Quote…Unquote

“Because we don’t know when we will die, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well, yet everything happens only a certain number of times, and a very small number, really. How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood, some afternoon that’s so deeply a part of your being that you can’t even conceive of your life without it? Perhaps four or five times more, perhaps not even that. How many more times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps twenty. And yet it all seems limitless.” – Paul Bowles (The Sheltering Sky)

I walked out to the garage to say goodbye to my wife’s parents who were visiting us for Easter. I found my wife and her mother holding hands and crying through her folk’s car window. It didn’t take me long to figure out that the tears were not of sorrow but of joy and had something to do with the Joni Mitchell song “Circle Game” that was playing on the stereo.

I like to describe my wife’s family by saying, “There is never a dull moment even if occasionally a dull moment would be welcomed with open arms and given a seat at the head of the table”. There are six kids (now all with families) coming and going through her folk’s household. Their house would also attract what I would call “strays” that were friends who ended up calling Pam’s mother “Mom” and hanging out at their house as well.

When Pam was growing up whoever was around in the summer would pile in the family conversion van and head out on the open road to her grandfather’s place in the mountains in Upstate New York (about a 20 hour drive). On the way there they would inevitable pop one of just a dozen or so well played 8-track tapes into the van’s stereo. Since they are a lively bunch they would all sing along with the various performers as they bopped down the road. One of these recordings included Joni Mitchell’s song “The Circle Game”.

A song linked to these formative memories was bound to evoke sentimental feelings. Making matters even more bittersweet the lyrics to Circle Game happen to be about how fast time moves forward with the years being added like trips around a merry go round. Additionally, they were both remembering a particular point in time where Pam’s Mom sang this song to her on a stormy night at her Uncle Tucker’s house.

When I noticed them sharing this moment, I couldn’t help thinking of the above quote by Paul Bowles. It is a great example of the phenomenon he is talking about. How many more times will Pam and her Mom get to share this particular memory? This led me to think about other moments happening right now that are special and only available for a limited time.

Just this last week I got to see my son Jake, a junior at Middleton High School, perform with his band Autumn Underground to a full house at the MHS commons. How many more times will I get to see him sing a song he wrote with a group of kids that rehearse in our basement? Also last week I got to see my son Tucker play his first Lacrosse game ever. That was likely the last time I will see him try a new sport for the first time. I am not particularly sad about either moment. They are growing and their lives are changing, and it is only natural that they will do some things for the first time as they do other things for the last time.

I think the point the quote is trying to make is not that we should hold tightly on to the past and let go reluctantly, but it is rather that we should be mindful of and savor the experiences we are having right now, even if some of those experiences are simply remembering a special moment in time with a loved one.

I will leave you with the same chorus from Joni Mitchell’s song the Circle Game where I left Pam and her Mom, “And the seasons go round and round; and the painted ponies go up and down; we’re captive on the carousel of time; we can’t return we can only look behind, from where we came; And go round and round and round; in the circle game.”

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There is a scene from the movie “Princess Bride” that I’m often reminded of when trying to get a straight answer from my kids.  In it, the heroes are trying to find a way into a castle that is blocked by a gate, which leads to the following exchange with the gatekeeper:

Westley: “Give us the gate key.”

Gatekeeper: “I have no gate key.”

Inigo Montoya: “Fezzik, tear his arms off.”

Gatekeeper: “Oh, you mean ‘this’ gate key.”

While it might come in handy to have by my side a giant who is capable of removing limbs when I am trying to get information from my kids, this is impractical for several reasons.  For starters I would never advocate the removing of any child’s limbs (or any other physical violence) and my kids know that, so they would readily call that bluff.  Secondly I hear that giants with that capability are quite expensive.

So getting straight answers from my two teenage boys requires different tactics.  As my teenage sons and I get older, my cross-examination skills and their evasion skills have evolved. I have learned from experience that specific questions with verifiable answers are the way to go, whereas they have become masters of partial answers, deflections and generalizations.

