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Related: About this forumWisconsin Capitol Police Just Keep Arresting Everyone (and great singing)
US citizens exercising their State and their Federal rights.. and get arrested for it.
the more of these video's the more we learn some great songs.
Published on Aug 13, 2013
The Capitol Police continue their crackdown on dissent. They even clap along!
UPDATE: More than 110 different people have now been arrested at the Solidarity Sing Along in less than three weeks. These arrests are ludicrous and have got to stop. People being handcuffed for singing? Please visit www.solidaritysingalong.org for more information.
and those arrested can use a little cash for the citations and arrests.
http://solidaritysingalong.org/
Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)annm4peace
(6,119 posts)How many Veterans have to be arrested for it to make the News?
Maybe a dozen isn't enough, or two dozen.. maybe it will take 100. I think we are 1/3rd the way there.
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Veteran for Peace members Steve Books and Norman R. Aulabaugh being told they would be arrested if they observed the Solidarity Sing Along at the State Capitol. Photo: Rebecca Kemble
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[The following letter was written by Veterans for Peace Member Norman R. Aulabaugh concerning his experiences at the Capitol during the Veterans for Peace convention last week. The author was a Lieutenant in the US Navy during the war in Vietnam and also challenged Paul Ryan for his congressional seat. -Editors]
Veteran for Peace members Steve Books and Norman R. Aulabaugh being told they would be arrested if they observed the Solidarity Sing Along at the State Capitol. Photo: Rebecca Kemble
August 12, 2013
Senator Tim Cullen
PO Box 7882
Madison, WI 53707-7882
Dear Senator Cullen:
I spent last week in Madison at the Veterans for Peace National Convention. I had some free time at noon on Wednesday, August 7 and went over to the Capitol Building. I was on the first floor balcony observing the Solidarity Singers when three police officers came up behind me and stated I must leave the building or I would be arrested. They didnt say I would be subject to arrest, they said with a lot of certainty that I would be arrested if I did not leave the building. I left.
We had 320 veterans at our convention. Many of these people shared my experience and a few were arrested. I believe all who were arrested were actually singing. Many of the veterans were shocked at what was happening at the capitol. They thought Wisconsin was a progressive state that had a proud tradition of protecting our freedoms. Unfortunately, the word is had a proud tradition; that tradition is gone now and what we all observed at the Capitol was more akin to a police state than it was a functioning democracy.
Senator Cullen, I am embarrassed and greatly disturbed at what is being done by the Capitol Police. Being told I had to leave the building even though I was just observing the singers was an outrage. I believe this policy has changed, but even if it has, the whole idea of attacking our freedom to assemble, our right to free speech and our right to observe happenings in a public building is frightening. For every veteran who has served this country and especially to those who gave their lives to protect our freedoms, what is happening in Wisconsin is horrible.
If you have any questions, please contact me.
Sincerely,
Norman R. Aulabaugh
Cc/Janis Ringhand, Gov. Walker, Chief Erwin
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Maybe we can write Senator Cullen also and Gov Walker and let them know it is shameful they arrested people exercising their rights and especially shameful they arrest and abuse Veterans.
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annm4peace
(6,119 posts)As many of you know, more than 200 arrests have been made at the Solidarity Sing Along over the last three weeks. Most of the citations that people are receiving upon being arrested for singing are for $200.50.
Please do not feel obligated, however if you are willing and able to help support our cause, you can do so by donating to the First Amendment Protection Fund, either by mail or online. No donation is too small. No donation is too large. I want to sincerely thank you for everything, you guys. We really appreciate all the generous support you've given us over the last two and a half years. And we are not going to stop singing anytime soon, that is for sure.
We have the right to petition the government and so do you. The way we petition the government is by singing. A right is something that is granted to you and is never to be taken away from you, but unfortunately the current administration does not care about people's rights, the law, and the Constitution. They've been misusing and abusing their privileges since day #1, and so we keep showing up every single weekday to let them know how we feel.
So even if you aren't able to join us at the Capitol, please know that we're singing for you, and you're with us in spirit. Also, please let us know if there's ever anything we can do for you. The SSA community is like one giant family, and an injury to one is an injury to all, so we are here for you, and here for each other, at all times. Here's the mailing address to the First Amendment Protection Fund, followed by the website. Solidarity forever, everyone!
