Journalists Targeted and Arrested at Wisconsin State Capital
On June 6th two journalists were arrested at the state capital in Madison, WI.
I was one of them.



I was grabbed by an aggressive and very escalated police officer after walking in to the state capital on Jne 6th. Officer Corcoran told me to leave, to "get out". It was bewildering because I was already in the building and was simply walking by him filming my way in to the rotunda.
He grabbed me aggressively. I told him, in the friendliest voice I could find, that I was with the press. He let me walk by.

I recognized him from the many times I have been in the building over the past four months covering the gentle uprising as it develops and unfolds around Governor Scott Walker's controversial budget repair bill.

Alex Noguera-Garces was assisting me this day, she was also stopped. I told Corcoran that she was with me and was a member of the press. Initially he let her through. When she stayed behind to film his treatment of citizens as they entered the building he grabbed and arrested her. She was hauled away in handcuffs. It came to my attention that she was being taken away. I went to her aid and when I explained that "I was a member of the press" Corcoran let me know that "I could go to". Referring to jail and being arrested like Alex.
Alex was in taken to an elevator. While inside, before the doors closed, she handed me her camera that was dangling in her hand, likely to fall given the situation. I accepted the camera. At that time Corcoran dropped Alex to the ground, lunged at me from the elevator and tackled me. The excessive force he used left bruises on my arms and hips.
Corcoran never gave me a straight answer as to why he grabbed me or why I was being arrested. He changed his story three times between the time I was in the elevator with him and while he processed my and Alex's charges in the basement.

While in the basement I was pushed around by another office. Literally. I was standing talking on my cell phone, calling for support and an officer came in to the hallway, pushed me from behind, shoving me against a table and told me to "calm down".
Is this the new way that reporters and citizens can expect to be treated in the Wisconsin State Capital? The environment was hostile. The exertion of arbitrary authority was overwhelming. Cops pushing citizens and journalists around because they think they can get away with it.
We must let them know that journalists and citizens alike will not be pushed around, we will not tolerate the use of excessive force simply because someone is wearing a badge.
We do not have to leave a public building simply because a man or a woman with a gun and badge tells us to do so. We are critical thinking individuals; we have the right, the ability and the obligation to challenge authority.

Eventually we were both charged with disorderly conduct, given a $263.50 fine and a court date slated for June 17th.
The officer that escorted us out marked us with a blue sharpy. Giving us a blue X on our right hand. He told us we could not re enter the capital that day.

More people were arrested on Monday than in the days when thousands of people occupied the state capital in February and March.

The following day I filed a complaint with Corcoran's superior. Requesting that he be removed from the first line of defense in "protecting" the people and the capital. I suggested that maybe he be given a few days off as he was clearly over extended in his ability to maintain a clear head and make smart choices whilst under pressure. I learned that he was not working that day and that he would also have the following day off. Perhaps his superior was already savvy to his need for a break.

Monday, June 6th was a significant day as it was the first day the Wisconsin Supreme Court began hearing arguments in the legal challenge to the controversial state law that strips collective bargaining rights for public workers.
More than a thousand people paraded around the capital calling attention to Walker's budget stating that it is "a death sentence to the people of Wisconsin".

My work in Wisconsin will continue. In addition to weekly video news stories, I am making a documentary film about the gentle revolution that exists here. I hope it continues to be gentle and that the brave people of Wisconsin will continue to stand up strong and set an example for the rest of the country.

Recount in Waukesha, WI - People say there is a problem

Today was supposed to be the last day for the Supreme Court re-count in Wisconsin. Waukesha, the county where extra votes were found two days after election day in April, is taking longer than predicted. The recount is slated now to be over May, 26.

Everybody In, Nobody Out: Rallying For Universal Healthcare in Vermont


On May 1, 2011 thousands rallied for health care as a human right in Montpelier, Vermont.

For three years a grassroots movement for universal healthcare has been building in Vermont thanks to the Vermont Workers Center. On March 24, the house passed H202, a bill that puts Vermont on the road to having universal healthcare.

Yet before the activists could celebrate the consideration of universal healthcare in Vermont, they had to contend with a last minute amendment that would have made the bill less than universal; the Brock-Sears amendment would explicitly exclude undocumented workers.

The day after this May 1 rally the Brock-Sears Amendment was struck down in conference committee. The committee was responding specifically to grassroots pressure from healthcare activists who called, wrote, marched, rallied and spent days at the statehouse talking to lawmakers. This is democracy in action, and proves that grassroots organizing works.

Video highlights from the National Conference for Media Reform

Media makers and media educators at the National Conference for Media Reform in Boston, April, 2011. Here are some of the highlights from conversations with leaders in the media reform movement.
Interviews include - Sut Jhally, Amy Goodman, Mike Wassenaar, Don Rojas and Tim Karr.

Title
Michelle Shocked - Beauty and Grace

Michelle Shocked sings a song of beauty of grace for the movement in Madison, Wisconsin. WORT studios.
I filmed her just before the From Memphis to Madison Rally on the national day of action.

Joanne Kloppenburg addressed her supporters at 12:30am at the Edgewater Hotel in Madison, WI.


The final vote count was not completed until early afternoon the following day
April 6, 2011.
Per the Associated Press:
Kloppenburg - 740,090
Prosser - 739,886

Huge turnout at the polls today in Madison.

Back in Madison. Report from the Capital April 3

I am happy to be back in Madison, WI for the week. Covering elections and tomorrow's historic national day of action.
I arrived in Madison today after taking the train from Burlington, VT.
I left Burlington yesterday at 11:30am and arrived in Madison at 1:45pm.
Viva rail travel and viva the revolution in Madison!!!

Scott Walker Signs Budget Repair Bill while thousands gather outside of his office.

Madison from sam mayfield on Vimeo.

Friday March 11, 2011 Scott Walker signs budget repair bill.

Madison Firefighters Taking Action Against Walker Bank

Madison Firefighters are starting a movement encouraging people to move their money from M & I bank and other institutions that support Gov. Scott Walker. M & I is notably one Gov. Scot Walkers biggest supporters.