For example on the topic of homework we have learned that simply asking “Did you finish your homework?” is a mostly meaningless query. Responses we have heard include, “Today’s homework? Why yes.”  Sounds good and I start to walk out the door, but then think a little more and ask: “What about the project that was assigned last week?”  To which I hear, “Well no, I am not quite done with that.”

Then another thought hits me and I ask, “What about the worksheet you missed last Friday when you were on that field trip?”

“I am almost done with that one.”

To which I follow up with: “Why did you say you were done with your homework then?”

To which I hear, “Because I thought you were asking about the homework that was assigned today.”

Paging Fezzik!

Another example demonstrates avoidance and misdirection, favorite tactics of teenagers everywhere.  After complaining for several days that he wasn’t sleeping very well at night, I happened to walk into my youngest son’s room to talk with him about a different topic (e.g. the status of his homework).  I looked around and noticed that the head of his bed was about nine inches lower than the foot of his bed (could this be why he was having trouble sleeping?!)

So I asked him about this, “Hey Tuck, how is it your bed is sagging?” Like the gatekeeper in the Princess Bride his first line of defense was evasion, “Hmmm, Is it sagging?  I didn’t notice.”

I ignored this response for now (a tactic of mine) and investigated further. I initially thought one of the cross planks simply might have fallen off the frame, so I removed his bedding, and pulled his bed away from the wall only to discover that the entire wood bed rail had split away from the bed frame.

I am no Sherlock Holmes, but it was pretty obvious to me, even with my limited deductive reasoning powers, that this could only have happened by the application of a large force.

My son’s room is mostly like other kids’ rooms with one notable exception.  There is a permanent ladder attached to the wall across from his bed that goes up to a small loft/crawl space.  Now ever since we have been in this home, I have been warning my kids not to jump from the ladder to the bed below, and as far as I know (which I realize is not much of a guarantee) for the past eight years they have not done so.

Given that they are now “responsible” teenagers, I figured I didn’t have to continually remind them not to do this anymore. But the splintered wood indicated otherwise, so I asked, “Hey Tucker, any idea of what or more specifically who could have hit your bed with enough force to splinter the bed frame?”  Which was met with a blank stare (the animalistic instinct inherited from possums).

So I tried with a smile to say, “Anyone I know for example jump off this ladder onto that bed over there?”  “Anyone named Tucker?”

So Tucker did the brave thing and said, “I cannot tell a lie” – which is, of course, in and of itself a lie – “my friend George did it.” [Note: George is not the actual name he said – changed to protect the innocent, or if not innocent, then at least the innocent’s parents!]

Now don’t get me wrong. It is entirely possible that his friend was responsible, but lemmings rarely go off cliffs alone so I am pretty sure I figured out what happened.

My problem  – or my kids’ salvation depending on how you look at it – is that I remember what it was like to be their age.  In this case the apple may not have fallen very far from the tree, so it is hard for me to feign indignant anger for very long.

I recognize I might not be getting the whole truth, but if I work at it  – and what else is there for me to do for entertainment – I usually have a pretty good idea of what is going down (in this case my son and his friend from the heights of his ladder to the depths of his bed).

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My all-time favorite Christmas song is the Little Drummer Boy, which tells the story of a boy who gives the gift of the song in his heart and finds out, despite his initial doubts, that it is a most worthy gift. I like the song because it reminds us that we don’t have to be a king or a wise man to make a positive difference in someone’s life.

This time of year brings to the surface examples of people making a difference in the lives of others. Just last week the Middleton High School Chamber Singers completed their annual “Tour de Middleton” where they climbed on a bus early in the morning and disembarked late at night and in between brought their gift of song to senior centers, churches, and nursing homes around town. One stop that resulted in tears of joy and sadness was to a critical care unit where several in the audience were likely experiencing their last Christmas. Many in the choir broke down in tears as they sang but one choir member thought this was ironic as the audience were themselves smiling as they enjoyed the beauty and comfort of the music that was offered. If you think about it the audience’s smiles were in themselves gifts as many of the singers will long remember this time when they brought happiness to others at a critical stage of life.

