Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Of Walker's Hubris and Hypocrisy and Right Wing Hatred

This morning, instead of acting gubernatorial and doing things that would actually create jobs and fix our state's economy, Scott Walker fell into his old ways whenever he got into trouble as Milwaukee County Executive.  He went running to Charlie Sykes.

He whined and mewled to Sykes about how mean it was that the people wanted to take their state back from the special interests and the corporations that he sold it to.  

He also expressed indignant outrage that those very same people who had the audacity to want to be independent and free from corporate serfdom were going to have a protest at his personal home. He and Sykes kept trying to say it was "crossing the line."

Keep in mind that even the conservative Supreme Court of the United States said that it is perfectly fine for people to use the public streets and is "traditional public fora."

But there was no protest and the event that was in his neighborhood wasn't focused on his home.  The event was a petition signing rally which happened to be in his neighborhood because his very own neighbors are so disgusted with his overreach, his tyrannical ways and his attacks on the working people of Wisconsin, that they volunteered their yards, not Walker's, as a collection site.

And thousands of people took them up on their very generous offer.

It's shameful that Walker feels he somehow has the right to tell his neighbors what they can and cannot do in their own homes and their own yards.  That isn't the behavior of a responsible elected official.  That is the behavior of a petulant, insecure bully-boy petty despot.  It is also a show of undeserved hubris.

And not only his his faux outrage an act of great hubris, it is also a fine showing of hypocrisy.  He is whining because people are going near his house when his maleficent actions are causing many people to take staggering hits to their income, if not losing their jobs altogether, and putting their own homes at risk of being lost.

While I was not at the rally personally, I had many friend who were there, both as signature collectors and as petition signers.  

By all accounts, the recall rally-goers were peaceful and respectful.  Even though there was a strong presence by Wauwatosa's finest, it was the rally-goers who policed themselves.  If someone started to get too loud or too boisterous, others nearby would remind them of the expectations and they would quickly calm down.

And not only was it peaceful, it was very popular.  Reports from observers indicate that many people saw the rally at the five o'clock news and headed straight there to put their names on a petition.  Not only did these people spontaneously partake of the event, but many people who were simply driving by would stop their cars and quickly sign a petition before carrying on with their activities.

In fact, the only negative to the event, besides Walker's faux outrage, came from Walker supporters.  They were the ones shouting and jeering the rally-goers in hopes of getting a reaction that would make the ten o'clock news.  One small group of Walker-loving thugs went so far as telling an elderly man that they hoped he stroked out before he had a chance to sign a petition.  The man was reportedly fit to be tied and besides himself in rage at their cruel remarks, but with the support and love of his fellow rally-goers, calmed himself down and took his revenge by proudly signing a petition.

It's not very difficult to pick a side to stand with.  

On one hand, you have a group of people who, despite their great numbers, kept the respect for the local residents and kept the noise down.  Despite the Republicans continuous acts of gerrymandering and otherwise tampering with our democratic process, the recallers kept following the law of the day and expressed their smoldering anger at Walker's misdeeds in a proper manner and to reclaim their rights and their state back.

On the other hand, you have a handful of emotionally-stunted thugs who know no limits to their inappropriateness and were trying everything they could to intimidate and/or provoke the recallers to follow their disgusting and immature antics.  And the only reason they are doing this is a anger which stems from lack of understanding, their fear and their irrational hatred.


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