From Sunday at Wisconsin Forward Fest, Barrymore theater in Madison

This is the speech I read at the Forward Fest:

I would like to thank each and every sister and brother here not just for being at the Barrymore tonight but especially for all your dedication and devotion over the last eight weeks fighting for our rights, fighting for our unions and fighting to protect non-union workers, the elderly, the poor, the farmers and the physically dis-abled and the other 95% of Wisconsin residents who without your efforts would be horribly affected by the effects of Gov. Scott Walker and his abhorrent Budget Reform Bill.

I appreciate every single one of you that lent your time and resources by taking place in the rallies, by picketing the Capitol in the rain and in the snow when you could have been warm and comfortable in your homes, instead you chose to fight the good fight and you braved the elements missed meals, something I know a little about, to aid the cause.

I would like to thank the citizens all across the state who are showing up on Scott Walkers tour stops and letting him know what real Wisconsinites think about him.  I want to thank all the good people out in the rain today collecting signatures for the recall effort  I would like to thank the uniformed police officers from across the state who were placed on duty away from their homes and families and whom maintained a high degree of professionalism as well as for the solidarity they demonstrated to the protesters.  Particularly Chief Tubb's and the Capitol Police and Security officers.

Thank you to everyone that took the time to educate themselves on the issue's and stood up to the tyranny and illegal methods of Scott Walker and his rubber stamping henchman and cronies.

A big thank you to everyone around the nation and around the world who have noticed our struggle and supported us throughout.  I would like to thank all the band members, musicians and speakers here today as well as the members of the International Alliance of Theatre and Stage Employee's union and the management of the Barrymore Theater for bringing us all together.

I would personally like to thank all those who supported me during my hunger strike and kept me going during those long dark days.  Personally I would also like to thank everyone at MoveOn.org, Advancing Wisconsin and Politiscoop.com

And finally......thank you Wisconsin for choosing to remain the greatest state in the nation.  Thank you Wisconsin for going forward!

On Wisconsin!    FORWARD!!!!

April 5 VOTE PEOPLE VOTE and attn: Mr. Richard Weber

This mornings posting is a rebuttal to Mr. Richard Weber who commented on my posting yesterday.


I don't normally ever reply to a anonymous posting as I deem it rewarding cowardice.  But since you can actually write in complete sentences, and you don't resort to excessive profanity  and/or threats plus the rare added bonus that you basically have a concise viewpoint, I'll make an exception.  Plus you are nice enough to sign your name to your anonymous posting (I just noticed that.)

First of all I absolutely will not believe that every single farmer and agricultural worker in the state is a staunch supporter of Gov. Walker.  Statistically it just is not possible, plus you may remember a farmer/agricultural workers rally around the state capitol a couple weeks ago?

Yes farmers are very strong and self-sufficient people but the roll of farmers and farm workers on BadgerCare and Medicaid seems to completely refute your claim that all farmers pay 100% of there health care costs.  You go on to basically state that public sector union employees are unwilling to concede any concessions in their contracts.  Times are tough and everyone (billionaires?) must tighten their belts during the economic recovery process.  By the way the conservatives are mostly responsible for the recession in the first place!  That said sir please remember that public sector unions conceded to Mr. Walkers concessions before he deliberately and maliciously tried to destroy them.  It was not just about the money!  As a supporter of farm workers I do not understand your strong anti-labor stance.

When you state that I have dehumanized corporate boardrooms I wonder how much of my writing you have actually read as opposed to glossed over while considering your own agenda.  I am not nor will I attack a farmers cooperative or any small to mid size institution such as Land O Lakes.  Rather I am going after such corporations and conglomerates such as say ......Arthur Daniels Midland, just off the top of my head.  I am attacking the institutions that conduct very profitable business in Wisconsin and then use said profits to hire behind the scenes lobbyists to subvert the laws of the state to create an unfair advantage for themselves, sometimes even forcing business participation with themselves or risk total failure.  Thus established they then hire lawyers and accountants to distort the books they keep, create tax loopholes and such activity that further weakens Wisconsin by draining its coffers of income.  Who makes up for these deficits in the states funding ?  Why of course its the decent and hard working citizens of the state who must pay for what these overly-prosperous institutions fail to rightfully cover.  After they were involved in wrecking the economy.  After some of them or their parent institutions received bail-outs.  After they congratulated themselves and disbursed huge bonuses for being so financially savvy.

I do not believe Mr. Weber that corporate boardrooms are full of people as devoted to charitable contributions as they are to fiscal advantage and profiteering.  Yes these institutions do give to charitable causes but all things considered it is well documented that their contributions do not match in ratio the contributions to charities of the working and middle class.