The M.O.M (Middleton Outreach Ministry) benefit production of Young Jack Frost that was recently held at the Performing Arts Center is another great example of people giving of themselves for the benefit of others. Professional and local actors, writers, musicians, local businesses, volunteers and neighbors came together to tell a beautiful tale of redemption and growth while fostering a feeling of community with the audience and raising money for those with the greatest needs. The $30,000 plus that they raised may not sound like a lot compared to some things, but it is sure to make a difference in the lives of those finding they need a little help to get through a rough patch in their lives.

While these are great examples of helping others, I think many of us are like the little drummer boy before he decides to play his drums. We don’t know what we have to offer that is valuable to anyone. What we don’t realize is that pretty much everything we have to offer has value: the song in our heart; our time and attention; even the smile on our face can be the most valuable gift we ever give. At the Middleton Chamber Singers tour the seniors in the critical care area gave as much as they received, and that is the real beauty of the song The Little Drummer Boy.

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“I jus go nuts at Christmas” is a vintage holiday tune by Yogi Yorgesson that in a thick Scandinavian accent tells the tale of a family celebration gone awry. It is a favorite in our household because half of my family comes from Scandinavia and gravitates towards self-deprecating humor and the other half comes from Germany and, strangely enough, also enjoys Scandinavian depreciating humor.

While we are not quite to the Holidays yet, Thanksgiving is upon us. Thanksgiving is a lot like the Holidays, absent the cards, carols, trees, wreaths, decorations, lights, wrapped presents, and good cheer. Basically what you get with Thanksgiving is a combination of lots of family and lots of food.

In addition to being fun, family gatherings are also frequently “interesting”. After all these are the people who have known you since you arrived on the scene or at least all of their lives. They have seen you at your best, worst and everything in between. And if they are like my sister they catalogue each of these moments away in the recesses of their memory for retrieval at the optimal time (optimal meaning most embarrassing).

I think most families have at least one keeper of the family lore. Each time my wife Pam’s family gets together at her grandparent’s place in upstate New York, her Uncle Tucker inevitably tells the story of when she was learning to drive his truck (at 9 years of age… don’t tell anyone) and almost took out one of his favorite trees while backing up. After decades of telling this story and pointing out the resulting scar on the tree, the tree mercifully fell over during a hurricane that hit the east coast this past summer. Pam’s brother, who was there at the time, sent her a picture with the comment from her uncle that her bad driving finally did the tree in. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Pam’s uncle took a chainsaw and cut out the section of the tree with the scar on it and preserved it in polyurethane so he could continue to tell that story in the decades to come.

At this time of year my sister likes to tell a Thanksgiving story about a banana cream pie from about a quarter century ago that I call “Criminy”. For those of you who not familiar with the word “Criminy”, it is according to Webster’s “an expression used as a mild oath to express surprise”.

Now I think Webster got the definition wrong as there is nothing mild about the word’s use on the rare occasions when my Mom has seen fit to use it.

Basically what happened is this. On the day after Thanksgiving my Mom and sister went to join thousands of other bargain hunters at West Towne Mall. At some point during their travels they remarked how nice it would be to have a piece of leftover banana cream pie upon their return home.

However, while they were shopping I was working up an appetite playing basketball at the high school and came home to an empty house and a full refrigerator. There is nothing in the world I like better than my grandmother’s homemade banana cream pie so I decided to have a piece before working through the leftovers. After quickly finishing the first piece I thought to myself that the only thing better than one piece of banana cream pie is 2 pieces and before long I just took the whole tin with me to cut down on return trips to the fridge.

