The latest in the Cheddar Revolution...
I know I haven't posted in forever here...but here's the latest update in the goings-on at the Capitol in Wisconsin, written by my friend Benjamin Pierce:
Everybody read this to the end--there has been a remarkable and, to me, an unforseeable development--even a miracle.
Today, the decision had to be made to try to occupy the Capitol, despite an announcement that the building would close at 4 to be cleaned--as we have been cleaning it and maintaining ourselves, this was only a pretext to clear a building he cannot close as long as there is public business going on.
There was a lot of organizing and honest discussion from the day before, but also a lot of rumors, confusion, and waves of doubt and confidence, sometimes, in my assessment, overconfidence. It was always clear that some people would stay to be peaceably arrested, and that some might engage in less-peaceful methods, at least by a legal definition, such as going limp and being dragged away (Not arguing the morality of the law here, it WILL get you in more trouble, potentially, than getting cuffed and walking away)--and I had talked myself into getting peaceably arrested to point out what a dickhead Walker is being. We were now restricted to the ground floor and First Floor (second level) and the police presence was heavy and, though they are on our side, they were clearly ready to move. At the same time, Union heads, and some lawyers assured us that the police chief and sheriffs department is sympathetic to us and were negotiating as many considerations, including a minimum of bookings, etc etc, as could be managed. In short, by about noon today, it looked as though the main project, of several not-wholly-comfortably-overlapping projects, was a mass civil disobedience which would see the building evacuated, the activists not much worse for the experience, Walker's legal authority challenged and scrutinized, and his reality as a would-be dictator put into real perspective.
At about 1:30 I met up on the second floor with a fellow named Trevor who I expect will be friended here in a day or two. I had crashed next to him last night, given him a tarot reading and agreed to crash him at my domicile if worse came to worse for him--in short, we agreed we had each others' backs when we went down to the ground floor at 3 for the meeting that would count down to face-off hour. What did we get? Well, now...
So, to conclude, there were a lot of impassioned speeches, many for not giving up our house--which wasn't my reason for opting for arrest, indeed, AI knew we could not resist the police if it came to an encounter, that civil disobedience was really a way to shape the meaning of our exit---but there was talk of staying. It had a tone in it I did not like at points, to be honest, the greatest doubts I had had so far--but I felt that such things could be sorted out the next day, as I have a lot more confidence in the community that has grown up in the occupation than only one variance of vision.
Then Representative Brett Halsey got up, making it clear that he spoke for other Assembly persons. He said that at 4 he was going to make one of the most difficult decisions of his life, which was to walk out the door at 4, and he was asking others to do the same, to return to work the next day, as could the protesters. Our posters would be safely gathered by staffers of the Historical Society for rehanging and, when the job is done, for permanent preservation. He stated that what we had achieved we had achieved by peaceful means and if civil disobedience went badly, we could lose a lot of that.
I must record for the record that he was barely able, from some quarters, to speak. I was saddened by that. I realized that we had enough momentum that while we had to return to the building, we would continue to gain strength in our movement whether or not we were occupying the building the day Walker is eventually recalled...but more than anything, I realized that I had to stand by Representative Halsey, since he had been nearly shouted down, from within our community. had I thought there would be a lack of people engaging in CD I might have decided to stay that course--but I knew that would continue without me--and leaders of the community did what they could do to address the anger in the room while holding to their own option to stay. So I knew I could do nothing there that wouldn't be done. I decided to walk at 4 and I told Trevor I would. He was undecided and I had ended up in a different part of the crowd when the hour arrived. I was very surprised to see Mark Christie just behind me as I entered the State Street corridor--I knew he might attend but I had not expected timing quite so tight, especially as I had not seen him in the crowd. So what happened next--now we will get to the unexpected outcome.
Upon hitting the air, I got some much-needed gatorade and pizza where Ian's had a stand set up, running into first Tim Morgan and then Jim Shankman in close order. After a time, there was a huge cheer at the Hamilton street exit--we wondered what had happened, and I had to try to find a way to determined whether Trevor had exited the building of not, as I had promised him lodging.
