
They assembled in solidarity with government workers in the Badger State fighting its newly elected Republican Gov. Scott Walker and GOP-majority Legislature's plan to limit public employee unions' bargaining power.
..."Two weeks ago, what seemed utterly impossible politically is now becoming public policy," said Ebenstein, who is also a UC Santa Barbara economist. "If it can happen in Wisconsin and Ohio, it can happen in California."
Returning from the demonstration, and passing through the K Street Mall while carrying my green AFSCME "It's About Freedom!" sign at my side, I was accosted by two young women, who asked that I hold my sign up so they could read what it said. They smiled and shouted "It's About Freedom!", whooped loudly, and headed off to the State Capitol to join their friends.
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