Upon returning home my sister and my mother made a bee line to the refrigerator to get themselves a piece of banana cream pie only to discover, no pie! My sister was hopping mad and immediately deduced who had dispatched the pie. When I ran into her later that afternoon, she told me that I was in big trouble with Mom. I said something like, “It was just a pie, and I was hungry,” to which my sister said. “Oh yeah? Well Mom said ‘Criminy.’” Gulp. I suddenly realized that if my Mom said “Criminy” my immediate future was indeed looking bleak.

So I said to myself, “Think, think, what can you do to make this right?” and I headed out the door in search of redemption, which I thought I found at Baskin Robbins (which was then located near the MacDonalds off of Allen Blvd). I used a big portion of my meager teen-age funds to purchase a Banana Split Ice Cream Pie and took it home and gave it to my Mom with an apology. She looked surprised and said, “What’s this for?” and I confessed to having eaten the banana cream pie. She then said, “That’s no big deal. Why do you think I would be mad about that?” My sister then came in the room and flashed me a Chesire Cat sized grin… to which I silently mouthed the word, “Criminy”. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone I hope you all make a memory or two and enjoy your equivalent of banana cream pie!

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“Are you ready to go?” “Yes Mom.” “Do you think you’re dressed warmly enough?” “Yes, Mom.” “You know it’s only 50 degrees outside?” “Yes, I know Mom.” “Because you could run back in and get a sweatshirt, I would wait.” “No Mom, I am fine.“

So began an episode of what I used to fondly call, “Walking the Mom” back when I was in high school. You wouldn’t know by the button down sweaters she used to wear on these walks, but my Mom was a walking speed demon. Once she headed out the door she was off like a shot and for the next 30 minutes or so I was hard pressed to keep up.

Our walks would take us around the neighborhood, by the elementary and high schools, through downtown Middleton, by her folks house on Hubbard Avenue, pretty much anywhere you could draw a 2+ mile circle from our house on Columbus Drive. Despite the open-air locations, at one point or another my Mom would use the opportunity to “corner me” so to speak and ask the list of questions she had been compiling since our last walk. Typical answers by me included: “Mom, I am just friends with that girl, and no one says ‘make a play’ anymore“; “ Yes, I did say thank you”; “No, I was not aware that boxer shorts are healthier than briefs and by the way can we talk about something else.”

Fast forward a few decades and I am once again walking with my Mom. This time she is joining me at the Middleton Dog Park off of Hwy Q for walks around the .75 mile loop with other dog owners hoping to work off some of their dog’s energy before getting on with their days.

Both in high school and more recently my Mom’s main reason for walking was to get in better shape, with perhaps the collateral benefit of getting to spend some time together. Who knows maybe in high school her primary reason was social and the exercise was just a ruse. As a parent of two teenagers I realize that you take what you can get as far as social interaction with your kids. Teenagers tend to relate to us when they are ready and not always on our timetable. As I get older I also recognize that things won’t always be as they were or are and that I should take advantage of the opportunities as they present themselves.

These walks are a small example of something I have been thinking about for awhile that I call “social movement”. In a former career life I studied what people can do to improve their overall health status and quality of life and being physically active and socializing are among the most important. Combining these two you get “social movement”. If you look around the Middleton community you will see dozens of opportunities for social movement (nature conservancy, dog parks, exercise groups, bike rides, fun runs, etc.) and I look forward to exploring these in more depth in the not too distant future. But for now you will have to excuse me as it is once again time to “Walk the Mom”.

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“Music cleanses the understanding; inspires it, and lifts it into a realm which it would not reach if it were left to itself.” ~Henry Ward Beecher

The Musicians Among Us

Every now and then you experience something that makes you rethink what you thought you knew.

I had just such an experience a fortnight ago when I was literally blown away by the musicianship and showmanship of the Jazz Ensembles on display at the annual Jazz Cabaret at the Marriott convention center in Middleton, WI. The Jazz Cabaret featured four local high school Jazz Groups (2 from Middleton, 1 from Madison East and McFarland), including the “6 O’Clock Jazz Group” that our son Jake plays percussion with.