It would not surprise me at all either to find out that what these institutions spend on charity is far exceeded by what they spend on spin doctors and publicity to advertise those same charitable contributions.  That is pretty much how most corporate public relations work sir.  The primary purpose of business is always the continued existence of that business.

Is it really myself, Mr. Weber that is dividing the nation with my abhorrent tactics?  Was everyone really united under the Republican banner before I maliciously launched an unprovoked attack on Scott Walker?  I must say good sir that from your words and take on the issue's of the day you sound more like you place corporate interests above the interests of Wisconsin as a whole.  I do not but into the theory that unregulated business able to supersede the financial, social, and environmental concerns of the citizenry is a boon to the republic.

Also please remember sir that the under-regulated insurance and pharmaceutical industries play a very large and significant role in all of this.  And what about the Governors financial cuts and proposed changes to protection of Wisconsin's farmland, forests and green spaces?  Please don't tell me that all farmers and agricultural workers see rural Wisconsin as nothing more than a profitable venture with no need to be stewards of the land.  Please don't tell me that farmers are in support of the proposed open-pit mining intended for northern Wisconsin.  Farmers that I know and grew up around bump heads with the D.N.R. and are concerned about the bureaucracy of land regulation but I know of none who are anti-environment.

In closing sir let me state that for the record, I appreciate your time spent in following my blog and in responding in kind.  I thank you for being a part of the issue's and for your participation in the process of democracy.  Remember its not red, white and blue unless its red, white and you.  Thank you for taking part in America.  I hope you also remember to vote today sir.  Best of luck in your endeavors and hopefully any future correspondence you send to me will not be posted from an anonymous hiding place.  I will even forgive you the 'idiocy' comment.  Finally thank you for giving me such pertinent information to write about.

On Wisconsin!    FORWARD!!!!

April 4th Rev. J. Jackson, Michelle Shocked, bagpipes

A sunny day but with a strong and cutting wind.  After all that we have been through in the last two months does anyone think some freezing wind will stop us?  Of course not, so at four this afternoon I threw on some extra clothes and returned to the Capitol square.  Although early there were still thousands who had already assembled for the marches and rally.  It's an awe inspiring sight to see so many people still so driven and committed to the cause after so long.  But then again with so much at stake in Wisconsin how could you expect anything different?
By the five o clock start time thousands more assembled all around the stage on the State st. corner of the square.  I took a position next to Jeremy Ryan who has been an invaluable friend as the band VO5 started to perform.  After a couple of songs they were joined by Michelle Shocked and some serious funky up-lifting of spirits was commenced.  During the set songs were played that ranged from the spiritually fulfilling to some outright awesome eclectic fusion of funk and bagpipe.
All the while the crowd was growing as marchers came up to the square from State st., representing many diverse groups of concerned and dedicated citizen's.  Also the different unions were arriving in force, their numbers swelling the already numerous crowd.
After Michelle with VO5 had finished playing the Reverend Jesse Jackson took the microphone and delivered a powerful and very motivational speech honoring the late Dr. Martin Luther King and drawing powerful comparisons between the civil rights movement and the current labor and human rights movement taking place across the nation.  Wisconsin is ground zero in this epic struggle and if this state falls then likewise, across the country the others will follow suit most likely.
Remember that what is happening in the Badger state is much much more than merely unions issue's and collective bargaining rights, it's about something far larger.  It's about unrestricted class warfare brought on by Republican and tea party attacks on 97 % of all Americans.  The conservatives under the directions of those who control them (faceless inhuman corporations) are making a desperate push to turn the majority of citizens into wage slaves.  Perhaps if Scott Walker resorted to typical divide and conquer tactics he may have stood a chance of winning.  Instead in his arrogance and greed he took on nearly the entire citizenry of the state at once and it backfired on him horribly.  Did he really think he could blatantly destroy the state unions while simultaneously stripping schools and public services of their funding while also destroying the health care infrastructure, veterans rights, farmers rights as he simultaneously wiped out the environmental protection laws of the state and federal government?  Apparently he did and equally apparently it never crossed his mind that anyone or anything could stand up to his will.  Why else would he have the gall to call himself the person who could save the economy as he blatantly hired a pro-G.O.P. lobbyist's prodigal son to a important government position and then give him a 26% raise!  To a unqualified person that never completed their education and has multiple run ins with the law.  Is that the sound act of a fiscally responsible leader?  Or is it the behavior one would associate with a power hungry and out of touch corporate pawn?
The answer is obvious to all with a human heart and mind.  Obvious to all the consider themselves patriotic, educated, moral, religious and logical/reasonable. Corporations are the only corporate interest.  People are only tools to such institutions.  Rise up, read up and wake up citizens for the wolves are attacking.  Much like the founding fathers understood the need for separation of church and state, now we need to demand and implement the separation of business and state!

On Wisconsin!    FORWARD!!!!
 