There was already a human ring formed up around the Capitol so that no-one could be smuggled out by law enforcement unobserved--in circumnavigating the building, I looked up into Governor Walkers now-occupied and lit office--and he was pacing around. I took the trouble to wane at his three windows while I passed and people shouted up at him--best he get used to it while he is yet so employed.
Finally, I saw people who knew Trevor who had exited the building---Trevor was inside. I found a couple of Sheriff Department members who were orbiting the building and asked them exactly what the status of things was: and I learned: they had determined that there were no violations, had had decided to let people stay the night, contrary to the orders or request they had received from Governor Walker.
I could never have foreseen that he had not bothered to get sufficient legal advice to time his prerogative appropriately, but that seems to be the case--so this is NOT just about turf, or allowed ground--it is not even about his inability to maneuver rightly to get his end, or especially not about that---it is really about the fact that once again, he doesn't know where his rightful authority begins and ends. That is all this has ever been about and anyone on any side of this thing who does not understand that, has never understood anything about this thing. Let the world see this for what it means, especially if you read this and the media is not getting this out there--as soon as it can be sourced everyone who understands the significance of this story needs to see it told where it is not told.
But I am not done.
Mark overheard that upon arrival, some of the sheriffs took off their uniforms and joined the protestors. This has a lot to do with why there were no arrests made. We knew that a few non-uniformed officers were present to be arrested--but not this--it is the only rumor or statement (I count what the labor leaders and the lawyers with a lot more weight than the rumors that have always been so thick)
Now you see why I needed everyone to read this all the way through. I have maintained throughout the accounts I have given that there is a genuine revolution going on here, one that the police have been a part of from the beginning, though I never guessed how quickly they would go as far as this. I will want to be able to source this before I say that I know 100% but it seems to be the case.
If you don't get it yet then history is about to leave you behind: it is not just a sleepover in a marble building. The drums and the pizza bought from around the world, even the level of respect and organization that have been the muscle of this community, and the resonant response and response around America and the world that makes it a movement-- are not the end statement of what is going on here.
Even if tomorrow's news qualifies some of the details about what I know to essentially be true, it will lead to the same conclusion:
The revolution has begun."
Everybody read this to the end--there has been a remarkable and, to me, an unforseeable development--even a miracle.
Today, the decision had to be made to try to occupy the Capitol, despite an announcement that the building would close at 4 to be cleaned--as we have been cleaning it and maintaining ourselves, this was only a pretext to clear a building he cannot close as long as there is public business going on.
There was a lot of organizing and honest discussion from the day before, but also a lot of rumors, confusion, and waves of doubt and confidence, sometimes, in my assessment, overconfidence. It was always clear that some people would stay to be peaceably arrested, and that some might engage in less-peaceful methods, at least by a legal definition, such as going limp and being dragged away (Not arguing the morality of the law here, it WILL get you in more trouble, potentially, than getting cuffed and walking away)--and I had talked myself into getting peaceably arrested to point out what a dickhead Walker is being. We were now restricted to the ground floor and First Floor (second level) and the police presence was heavy and, though they are on our side, they were clearly ready to move. At the same time, Union heads, and some lawyers assured us that the police chief and sheriffs department is sympathetic to us and were negotiating as many considerations, including a minimum of bookings, etc etc, as could be managed. In short, by about noon today, it looked as though the main project, of several not-wholly-comfortably-overlapping projects, was a mass civil disobedience which would see the building evacuated, the activists not much worse for the experience, Walker's legal authority challenged and scrutinized, and his reality as a would-be dictator put into real perspective.
At about 1:30 I met up on the second floor with a fellow named Trevor who I expect will be friended here in a day or two. I had crashed next to him last night, given him a tarot reading and agreed to crash him at my domicile if worse came to worse for him--in short, we agreed we had each others' backs when we went down to the ground floor at 3 for the meeting that would count down to face-off hour. What did we get? Well, now...