Jake was one of only a handful of freshmen performers in the band and he did a great job, but the highlights of the evening were the featured upper classman musicians who were simply amazing. If they were playing along with a late-night band you would never notice they didn’t belong. The evening included one of the best trumpet performances I have ever heard, and a saxophonist’s who delighted the audience and brought them to their feet with an inspired performance.

I felt like Baloo the bear in Disney’s Jungle Book movie. For those of you who don’t watch this movie several times a year like I do, Baloo is a bear who can’t help dancing/bobbing his head when he sings/hears a catchy tune. If you saw me sitting at my table in the back of the room you might have smiled at the middle-aged goofy looking man tapping/bopping his head to the beat of the music on stage.

What excited me most was the opportunity that was created by and for these kids. Performing in that venue before a large enthusiastic audience is something that these kids will remember for the rest of their lives. They played professional arrangements of Jazz standards and they flat out sounded great. For some it may be a stepping stone to other stages of their musical journey, but I suspect for many it will be the pinnacle of their musical careers.

I had no idea there was this much local talent in our midst, and I would wager that this doesn’t just happen by chance. The Middleton Jazz bands were led by their director, Mr. Brad Schneider, who certainly deserves much of the credit for providing this magical evening. Mr. Schneider is in turn supported by a small army of parent volunteers that helped make the event a reality.

Also deserving of credit is a district wide music program that is the envy of many throughout the state. Middleton is fortunate to have some truly dedicated teachers that take great pride in the programs they offer their kids. Unfortunately the support for music seems to be waning a bit in the current environment (send a message to your school board member and school principals to let them know you support music in your district), but hopefully the core of what is special about the district will persist.

And last but certainly not least are the talented individuals who work hard to create beautiful music. They reminded me of just how important music can be and how it can make you feel. The great thing about live music is that you don’t simply passively listen to it, but rather you become part of it through a give and take. The performers join together and offer up their music. They in turn are inspired by the response they receive from their audience and the music takes flight. The audience breathes in the music and makes it their own and lets it move them and take them to a better place. At the end of the evening both are better for the experience.

I thought I knew what to expect when I walked through the double doors of the Middleton Marriott, but as it turned out I had no idea what I had been missing. Pretty Cool, and who knew it was available just a short distance down the road.

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Good Day Everyone,

Will Rogers had a way of getting to the heart of the matter (whatever matter he happened to be writing/talking about) with heart with fewer words than anyone I have run across. After this weekend’s rallies, I thought it might be fun to take a break and see what Mr. Rogers had to say 70 or 80 years ago that in all likelihood is still relevant today. The first quote seems to fit Mr. Walker to a T (I believe he is most definitely the third type of man referenced by Mr. Rogers):

“There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.”

“The worst thing that happens to you may be the best thing for you if you don’t let it get the best of you.”

“Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.”

“There’s no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you.”

“An ignorant person is one who doesn’t know what you have just found out.”

“I belong to no organized party. I am a Democrat.”

“Nothing you can’t spell will ever work.”

“Always drink upstream from the herd. ”

“Never miss a good chance to shut up.”

“You know everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects.”

“A fool and his money are soon elected.”

“We are all here for a spell; get all the good laughs you can.”

“If Stupidity got us into this mess, then why can’t it get us out?”

“Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”

“If the world comes to an end, I want to be in Cincinnati. Everything comes there ten years later.”

“If you want to be successful, it’s just this simple. Know what you are doing. Love what you are doing. And believe in what you are doing.”

“People’s minds are changed through observation and not through argument.”

“So let’s be honest with ourselves and not take ourselves too serious, and never condemn the other fellow for doing what we are doing every day, only in a different way.”

“The fellow that can only see a week ahead is always the popular fellow, for he is looking with the crowd. But the one that can see years ahead, he has a telescope but he can’t make anybody believe that he has it.”

“Things ain’t what they used to be and never were.”

“Do the best you can, and don’t take life too serious.”

“You’ve got to go out on a limb sometimes because that’s where the fruit is.”