April 3rd First round of after-thoughts

Starting to actually feel a little better today.  Was able to sleep last night for once, and my body temp's returned to normal.  Finally able to try and enjoy a cup of watered down coffee.  It's the little things in life that really keep us going sometime. 

The recall effort is still going strong and my hat is off to all those hard working individuals who are out there gathering signatures for the cause.  Keep up the good work.  It's your efforts that will eventually win this for Wisconsin.

Now that I have a little time on my hands to reflect on all that has been going on recently I decided to google my name this morning and see what people have been saying about the hunger strike.  It was stirring to hear about the different fasts going on around the nation to show dissent for different class war agenda's around the  country.  Then I noticed a couple of sites and postings from people who are obviously quite opposed to my hunger strike and the unions/people's cause.  So to address that quickly I would like to say to the haters out there at this time:

Yes I agree with the point that there are worse things happening in the world.  But I  don't see how initiating a hunger strike in opposition to a tsunami would be very effective.

Yes I agree that there are worse examples of government human rights abuses in the world.  But I don't see how flying to Libya and starting a hunger strike in the middle of a battlefield would be very effective.

Yes hunger strikes are physically devastating.  But I don't see how people can keep quoting this rule of 3 about me.  After 3 minutes without air or 3 days without water or 3 weeks without food, anyone will die!
I don't think there is a single medical professional out there who will tell you that a person on hunger strike will automatically die after 21 days at precisely midnight.  There are numerous health factors involved in such things.

Yes I know independent/rational thought is a complicated thing and that the haters are being simple.  Which is why we shouldn't let emotions overcome logic and hate the tea partyers and nay-sayers.  They are not the enemy but rather more like our little brothers and sisters with developmental disabilities.

On Wisconsin !    FORWARD!!!!

Day 29 Victory Day (for now) Let's celebrate!

Slow morning here today, actually feeling worse now that Ive re-introduced nourishment to my system.  I will be at the Capitol by noon.  Don't want to miss the zombies. 
I'm still amazed and awestruck by the concept of so many citizens rising up and uniting and wrestling Scott Walker and his rubber stampers to a draw.  I wish I could say that we won but it is not over yet, not a a good ol honest country mile!  Recall !  recall !  Recall !

Stay vigilant and lets finish the job for the great state of Wisconsin and be a beacon of democracy and solidarity to the rest of the nation .  I'll see you at the Capitol and to the rest of you thank you once again for all of your concern and support.  It is still very possible though unlikely, that the Republican party this has a trick or two up its collective sleeve.  So if needed I will resume my previous course of actions.  There still may be a need for  "rolling hunger strike" volunteers so those of you who have already contacted me about that please stay prepared for a little bit yet.

V-Day  Victory in Wisconsin !!!

On Wisconsin !    FORWARD !!!!

Day 29 The war is not over yet......

....but this battle is won for now.  And as I've done some consulting and cant really see how the G.O.P. has any little dirty tricks left to pull on us.  I guess there is nothing stopping me from walking away from this (for now Republicans, Im watching you) with a sense of honor and victory.

Now we have to recall the scoundrels who tried to steal democracy and our rights from us !  Nothing is even close to finished yet.  Remain vigilant and dedicated to the cause.  Keep your guard up.

Thank you to everyone who supported me through this trial.  It was quite the experience.  Time for me to heal.  Best wishes and bless you all for now.

On Wisconsin!    FORWARD!!!!

                                                                          With Solidarity
                                                                           Matthew A Schauenburg

early Day 28 An apology to WI

Yesterday was a very long and exhausting day at the Capitol.  After closing I had about two hours of non-stop e-mails and messages to go through and after that I was absolutely about ready to drop.  And then my phone rang.  I took a call from Atlanta and agreed to do a phone interview with Mike Malloy which occurred about ten minutes later.  And I completely stunk it up.  He was asking me some very simple and basic questions and my brain just absolutely refused to lay along.
When asked about my plans, in regards to maintaining the hunger strike during what seems likely to be a lengthy appeals process of Walkers BRB in the courts, I stammered out some half-ineligible answer.  All the while the words were in my head ROLLING HUNGER STRIKE, ROLLING HUNGER STRIKE but somehow I just couldn't spit them out.
I made myself and the movement look bad to the national radio audience and that just stinks!  I shouldn't have agreed to do an interview when I was already pushed beyond my limits.  I apologize to Mike Malloy and all those who support the cause in Wisconsin and around the nation and world.  I dropped the ball and I strongly regret it.  If circumstances dictate that the hunger strike needs to go on past this coming Monday I believe I will refrain from doing any more live interviews.  Our cause is to important to be giving ammunition to the other side by my speaking out when I'm half incoherent.
Once again my apologies Wisconsin.
FORWARD !!!!