We Protest!

I apologize for my long silence, Hatkateers - I was home sick with a cold the last few days.  It was not an ideal time to be sick since my boss probably figured I was either enjoying the beautiful weather or was hanging around down at the Capitol protesting.  I was actually downtown today, since our church is just a few blocks from the Capitol, and it was CRAZY!!  There are people everywhere, and planes and helicopters flying around and around the Square.  I got together with my ladies for coffee and then a rosary, and then when Richard Bonomo got done with what he calls without fail "Teaching Cataclysm," we grabbed a bite to eat and watched the protesters migrating up and down the street.  I feel like I should be out there with them, but I haven't had a chance yet.  Maybe later today, or tomorrow.  Anyway, Rich and I noticed a number of signs:

"Still mad about the train!"
"Help!  We're being oppressed!"
"If you can read this, thank a teacher!"
"I want a pony!"  (Yeah, me too, but how is that relevant?)
"Governor Walker, the world is watching you!"  (Please.  Are we more interesting than Cairo?)

This has been going on since Tuesday, but Tuesday I had my Date Night with Jesus and then another date with Aquinas... to do my taxes.  I did drive Hardingfele and Rockstar Tailor downtown for the protest.  Wednesday Rockstar Tailor (who is very civically minded for being ten) wanted to go again, and I was all set to join them... and then I started to feel rotten at work.  No big shock, I always get a cold when the weather suddenly warms up.  Anyway, this protest shows no sign of abating, so I should get a chance to join now that I am feeling a little more over the weather.  It should get interesting; right now the Democratic senators have all fled the state so that there cannot be a vote on this bill, which would decimate our collective bargaining rights as state workers.  Well...  There are a lot of state workers in town (including yours truly), and as you can imagine, this has gone over about as well as if the governor had announced we were all going to work for free.  (Not yet, but he's working his way there.)  He wants to get our benefits "in line with the private sector."  But not our salaries?  They're only 11% below the average in the private sector but see, that was OK because we had good benefits...

Famous Hat