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I was working at home today when the phone rang. The number was from my son’s school so I picked it up not knowing exactly what to expect.

After all I recently received a call from the school’s Assistant Principal (AP) that went something like this:

AP: “Did you know that your son Tucker is planning to wear a pink gorilla suit to ski club tonight?”
Me: (Pause, and audible swallow) “…Actually yes I was aware of that fact.” (Note: I was the one who had purchased the gorilla suit for him as a gift for that specific purpose.)

AP: “Are you aware that a list is circulating among students as to who would be allowed to tackle the skiing pink gorilla?”
Me: “No, of course not.” (no hesitancy this time)

I suspected the list was an exaggeration but in the end we agreed that it would be a good idea if Tucker left the pink gorilla suit at home, which I was kind of hoping would happen anyway. Tucker found a different reason to wear the gorilla suit to school, and on this day he wore his hockey uniform with red practice jersey to school in support of the teachers (wear red for ed day). Tucker enjoys pushing the limits of the school’s dress code on occasion.

So when the phone rang and the number indicated it was coming from his school I looked at it contemplatively for a second before answering. To my relief the voice on the other end was not a Principal, Assistant Principal or school nurse but was instead Tucker who said, “Dad, is it o.k. with you if I walk out of school and go to the rally today at the Capitol to support our teachers?”

I paused a second before responding as I was doing the calculus in my head to try to figure out: a) if he really wanted to support the teachers or if he was looking to take advantage of an opportunity to miss school; b) how my 13 year old son thought he would be able to get downtown to attend the rally, and c) whether I was willing to drop my work plans for the day to help him attend said rally. Then I remembered the quote by Martin Luther King Jr., that I had recently shared with friends on MLK Jr. day that goes, ‎”The time is always right to do what is right.” Long story short, we ended up going to the rally together.

MLK Jr’s advice was spot on; it was the right time and the right thing to do. We had a great day together. I picked Tucker up at the school and was upfront with the attendance office for my reason for taking him from school. One teacher said, “We love your son”, and made reference to Tucker’s red hockey uniform attire. Another mouthed “Thank You” to us as she went about her business.

Full disclosure, I am a huge fan of teachers. The work they do is incredibly important, and I know many teachers who work tirelessly on nights and weekends and even over the summer and holidays to provide the best learning environment possible for their students. I also respect just how difficult their job can be. I can’t imagine managing full classrooms of adolescent, hormone popping kids all day every day as my kids’ teachers do. I have plenty to handle with my own two sons and their friends all of whom are for the most part great kids. Public schools are the last great melting pot and they contain a full spectrum of kids with various abilities, interests, backgrounds and challenges. Each teacher daily interacts with kids that include future business and civic leaders to future criminals and ne’er-do-wells. This makes for a very dynamic and challenging work environment, but one that gives the kids perhaps their only close-up glimpse of people who are different than themselves.

Tucker and I drove downtown and had lunch before making our way to the Capitol. Over lunch we talked about what the rally was about, the labor movement, how the government works, and how citizens can influence and participate in their government. We talked about both sides of the issue as objectively as we could. My son said, “So basically, this is about the teachers and state workers right to band together to negotiate for a livable salary and better working conditions.” Bingo! We talked about what could happen if these rights were taken away, and how the middle class was gradually disappearing in our society and why this probably wasn’t a good thing. We talked about families we knew who were teachers and state workers who live a good but not excessive life, and what it would mean to these families if their pay and benefits were drastically cut. My son is currently studying the civil rights movement at school so we were able to talk about how the civil rights rallies were similar/different from the one we were about to attend which helped bring his lessons to life.

We grabbed some signs and made our way up to the Capitol. The vibe was very tribal. You got the sense that people were coming together and that what we were watching was democracy in action. It was an interesting looking crowd with many different kinds of people represented. We decided to go into the capitol itself where the hearings were occurring on the Bill to strip public workers right to unionize and collectively bargain. The atmosphere in the Capitol was electric. The crowd seemed to have its own pulse. There was a lot of power represented in those thousands of demonstrators, and to be honest I was a little bit concerned of what could happen if the crowd turned ugly. Fortunately it didn’t. The crowd was loud and energetic, but nonetheless civil.

