March 27, 2012

One year ago at the Wisconsin protests: "Shame, shame, shame... Where is the shame?"

"Is it in wearing a gray hoodie under a tailored blazer, a little black derby hat, and a smelled-a-fart expression while carrying a pre-printed 'SHAME' sign when the guy marching after you is wearing a windbreaker and carrying a handmade 'TAX the RICH' sign?"
Is it in carrying a 3D representation of the governor's bare ass while being followed by a blanketed-up old woman in a wheelchair against whom is propped a gigantic "SHAME" sign?

Is it in wheeling around an old woman against whom is propped a gigantic "SHAME" sign and sticking mylar pinwheels into her blankets?

Is it in marching — while holding, instead of sign, a take-out coffee — while a woman holds up a "SHAME!" sign and you (apparently) supervise a child who is bearing a handmade "InaPPropriate Boob" sign which depicts (presumably) Scott Walker being directed toward a blazing fire.
Where is the shame? Is it in my photography and my questions? Should I be ashamed to see alternate meanings in the "SHAME" signs the Wisconsin protesters display proudly?

19 comments:

Lawyer Mom said...

Speaking of shame, don't forget the shame of the ETS, which is now requiring students who sit for the SAT to produce a photo ID. I had to produce my DL today when I got my car inspected and I felt so very, very disenfranchised. Speaking of, did you know you can't adopt a pet w/o producing a photo ID? For shame, for shame.

Eli Blake said...

The post seems to imply that the old lady was an unwilling (possibly not even self-aware i.e. the pinwheel remark) stooge who was manipulated into doing this.

In fact, given how much effort it would take to physically move someone in a wheelchair to a protest site and include them by the efforts of others that seems unlikely.

People who are mobility impared (elderly or otherwise) are NOT STUPID or unaware of what is going on with them! Very likely she VOLUNTEERED to do this, and if the pinwheels weren't her idea (which I'm guessing they were) then she certainly approved of them.

leslyn said...

Simon said... "How much longer is this going to go on?" (10:57 a.m.)

Good question. It's a year old. So I guess it will go on as long as Althouse feels like indulging herself.

Dust Bunny: Get off the "no previous concessions" rant, already. You're deluding yourself and misleading others.

All y'all paternalists: What's your problem with Grandma in a wheelchair? Does she look like she was kidnapped? Who are you to decide what she should do or how she should look? I hope I have just as much fun and want to be just as much involved at her age.

Althouse: loved the pics. Love being from Wisconsin.

Other staties: Please go somewhere else and talk about something else. It's annoying when you pontificate.

leslyn said...
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leslyn said...

Simon said... "How much longer is this going to go on?" (10:57 a.m.)

Good question. It's a year old.

All y'all paternalists: What's your problem with Grandma in a wheelchair? Does she look like she was kidnapped? I hope I have just as much fun and want to be just as much involved at her age.

Althouse: loved the pics. Love being from Wisconsin.

edutcher said...

As always, when the Lefties yell, "Shame" (Teddy Kennedy loved to), it usually applies more to them.

Toad Trend said...

edutcher

I was going to raise the lefty projection specter yet again but I see you are on top of it.

Or, perhaps its more about wanting what you don't have.

Aridog said...

Eli Blake ...said: she certainly approved of them.

How on earth can you possibly know that or the other things you assert?

Do you believe that the young child walking with a sign between two adults in the 4th photo is fully aware, and "approves", of what is his/her sign is about some one going to hell fires is appropriate?

There just are people who cannot resit cameras and attention who also drag their dependents with them.

KCFleming said...

Nothing says SHAME as much as mylar pinwheels.

purplepenquin said...

A year later and Althouse still has had only one post about how shameful some of the AntiUnion crowd has behaved. (I say "some", because unlike our hostess I don't beleive in judging an entire group based on the actions of a few individuals.)

Nothing was reported by MeadeMedia about recall volunteers getting spit on; nothing at all has been said about the death threats the teachers and other workers have received; no posts about the rocks being thrown store windows that have ProUnion signs displayed....not even the violent threats in this very forum against union members are worthy of an actual post.

The real "shame" is that many people... including herself...beleives that Althouse is "neutral" in her coverage of these events.

X said...

28 years ago today, the Maryland legislature passed legislation to steal the Baltimore Colts from Robert Irsay. The Colts were gone to Indiana before midnight. No lessons were learned by the government class.

leslyn said...

@purplepenquin:

I don't think those crying "shame" in this forum think Althouse is neutral. If they believed that they'd go somewhere else.

That said, your other points are well-taken.

For what, in this forum, that's worth.

leslyn said...

Nothing says FUN like Mylar pinwheels.

Meade said...

leslyn said...

"For what, in this forum, that's worth."

So why do you even bother to come here, leslyn? Serious question.

Peter said...

Bottom line: Unions and unionists have no shame.

Did anyone ever think they did?

It's all about, "Gimme mine." By any means necessary. How could it be otherwise?

leslyn said...

@Meade: I'm bored. And sometimes it's almost entertaining to watch other people beat each other up. It's kind of like watching anthropology at work. But then I get saddened by that and leave for a bit. And then every once in a while I get interested in something, like stick shifts.

It's also been an interesting personal exercise in understanding my...capacities. Earlier, I indulged more of my character defects. Now, this is good practice for me to be direct from time to time, but try to avoid zinging people. I don't always succeed, but you help me build character! My statements are becoming more transparent. For instance, when I say I enjoyed the pictures, I simply enjoyed the pictures. I'm not being sarcastic or sardonic, even if some don't recognize that.

So, thanks for asking, Meade. Serious answer.

shiloh said...

"So, thanks for asking, Meade. Serious answer."

Meade must be speechless.

Althouse is 100% anti-Obama and 100% smitten w/mittens so I come here for conservative consistency albeit redundant.

Having begun my political posting career, back in the day, in a heavily dominated liberal blog, it's interesting watching the pack mentality of a heavily conservative blog.

As always, it's much more fun/interesting being a liberal.

leslyn said...
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leslyn said...

One year ago at the Wisconsin protests: "Woe, woe, woe! ...Where is the sense of humor?"

I love Wisconsin. I love this cheesy state, with it's families out for a protest, grandma with Mylar pinwheels, and butts paraded through the streets. (It's apparently ok on this blog to call someone a butthead, or worse, every day--but NOT ok to put one on a sign carried in the street. Or does that merely depend on whose ox is being gored?)

I love stupid Finnlander jokes where the punchline invariably works against the teller (you're probably too sophisticated for that in Madison, but Up North we don't CARE.)

I love celebrating "St. Urho's Day" BEFORE St. Patrick's Day, with joketelling, outhouse races, beard contests, potluck, and proclamations in the middle of Hwy 2.

I love Halloween on University Ave. I love zombie protests. I love the persistence and irreverence of the Solidarity Singers. I love the UW magazine.

I love tractorcades. I love Segways. I love passion and the determination to exercise rights even if other people pout. I love Girl Scout cookies sold by girls, boys, moms and dads.

I love fathers who put their little ones on their shoulders so they can see the parades OR politicians. Maybe we should rename Wisconsin the"State of Big Shoulders." Chicago seems to have given up the title.

Well, it's late and I suppose that's enough. Except to say ...and I Love the Green Bay Packers.