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Did you Know There’s Still an Active Anti-Scott Walker Protest Group in Wisconsin?

Nov. 24, 2012 5:10pm Becket Adams

Solidarity Singers Refuse to End Protests Against Gov. Scott Walker, Insist on Singing for Change

Gov. Scott Walker (AP)

Every weekday as the clock strikes noon, demonstrators pass out songbooks inside the Wisconsin Capitol. Office workers who know what’s coming scramble to close their doors, and several police officers take up watch from a distance.

Then the group begins to sing, the voices echoing throughout the cavernous rotunda. The first song might include the lyrics, “Hit the road, Scott, and don’t you come back no more.” The next tune could say, “We’ll keep singing ‘til justice is done. We’re not going away, oh Scotty.”

Most of the protesters who hounded Gov. Scott Walker for his collective-bargaining law got on with their lives long ago.

But not this group.

Despite knowing full well that their time-consuming, union-backed attack on Gov. Walker ended in expensive failure, they still gather every day to needle the state’s leading Republican — a tactic they promise to continue even as supporters suggest there are more effective ways to influence politics.

“We’re not just protesting,” said Brandon Barwick, a 28-year-old student and musician who is the unofficial leader of the sing-along. “We’re advocating for a way of governing, a way of living that preserves our freedoms, our rights.”

The Solidarity Singers (not a fake title) simply won’t accept defeat.

“Walker’s attack on Wisconsin workers was so severe,” Barwick said, “that he deserves constant reminders of the damage he caused.”

Their efforts might seem puzzling. Protests generally persist only as long as there’s a chance to bring change. It can be hard to sustain that energy when there’s no clear goal (see Occupy Movement).

State Sen. Fred Risser, the nation’s longest-serving state lawmaker, is no stranger to protests. The 85-year-old Democrat, who was first elected in 1956, remembers when a Milwaukee priest and “welfare mothers” took over the state Assembly chamber in 1969 to protest proposed welfare cuts. Risser also recalls violent clashes between Madison police and Vietnam War protesters.

The confrontations of the past make him grateful that the Solidarity Singers are nonviolent. But he doubted their singing would make a difference.

In this Sept. 7, 2012 photo, dozens of singers gather in the state Capitol rotunda for the 455th consecutive Solidarity sing along in the wake of a crackdown on protests without a permit by new Capitol Police Chief David Erwin. Most of the demonstrations against Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker ended a long time ago. But every weekday at noon, a few dozen people still gather inside the state Capitol and sing protest songs for an hour. (AP Photo/Wisconsin State Journal, John Hart)

“I don’t know of any legislators who are changing their views because of that,” Risser said. “If their goal is to change the law, that’s not going to happen. But I think their goal is to express concern, to have the feeling of participating in peaceful demonstrations.”

Gov. Walker said the move to limit collective bargaining was necessary to fix the state’s $3.6 billion deficit. Democrats took it as a direct assault on unions, one of their core constituencies. Democrats responded by organizing a series of recalls efforts, including one targeting Walker. When the governor cruised to an easy victory, though, most opponents accepted their fate and went home.

But not the Capitol singers. Anywhere from 25 to 50 people — usually a handful of students (of course) joined by mostly middle-aged or retired people — still gather every day to sing protest songs for an hour.

Police initially reacted with a hands-off approach, arresting only a handful of belligerent protesters loosely associated with the group. However, the new Capitol police chief has begun cracking down by issuing scores of citations to group leaders, largely for failure to obtain a permit (but most likely because he’s had a large dosage of “I’m annoyed”).

Department of Administration spokeswoman Stephanie Marquis said virtually every other group that uses the Capitol has complied with the permit policy. She said the agency couldn’t make an exception for the singers.

But Barwick and others refuse, saying they shouldn’t need the government’s permission to protest the government.

On a recent day, Barwick led about 50 people in song, singing selections that included “When We Make Peace,” sung to the tune of “When the Saints Go Marching In,” and “Scotty, We’re Comin’ for You.”

Kathryn Schulze wears a message written on tape over her mouth inside the state Capitol Monday, Feb. 21, 2011, in Madison, Wis. (AP)

Some people who work in the Capitol call the singing an unwelcome distraction that can be heard even through a closed door. And some protesters have been arrested for screaming at employees. One protester regularly stood outside the Capitol press room, berating reporters and shouting insults about one reporter’s recently deceased father.

Barwick, who says his group doesn’t condone that sort of activity, said he can’t control fringe participants who engage in harassing or criminal behavior.

State Sen. Robert Jauch, a 66-year-old Democrat, defends the singers’ music as “the sweet sound of democracy.” He said he too remembered the civil rights movement and anti-war movements of the 1960s and ‘70s, and how songs of those eras helped people sustain their causes.