This is a difficult issue. Right now many state businesses are struggling and many private sector workers have lost their jobs or seen their benefits reduced and/or been asked to accept pay freezes or reductions.

Teachers and state workers do have relatively strong benefit packages, which makes them an easy target for politicians who don’t like collective bargaining or unions. However a recent industry analysis (http://epi.3cdn.net/9e237c56096a8e4904_rkm6b9hn1.pdf ) showed that the public sector’s total salary and benefits package is about 8.2%% below comparable private sector jobs. In the past public sector employees have accepted lower overall compensation than their private sector peers in exchange for stability. State workers have recently been willing to make concessions to help with the budget challenges and have accepted pay freezes and unpaid furlough days to help keep costs in check through a challenging budget environment.

I believe this conflict is the tip of the iceberg, and I am not sure we are well prepared to deal with it as a society. In 1979 the people in the top 20% of earners made 8 times as much as those in the bottom 20% and today they make over 15 times as much, and the income gap keeps getting larger. The middle class is eroding too with top 20% now making over 4 times as much as the middle 20%. So the rich are getting richer at a fast clip, the middle class is being squeezed out, and the poor are growing in ranks and are suffering and straining the limited resources available to help them.

Our domestic manufacturing jobs and support services jobs (think HR, IT, call centers, etc.) continue to be lost to cheaper overseas alternatives. When these jobs leave they are not being replaced with similar jobs, and people are either unemployed and on the brink of financial ruin, or need to work longer hours or have multiple jobs just to make ends meet.

I am worried for my children and the subsequent generations that come along if these trends continue. A disappearing middle class increases the odds that many people will have a difficult time finding a career where they are not constantly struggling to just get by. It  is also troubling because a society with an increasingly rich elite class combined with a ballooning poor class is one that is going to have significant troubles (crime, health, homelessness, political unrest, perhaps even revolution).

To me this bill is dangerous. By removing workers from the negotiating table it sets the stage for worker exploitation, and in particular a degrading of the quality of education our children receive. School districts have had their hands tied with finances for a long time and have already made deep cuts to services for our kids. If you take away collective bargaining the easy way to make the budgets balance will be to reduce pay and benefits for teachers. If they balk and leave the schools will replace them with a cheaper, less experienced alternative. If you move teaching jobs from middle to low wages more teachers will need to take second and third jobs at night and on weekends to make ends meet leaving them less time and energy for our kids. Fewer top college students will consider the teaching profession as a career as the quality of life associated with being a teacher will decline, meaning the quality of teachers and instruction will gradually decline as well.

Scott Walker is not a scholar. He dropped out of college after earning mediocre grades at Marquette. I don’t know if that is why he doesn’t appear to value education, or why he doesn’t understand the negative systemic effects that will likely result from his stripping public workers of pay, benefits, and a say in their working conditions. But it seems clear to me that he is willing to roll the dice and see what happens with our children’s future on the line which is unfortunate.

The silver lining to his assault on workers’ rights is that he is perhaps waking up the lion. The rallies at the Capitol have been energizing and encouraging. We still live in a democracy. Scott Walker has the right and the means to do what he is doing, but there are consequences to every action, the most obvious one being fall out in voting booth by legislators who decide to side with him.

There are many problems in our society but they are not insurmountable if we get informed and get involved. It is up to “We the People” to assure that our government reflects who we are, and what we value. I fully support the teachers and state workers in their efforts to protect their collective bargaining rights, and thank them for the hard work they do every day and the great example they are providing to us all on the workings and dysfunctions of our system of government.

Thanks for the reminder that in the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “The time is always right to do what is right.” It was refreshing to take a stand together with my son and those who support the rights of others and I look forward to continuing to fight for what is right to keep Wisconsin moving forward.

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