Fighting Bob: The Flame Still Burns Bright In Wisconsin

September 11 now has a special historical significance in our nation given the events perpetrated by extremist Muslim fundamentalist that thought the best way to make their point was to fly airplanes into the symbol of America’s economic and political power. Life has not been the same for everyone since that cowardly and dastardly act.

Thom Hartman addressing the crowd

However, this September 11, 2010…while honoring those who lost their lives and saluting their families for soldering on, Wisconsinites also took time to gather to address societal issues and advance progressive direction for the benefit of all.

Fighting Bob fest is a feature of southern Wisconsin, precisely in the Sauk County Fairgrounds in Baraboo, about 45 miles north of Madison. The political festival carries on the tradition of Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette, who was a very liberal Wisconsin Governor and also a US Senator. The fest is a rally for progressive ideas on issues facing Wisconsin and the nation. This year’s event and attendance was surely a sharp rebuke to the Tea Party movement that we have grown tired of hearing about their lies and racist tactics. US Representative Gwen Moore, aptly demonstrated that the Tea being served by these folks was just as lethal as the Kool-Aid served at the Jonestown.

According to the organizers, ‘Freedom and justice are defended through education, and the exchange of ideas, promotes solidarity among progressives. To this end, Fighting Bob Fest strives to provide citizens with a forum for democratic participation where frustrations with current policies can be constructively molded into calls to action”; a sentiment I endorse intoto.

Progressives paying attention

It was a leisurely drive up to Baraboo, as it was always fun driving up and through the Baraboo Hills that often looked insurmountable on approach from a distance. Arriving the fairgrounds about noon, the huge stadium-sized crowd showed right away that a lot more people attended this year than the previous years that I have always attended. Nothing could be as exciting as beholding a sea of progressives talk shopping, discussing issues at break-out sessions, gathering petition signatures, drawing attention to various causes while also reviewing and questioning various candidates running for political offices for the up coming primaries on September 14.


I spent my first hour staffing my Amnesty International local group’s table collecting signatures on petitions for various human rights defenders and prisoner of conscious individuals that have been locked away from the freedom most of us have to go about our business without fear or deprivation.

Wisconsin Progressives listening intently

 

 

On ending my shift, I went over the larger open field area to enjoy the progressive choir of the Raging Grannies, which satirize various political events or lack thereof in biting songs that are at once entertaining as well as doling out hardnosed progressive political messages. They are an all-women social justice activist group who dress up in clothers that mock stereotypes of older women and use their songs to protest or draw attendtion to various causes.

Their very well received performance was followed by various key speakers and lined up for the afternoon. With Thom Hartmann, a well known national radio personality heard 3 hours every day on Mic 92.1 around southern Wisconsin. There were such well known speakers as Jim Hightower, Congressman Dave Obey, Congresswomen Tammy Baldwin and Gwen Moore, Reverend David Couper, Reverend Jesse Jackson who also received a lifetime achievement award, among many other speakers.


The enthusiasm of the progressive forces that gathered at the Fighting Bob Fest gives a lie to the media panic about America turning away from the changes that are occurring for the benefit of all in these troubling times.

It was indeed a great afternoon well spent.