But Republican state Rep. Stephen Nass said the singers have worn out their welcome with the endless noise.

“They come in and take over the rotunda and argue that it’s free speech,” he said. “But when they’re disrupting visitors and school groups, that’s not free speech. They should have to adhere to the same rules as everyone else.”

Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter

The Associated Press contributed to this report. All photos courtesy the AP.

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Comments (54)

legsquats
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 6:48am
We’re not just protesting,” said Brandon Barwick, a 28-year-old student and musician who is the unofficial leader of the sing-along. “We’re advocating for a way of governing, a way of living that preserves our freedoms, our rights.” A 28 year old student and musician…who has time to go to the capital every weekday and sing at noon. It looks like we have a male Sandra Fluke!

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- just the facts
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 10:19am
  They’ll wake up one morning and the reality will hit them that their time has way past. And, they’ll wake up some morning and not remember what they were protesting. These people are sad.
  
  Report this comment
grayling646
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:43am
Hopefully, the girl wearing the tape will start a trend.

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- Scooby_Do
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 6:43am
  The unions know their days are numbered and eventually their members will have to work real jobs like the rest of us. Read fresh political commentary at: http://smallcraftadvisorychronicles.blogspot.com/
  
  Report this comment
JACKTHETOAD
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:10am
There’s one in Michigan too. It’s called Dearborn.

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PJ3
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:10am
These people have no sanity. No common sense. No grasp of reality.

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- TurboCat
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 5:43am
  Stalking and harassment.
  
  Report this comment
FANGS
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:52pm
It’s simply amazing that after what obama and the teachers and the unions have done to wisconsin that these parasites still exist. They will most definately be the target of some unemployed person who’s lost everything. They havn’t suffered. they don’t work. they don’t have family’s. they don’t have lives.Something will cause someone to snap in Madison and these Parasites will become Blood splatter.

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FANGS
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:40pm
These teachers and their unions got billions of our tax dollars from stimulous. While the rest of us got nothing. and then they go insane just to kick in 5% on their own pension. It’s a Miracle someone didn’t go postal on the whole bunch. Thats exactally why no Taxpayers never showed up there. We would have brought arms and a whole lot of ammo. Keep pissiong us off. Keep it up. It’s only a matter of time. And everyone knows it.

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- Oldphoto678
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 7:02am
  Noone cares if it’s pi$$ing you off. You and your ilk don’t matter anymore.
  
  Report this comment
Ruprecht
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 10:44pm
Being just 25 minutes away from the center of Madison, I’ve thought often of taking my daughter down to the capitol, but refuse to allow myself to get into it with this bunch. Turns my stomach what the universities are doing to many of our kids. Couple that with the 60′s maggots mixed in with them (you know; the people who are running and ruining most of our schools; and governments for that matter) and it’s a really toxic stew.

I’ve often thought how ironic that our greatest generation spawned our worst. You 60-year-olds know which ones you are.

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HappyConservative
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 9:33pm
The Republican party is dead. What would have revived it is if Barry follows through on all of his “promises” to fundamentally change America and bankrupt our country and have riots in the strets like Europe.. But by then who cares?
America will be dead and both parties villified. Winning this election was our only hope. Now it’s all lost to the commie demoncrats. I will go down fighting and sharing my thoughts on this commie president. I will NOT COMPLY.

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wthtamfm
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 9:05pm
Can you IMAGINE the stink that would result if there was an active anti-Obama group of the same nature? Investigations, probes – oh, the things that would occur.

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conservatype
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:48pm
Let’s all chip in and procure some psychotropic drugs for these poor, mentally ill nutburgers…….

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- rickc34
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:28pm
  These poor mentally ill children. I mean their parents hearts just must be breaking. Have any of them had a real job and contributed to society or do they still live at home and let their parents pay for everything?
  
  Report this comment
progressiveslayer
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:38pm
Dora you’re making an assumption that walmart employees need welfare or it just fits your leftist agenda. For arguments sake even if your claim is true what business is it for government to provide welfare to anyone? They have no constitutional authority to do so yet we allow them to waste our money.
All forms of welfare are immoral and shouldn’t exist in the first place,that’s why we have churches and private charities.

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The-Monk
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:24pm
If Kathryn Schulze wants to heal the World she might want to start with taking a shower.

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- progressiveslayer
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:34pm
  It’s so bad I can smell it through my screen,we need an effective spray to deal with the collectivists,something that will eliminate them from society.
  
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ares338
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:23pm
I hope these people didn’t have any kids…LOL.

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338lapua
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 6:32pm
For anyone who has never visited Madison,Wi. (Moscow on Monona), this is completely normal. People there have little or nothing to do. They are either students or government workers. They smoke WAY WAY WAY too much pot. And they think themselves relevant. The capitol got a new police chief, I can only think that Walker just doesn’t find their antics anything more than pathetic. Any comment encinom???(AKA pink dress guy).

