I was privileged to be a part of what I hope will be the first of many “Evening of Progressive Voices” on April 26 as part of the Recall Alberta Darling efforts underway in the Milwaukee (Wisconsin) area. Darling is one of six Republican state senators who are now subject to recall efforts because of their support of the radical budget proposals introduced by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.
We’d like to acknowledge and thank Sachin Chheda, Chair of the Democratic Party of Milwaukee County for all of his efforts to organize the event. And a particular thank you to John Nichols of The Nation and The Capitol Times for his inspiring talk to the group.
The evening helped to re-energize those who have done the incredibly hard work of “pounding the pavement” to acquire the needed signatures to force the recall efforts of Darling. The truly grass roots efforts by these tireless volunteers and organizers have turned this into what Nichols referred to as historic times in Wisconsin.
A copy of our book, Wisdom of Progressive Voices, was given to all in attendance. One of our goals here at Wisdom Voices Press is to work to remind people of the wonderful progressive tradition and history that is so much a part of our country’s background. I quoted from the late Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone in my talk, reading the following:
“Our aims in political activism are not, and should not be, to create a perfect utopia. What we seek is more simply to improve the quality of human life while at the same time respecting the natural environment which sustains it: Not a heaven on earth but a better earth on earth. This is not at all a timid agenda, far from it. The work ahead of us is enormous!”
And we were honored to have Chheda close the evening with a quote from the book from Franklin D. Roosevelt:
The world goes on by peaks and valleys, but on the whole, the curve is upward…Let us move forward with strong and active faith.”
If you’d like to support the recall efforts in Wisconsin, go to our Book Orders page and select the drop down box for Wisconsin Recall Efforts. A portion of the proceeds from the book sale will be forwarded.
