So far, the Walker administration has tried all kinds of tactics to suppress the joyous dissenters. In late 2011, they modified the Capitol Access Policy from a two page reservation form to a 25-page document that requires users to agree to all sorts of speech-chilling conditions. When singers ignored their demand to apply for a permit and sign the agreement, the Walker administration ordered its Capitol Police officers to issue hundreds of citations alleging violations of obscure sections of the Wisconsin administrative code. I received 4 of the citations last fall, including one for walking in a circle which they deemed to be disorderly conduct, and another for holding a cloth banner which they claimed was a hazardous material. Nearly all of those citations have been dismissed, and many more will be soon.

When that didn’t work, the Walker Administration declared an emergency, allowing them to temporarily modify the state administrative code and give themselves power to declare the Sing Along an “unlawful assembly.” When the singers continued to gather each day anyway, Walker ordered his palace guard to arrest singers, with handcuffs and everything, and issue them more citations. In the past few weeks they have arrested nearly 200 people, including working journalists covering the story, members of Veterans for Peace, numerous Raging Grannies wearing big hats and colorful aprons, at least two minors, school board members, firefighters, and other peaceful singers.

When news of the arrests spread, it attracted more citizens, swelling the ranks of the singers from a couple dozen to hundreds over the last couple weeks.

Finally, on Monday of this week, Walker’s stressed-out palace guards lost their composure and attacked two young African-American men in the rotunda, one who peacefully sat down when he was told he was being arrested, and that man’s brother, who was observing and taking photographs nearby. The photographer has languished in jail for three days while the Capitol Police have tried to get their paperwork together. I guess it’s tough to fabricate a plausible charge of battery to a police officer when multiple videos show that the defendant did nothing but try to walk away while waving his hands to indicate he was not a participant of the Sing Along:

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Mr. Terrell is finally scheduled for his arraignment this afternoon.

According to one local source who prefers to go unnamed, the beleaguered Capitol Police chief recently contacted the Dane County Sheriff for advice on what to do. The Sheriff, who trains his staff in non-confrontational community policing techniques and has been moderately critical of the Walker administration, is said to have advised the chief to prepare for multiple federal lawsuits for violating people’s civil rights.

Obviously, nothing is working for the Walker administration in their attempts to kill off the peaceful and legal dissent, so now we see their latest brilliant scheme. They know the singers politely move outside when another event has been scheduled inside the building, so they have convinced their nutty allies to take out permits, denying the space to the Sing Along (and to any other group that might want to use the space.) In an attempt to “trap” the singers for public relations purposes, they don’t announce the event on their website until the day before, or sometimes not at all, hoping to cause confusion and a confrontation when people arrive for the Sing Along. Nice, huh?

Today, the Republican Women of Jefferson County will allegedly play music inside from noon to one. On Labor Day, the “Liberty Singers” are scheduled to perform from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wow, that's a long time. I guess they'll be doing all their hits.

No problem. We singers will sing outside and have a grand time. If we can do it January in Wisconsin (which we have many times), August and September will be a piece of cake. Isn’t this just pathetic, though? I mean really.

UPDATE: Hey, they actually showed up. (Sometimes these ghost permit-holders don't appear.) Judge for yourself the quality of their singing, but don't be too harsh. Considering the propaganda they've been fed about the Solidarity Sing Along, they were probably nervous that they'd be entering a lion's den. It takes some guts to raise your voice in the people's house, no matter your message. They were pretty stiff, but they had one or two quality voices. My advice? Relax. It takes a few hundred rehearsals in the rotunda to adjust to the acoustics.



UPDATE 2: Mr. Terrell is now out of jail on a signature bond, but apparently has not yet been charged with a crime. The Dane County District Attorney, who has been very skeptical lately about arrests made by the Capitol Police, said he did not have enough time to review the paperwork submitted by Capitol Police. Mr. Terrell will have to appear in court again on September 12th, presumably to find out what it is he's being accused of. It's quite possible the D.A. will just drop the whole thing before then.