Wisconsin’s Incredible Shrinking Protest

[Geee]

National Review:

Madison — Between February 14 and June 14 of this year, stocking caps and scarves have given way to sundresses and cargo shorts, but protesters still languidly stroll around the Wisconsin state capitol in Madison. They have come by the thousands on this warm June day to demonstrate against Scott Walker’s plan to curb public-sector-union power, although the crowds are only a small fraction of what the state experienced months ago. The college students have gone home, and public school teachers clearly are much more inclined to protest on days when school is actually in session.

Outside the capitol, there are still drums going and the chants are all the same, albeit with fewer participants and less enthusiasm. In February, the protesters were working to stop Walker’s plan — in June, they appear to be simply expressing their disgust at the inevitable. After Walker’s plan was struck down by a Madison-based judge on the basis of a perceived open meetings violation, the Assembly announced it was going to re-pass the measure today as a budget amendment. This brought another round of street theater down to the Wisconsin capitol.

Down the sidewalk from the west wing, random speakers take turns holding court at a rigged-up PA system. A rotund woman with a large knee brace, clutching an American Federation of Teachers sign, starts a semi-lucid, profane speech in which she urges the crowd to “do your f—ing homework” at campaign time. For some people, P.J. O’Rourke once noted, free speech is a curse. Her screed is made even more bizarre by a small machine spitting out liquid soap bubbles. Circling the stage is a tall gentleman made even taller by the giant paper-mache Scott Walker head he has crafted.

[NCTexan]

This sounds like the final act of the Theater of the Absurd...

 

I love some of the descriptions and quotes:

 

The college students have gone home, and public school teachers clearly are much more inclined to protest on days when school is actually in session.

 

A rotund woman with a large knee brace, clutching an American Federation of Teachers sign, starts a semi-lucid, profane speech in which she urges the crowd to “do your f—ing homework” at campaign time... Her screed is made even more bizarre by a small machine spitting out liquid soap bubbles.

 

As they sing, a young woman with a mohawk dances with another woman wearing a Batman mask.

 

Soon, three men wearing pink tunics appear. “We Are Walker’s Pink Slips!” they begin chanting loudly. “If you have to chant what your protest costume is, it’s probably not a good one,” cracks a nearby lobbyist.

[Valin]

Warning: Graphic Language (like you would expect anything else from the Left)

 

[nickydog]

Incredible shrinking protest for sure! That was actually funny.