Now that six-figure crowds in Madison have made Tea Party demonstrations look about as inconsequential as, well, actual tea parties, it appears some pro-Walker citizens are taking the passive-aggressive, loner route instead. Two examples got into my face recently, and both were strikingly similar.
Each incident happened while I was in my car, stopped at a red light in the metro Milwaukee area. I should note that my car features several mildly contentious stickers on the back bumper, one or more of which probably factored into the two incidents. One sticker says: "Barrett." Another says, "I'd rather be riding high-speed rail." A third says, "Who's your farmer?" A fourth says, "Corporations are not the people." A fifth is a Bucky Badger icon, so onlookers might reasonably suspect I went to that rad, elitest, wild-eyed, football-crazy public school that Walker plans to take private.
In the first incident, a honking huge Ford Expedition or some such make pulled up in the lane next to me and the smoked-glass driver's side window whirred down. The pattern-balding head of a middle-aged white male driver leaned out and shouted at me as he goosed his accelerator and ran the light: "COMMUNIST!"
The second incident, which unlike the first came after Gov. Walker's union-busting bill, was more instructive and more focused. Again, a honking huge Chrysler Borborgymous, or some similar make of uber-SUV, pulled up alongside me. Only this time, I was four cars deep in my lane and the lane next to me was clear. Nevertheless, the 'Borg stopped about 30 feet short of the intersection, blocking traffic behind him so he could be beside me. The driver's window again whirled down, only this time instead of a shouting head, the driver's left hand reached out. It was holding a flat stick. Affixed on the stick was a little, printed, color, 5x7 inch sign: "Shame!" The driver watched intently to make sure I saw his little demonstration.
I laughed in turn at both these drivers, and only somewhat insincerely complimented the second guy for his little moment of unintentional performance art. The dude reacted by sticking the sign out farther towards my car, not quite being able to touch my vehicle, then jerking the sign madly like it was some of kabuki theater prop. Finally, I said: "Get your own slogan!" He, too, roared off, and at well above the speed limit.
Aside from a moment of head shaking, I would say these incidents ultimately were life-affirming. That's the best they've got? Well, in that case, bring it on. While the Walkerites demonstrated inside the safety of their expensive, movable steel cages, just over on the sidewalk were several citizens waving anti-Darling signs and holding petition clipboards for passersby to sign. Our guys were pounding the pavement, while our opponents were in fully fueled, hit-and-run mode. And in full flight.
So go ahead, wingnuts: Make my day. We Badgers, we bite.