So, to conclude, there were a lot of impassioned speeches, many for not giving up our house--which wasn't my reason for opting for arrest, indeed, AI knew we could not resist the police if it came to an encounter, that civil disobedience was really a way to shape the meaning of our exit---but there was talk of staying. It had a tone in it I did not like at points, to be honest, the greatest doubts I had had so far--but I felt that such things could be sorted out the next day, as I have a lot more confidence in the community that has grown up in the occupation than only one variance of vision.
Then Representative Brett Halsey got up, making it clear that he spoke for other Assembly persons. He said that at 4 he was going to make one of the most difficult decisions of his life, which was to walk out the door at 4, and he was asking others to do the same, to return to work the next day, as could the protesters. Our posters would be safely gathered by staffers of the Historical Society for rehanging and, when the job is done, for permanent preservation. He stated that what we had achieved we had achieved by peaceful means and if civil disobedience went badly, we could lose a lot of that.
I must record for the record that he was barely able, from some quarters, to speak. I was saddened by that. I realized that we had enough momentum that while we had to return to the building, we would continue to gain strength in our movement whether or not we were occupying the building the day Walker is eventually recalled...but more than anything, I realized that I had to stand by Representative Halsey, since he had been nearly shouted down, from within our community. had I thought there would be a lack of people engaging in CD I might have decided to stay that course--but I knew that would continue without me--and leaders of the community did what they could do to address the anger in the room while holding to their own option to stay. So I knew I could do nothing there that wouldn't be done. I decided to walk at 4 and I told Trevor I would. He was undecided and I had ended up in a different part of the crowd when the hour arrived. I was very surprised to see Mark Christie just behind me as I entered the State Street corridor--I knew he might attend but I had not expected timing quite so tight, especially as I had not seen him in the crowd. So what happened next--now we will get to the unexpected outcome.
Upon hitting the air, I got some much-needed gatorade and pizza where Ian's had a stand set up, running into first Tim Morgan and then Jim Shankman in close order. After a time, there was a huge cheer at the Hamilton street exit--we wondered what had happened, and I had to try to find a way to determined whether Trevor had exited the building of not, as I had promised him lodging.
There was already a human ring formed up around the Capitol so that no-one could be smuggled out by law enforcement unobserved--in circumnavigating the building, I looked up into Governor Walkers now-occupied and lit office--and he was pacing around. I took the trouble to wane at his three windows while I passed and people shouted up at him--best he get used to it while he is yet so employed.
Finally, I saw people who knew Trevor who had exited the building---Trevor was inside. I found a couple of Sheriff Department members who were orbiting the building and asked them exactly what the status of things was: and I learned: they had determined that there were no violations, had had decided to let people stay the night, contrary to the orders or request they had received from Governor Walker.
I could never have foreseen that he had not bothered to get sufficient legal advice to time his prerogative appropriately, but that seems to be the case--so this is NOT just about turf, or allowed ground--it is not even about his inability to maneuver rightly to get his end, or especially not about that---it is really about the fact that once again, he doesn't know where his rightful authority begins and ends. That is all this has ever been about and anyone on any side of this thing who does not understand that, has never understood anything about this thing. Let the world see this for what it means, especially if you read this and the media is not getting this out there--as soon as it can be sourced everyone who understands the significance of this story needs to see it told where it is not told.
But I am not done.
Mark overheard that upon arrival, some of the sheriffs took off their uniforms and joined the protestors. This has a lot to do with why there were no arrests made. We knew that a few non-uniformed officers were present to be arrested--but not this--it is the only rumor or statement (I count what the labor leaders and the lawyers with a lot more weight than the rumors that have always been so thick)
Now you see why I needed everyone to read this all the way through. I have maintained throughout the accounts I have given that there is a genuine revolution going on here, one that the police have been a part of from the beginning, though I never guessed how quickly they would go as far as this. I will want to be able to source this before I say that I know 100% but it seems to be the case.
If you don't get it yet then history is about to leave you behind: it is not just a sleepover in a marble building. The drums and the pizza bought from around the world, even the level of respect and organization that have been the muscle of this community, and the resonant response and response around America and the world that makes it a movement-- are not the end statement of what is going on here.
Even if tomorrow's news qualifies some of the details about what I know to essentially be true, it will lead to the same conclusion:
The revolution has begun."