Know the only thing we did right
was the day we started to fight
Keep your eyes on the prize
Hold on, hold on.
The only chain that we can stand
is the chain of hand in hand
Keep your eyes on the prize
Hold on, hold on.
I just got home from celebrating the 350th sing along of Wisconsin's Solidarity Singers at the Majestic Theatre in Madison. It was a a night of music, dancing, shouting (er, singing) and solidarity. This spring the Solidarity Sing Along received the William Gorham Rice Civil Libertarian of the Year Award “for the expression of the First Amendment rights of free speech and freedom of assembly” from the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin. The ability to combine fun with action is one of the hallmarks of the Wisconsin Uprising and one of the reasons events have been so peaceful. And no one does it better than the Solidarity Singers.
Technically we were celebrating the release of the Solidarity Sing Along CD —“This Is What Democracy Sounds Like” — but they haven't arrived. So we sang along with musical guide R. Chris Reeder (below in blue shirt on the stage last night), The Learning Curve Band and lots of other musicians whose music and lyrics have become part of the Wisconsin Uprising! I am hoarse from participating in unforgettable 70s punk/gospel versions of "People Get Ready" and "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" led by the VO5 Band all dressed in gold, glitter, wigs and whatnot and lots of Badger Red. A consumate Wisconsin moment.
The evening brought home to me once again how life in Wisconsin has changed. Here it is Thursday night and I'm downtown with a politcal/gardening friend. We're hanging out in a historic Madison theater-turned-music club actually paying money to sing along with a crowd of unknown-to-us fellow citizens. For two hours we joined in on dozens of labor songs and classic tunes that have been re-fashioned to comment on our state's current crisis in democracy. The joint was packed and still jumpin' when my friend Cindy and I left, our voices and ears barely intact. (You can watch livestreaming of the event here).

Further east, another historic Madison theater was hosting a film that is deeply relevant to what's happening in our state and probably yours. The film — "Koch Brothers Exposed" — will be repeated Friday night, along with great local speakers. I am buying a copy of the Koch Brothers DVD and plan to have a house party where friends can gather to watch the movie (and drink Wisconsin craft beer) and have our own discussion. And then I can pass the DVD around to other friends so they can have their own Koch parties.
This Saturday, April 28, the local version of the protest against the GOP war on women takes place from 1-3 p.m. on the South Hamilton side of the Capitol. (You can find details here). In Wisconsin, this is really just one more step in the process to recall Gov. Scott Walker, and just one more reason that Walker has to go.
Thursday night, Saturday afternoon. Whatever the day, whatever the time, whatever the weather, life in Wisconsin continues as it has for the past 14 months: Protesting, politicking, learning, going to the movies, singing, celebrating — all the while keeping our eyes on the prize.