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thibx
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 6:29pm
these are people who want to take from tax payers to line their own pockets.

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Patriot Z
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 6:16pm
lmao what a bunch of socialist loosers. seriously thats all libs have they can sing, chant, disrupt. but they have no logical argument…especially with Gov walker and the great results he is getting. thats why they have to use stupid kids and old hippies. i think PRO walker group should get together, get the permit, and then out sing these morons with pro freedom and anti statis songs. try it..nothing as fun as making a inferior hippie cry!

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sparkyrules
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 6:05pm
If these Solidarity Suckers would take a bath and lay off the dope,they might find something useful to do in their pathetic lives.
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/us/article/Singers-continue-long-Wis-tradition-of-protest-4063506.php

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progressiveslayer
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 5:46pm
N.Korea = communism ie progressives death cult and it’s the modern democrat party in the U.S and this is the preferred ideology of the Marxist regime currently ruling us.

S.Korea = capitalism,free markets and relative freedom,look at a satellite image of both countries and see for yourself.

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- KingDork
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 6:03pm
  Such a contrast isn’t it? It isn’t hard to see how much better lives are with a capitalist system vs a communist one. You have to be deep in ignorance to not see it.
  
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henryKnox
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 5:28pm
These are spoiled children and are of very little use to anyone. I’ve concluded after years of trying to educate such people that there isn’t any logic that can penetrate the hate that they have built into them. It is going to take something very shattering to make the scales fall from their eyes and allow them to see the truth. It is a waste of time to even talk to them, they are lost sheep.

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- PatriotSunDevil
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:49am
  I agree Henry. It is a waste of precious effort and time to talk to these idiots. I have gotten to the point where talking is futile and I just tell them to shut the hell up. It is sad where our country is going.
  
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OlefromMN
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 5:26pm
Just imagine if they put the same effort towards finding gainful employment and implemented that same tenacity in their work.

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progressiveslayer
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 5:25pm
The union cockroaches are hard to get rid of huh? Maybe the next depression will eliminate the vermin once and for all and we can have a free competitive labor market void of union monopolies.

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- charles116
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:08pm
  Hon, Walmart employees work – and still need welfare.
  What’s your point.
  Walmart Human Services Dept. Supplies booklets on how to milk the government.
  Walmart’s is the Republican view of how America’s employers should function =
  the ‘job creators’ take the profits’ and the taxpayers end up supporting eachother.
  Count your lucky stars Romney lost.
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:25pm
  Hi Dora,
  “Walmart Human Services Dept. Supplies booklets on how to milk the government.”
  
  You got a link to that? I’d like to read it. TIA
  
  Report this comment
- progressiveslayer
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:02pm
  progressiveslayer
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:38pm
  
  Dora you’re making an assumption that walmart employees need welfare or it just fits your leftist agenda. For arguments sake even if your claim is true what business is it for government to provide welfare to anyone? They have no constitutional authority to do so yet we allow them to waste our money.
  All forms of welfare are immoral and shouldn’t exist in the first place,that’s why we have churches and private charities.
  
  Report this comment
Detroit paperboy
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 5:25pm
Yeah, just keep looting the taxpayers and small business owners to keep your bloated pensions and retirement packages rolling in…………….who cares if your bankrupting the private sector……….

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neverending
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 5:21pm
28 year old student and musician says it all. And we think it is possible to get America back on track? Guess we better think again. These worthless morons I fear way outnumber the everyday hard working American. So sad and really depressing.

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 5:33pm
  NEVERENDING, Its not as bad as it may seem at times. There was enough of the electorate to keep him in office. Funny how the left there just cannot take the advice of our left wing trolls here. You know, its how they keep spouting off how they won and we lost so we should just get over it and kowtow to them. Yeah, like that will ever happen either way.
  
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- progressiveslayer
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 5:37pm
  Progressives want children to be children for life,they want the government to raise them from cradle to grave and the day of reckoning is fast approaching and we’ll all pay,dearly.The only use for unions is to artificially raise the cost of everything because of their monopoly on the labor market.
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR5zlzH2ujQ
  
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- Mudd
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 6:33pm
  You both make good points, Walker won the recall election with ease but Obama took Wisconsin as well. As for the left taking their own advice and just giving up, they know a good idea when they hear it but it’s rooted too deeply in reality for them to actually do it themselves.
  
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DZ-015
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 5:20pm
Isn’t disturbing the peace a crime in Wisconsin?

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ZAP
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 5:19pm
Send Muslims in to behead them….

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- CHROME_PLATED_HEART
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:16am
  So THAT’S where the owsers went. I checked my vacuum bag the other day, and I couldn’t find a single one. I’ll bet they’re the spawn of schoolteachers.
  
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