First Amendment Protection Fund
c/o Steve Gotcher
P.O. Box 3141
Madison, WI 53704
www.solidaritysingalong.org
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then i saw this on their facebook site.
Is there a separate fund to make more songbooks, since the cops are confiscating them as evidence?
Indeed. Here's our mailing address. Checks can be made out to: Solidarity Sing Along... Solidarity Sing Along, P.O. Box 1392, Madison, WI 53701...Thanks!
annm4peace
(6,119 posts)As a constitutional lawyer, I must correct one thing: One of the ways our constitution is unique, is that it recognizes that ALL of the power and rights reside with the people; the constituion reflects what powers and rights the PEOPLE give to its government. Other constitutions talk about rights granted by the government, to the people. Ours recognizes that it's the PEOPLE who control what the government's powers are. That's is a VERY important difference that is often overlooked by most citizens. So, to say that these first amendment rights were 'granted' to us is not accurate. The Bill of Rights further reflects the PEOPLES' desire to limit what its government can do.
Scuba
(53,475 posts)Divernan
(15,480 posts)This was just posted tonight, by my old neighbor/classmate who has been demonstrating at Madison for over a year now.
http://occupyriverwest.com/us/basement-singalong
Madison, WI - Where are they taking arrested Solidarity Sing Along Singers? That question is asked everyday in the Capitol, as daily, dozens are cuffed and briskly walked or taken in the elevator downstairs. Until today, that holding and processing room has only been described through the words of those over 200 arrested in the latest Capitol crackdown of the last three weeks. Until today that is. The embedded video below, recorded by a DNR warden charged with the duty to watch the detained singers as they awaited processing, captures an incredible scene, where the detained singers continue to sing truth to power despite their detainment. It truly is a must watch video.
Amazingly, one of the woman being detained, Kimi Ishikawa noticed that the warden was recording her. After she was released she went back to the capitol office and demanded she be given a copy of the recording. The warden complied.
- See more at: http://occupyriverwest.com/us/basement-singalong#sthash.VH4HHNxY.A8OHM3JL.dpuf
annm4peace
(6,119 posts)they would sing in the jail cells to keep their spirits up and calm their fears. the jailers would get angry and abuse them but they kept singing.
the WI singers are also inspiring.
annm4peace
(6,119 posts)The Capitol Police apparently notified someone who applied for a permit for noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, August 14th that a permit has already been issued for that date. There is no event listed on the DOA's online calendar but be prepared to sing outside if you are coming to the Capitol to sing on Wednesday. The Sing Along moves outside whenever a permitted event is going on inside the rotunda, or if the event is a wedding, the Sing Along sometimes just goes silent and waits for the ceremony to finish before resuming. Please be patient and flexible as the Capitol Police have been intentionally deceptive lately about scheduled events in the rotunda.
DallasNE
(7,392 posts)They look so ridiculous when the operate in this manner. What law are these singers breaking? Just following orders is not a legal defense for lawlessness so why do police officers behave in this manner. Have they no shame?
hue
(4,949 posts)They are wooden heads/puppets. They have their strings pulled & hence they operate.
TRoN33
(769 posts)Scott Walker ordered his police to not conduct any kinds of arrests anymore?!?!?!?! Clearly he is not in control of his own government in Wisconsin.
adieu
(1,009 posts)I don't understand why they don't just join with the protesters. They know they're on the wrong. The police officer at the end who answered, "No comment" should know better. All it takes is one and then another police officer to join in and then the whole of the police will join in and will not enforce what is clearly an unconstitutional act. At the same time, they, the police, should go in and arrest Scott Walker and his gang of hoodlums.
Just one police officer to start and one other police officer to join in. There's a TEDTalk that analyzes how movements begin. You need the spark and you need one other to validate that spark and you're good. The spark and the validator need not be high ranking officers. Just two. Go for it, Wisconsin, make it happen.
As much as I am proud of the Wisconsinites for conducting this protest, I am astounded that we have to go back to what was done and won 50 years ago. We shouldn't have to repeat history. We should be moving forward and breaking new grounds.
annm4peace
(6,119 posts)they think they are untouchable.