March 9, 2011 in Wisconsin

Long time, no talkee.

Sorry. I've been rescuing Dobermans and working to improve as a artist in polymer clay. If anyone wants to see my work, I can post an image or two, but that's another world, really.

So much of note I've ignored here, or missed. Maybe others can do it, but I can't stay fixated on, mired day in and day out in, politics. If I try, I lose perspective. And yet, of course, I can't be unaware, any more than I can unsee a brutal car accident I've just driven past. The thing is, though, there's no driving past, or out of, one's historical time and place. I merely avert my eyes for a moment, aware of the obscenity of privilege.

So the Republicans in Wisconsin have offered us a moment of particular import tonight. In one fell swoop, they've stripped the public sector of the right to pursue collective bargaining, and said outright that the purpose is to try to de-fund the Wisconsin Democratic Party and thus weaken the Obama campaign in 2012.

If I've got this right, Republicans -- not just in Wisconsin -- are actively creating a one-party state (nation) and a disarmed middle and working class. I believe this is called fascism.

I'm reminded of Martin Niemoller's famous confession.

Do we need an engraved announcement?