Yesterday, I had the pleasure of being a witness to a pretty incredible event – several Catholic nuns on a large 55-foot bus, came to Janesville – in order to protest Paul Ryan’s budget, which was passed by the United State House of Representatives. The nuns, led by Sister Simone Campbell, made a point of highlighting how much Paul Ryan’s budget will hurt those who have the least, and how they, as nuns, cannot stand by and not speak up about it.
As the word about this event began to spread around Janesvill
e, I could tell that the turn out was going to be a good one. No matter the weather – 95 degrees – or the short notice, the idea of Catholic nuns making a political statement on the social justice of their mission, objecting to Paul Ryan, was guaranteed to be the hot ticket in town. What we were not prepared for, was the reality of the experience: Not only was it impressive to see women who felt so strongly about their convictions that they chose to defy whatever consequences may come to them from those above them in the Church hierarchy, but the entire experience was simply moving, and the crowd – two hundred at least – immediately recognized it. Whether this was because the nuns were not dressed in black and white, (a relief to many I’m sure, considering the weather) but were instead dressed in nice street clothes, or because they were a quiet group of determined women, or because they were nuns, was not exactly clear. More then likely, it was the combination of all of it. The crowd, the signs, the positive feeling of being involved in a protest, and the nuns, created an atmosphere many have not experienced before (or it least in a while). If not quite like winning an election, it reminded everyone of what’s at stake.
Here’s what actually happened: the bus showed up and parked across the street from Paul Ryan’s office. Surrounded by cameras, the nuns exited and walked across the street to a crowd that was cheering and chanting “Thank You! Thank You!” Seemingly overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response, the nuns entered the Old Towne Mall where Paul Ryan’s office is located, and followed by several media representatives, walked into the Congressman’s office. There, they were greeted by staff members – Paul Ryan was not expected, nor was he there – their requests were heard (partially in front of the media, partially in a private conference room), and then the nuns exited. During that time the crowd staged an improvised Solidarity Sing Along led by the Raging Grannies, outside of the office but inside the mall. Standing on two levels, people were singing together and waiting for the nuns to emerge. Once the nuns came out, they went back across the street where Sister Simone Campbell made a statement to the media about their visit. Afterwards the bus moved a block over and the nuns came out once again, this time at the Courthouse Park. Sister Simone Campbell spoke to the crowd, thanking them and expounding on the need for us to talk to each other. Then the nuns got on the bus and left. Just like that.
Standing around with the other protesters who I got to know over the past year and a half, we talked about the impressive turn out (in spite of the 95 degree heat). It seemed to us that even though the nuns were in Janesville because of Paul Ryan, had it not been for us practicing protesting since the February of last year, it would’ve been hard to imagine so many people turning out for an event that was only announced a few days in advance. We are now clearly in a fighting shape.
A special note of recognition goes to Rob Zerban who is running for US Congress against Paul Ryan. Rob was at the event, speaking with the media, visiting with people, and overall providing that quiet, solid and positive leadership that the 1st Congressional District has so missed.
I am no specialist on Catholic politics, but no matter what the Vatican will have to say about this, on the ground, this was clearly a very positive development for the Church. I spoke with many people who have never felt as positive about the Catholic church as they did today, following the visit from the Nuns on the Bus. These included Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, Quaker, Jews, and others. If my job was to promote Catholicism, I would be wise to take note of this.
A friend walked up to Sister Simone and said “I’m Lutheran, and you’re a Catholic, but it doesn’t matter.” Sister Simone replied “It’s true. A Jewish Rabbi told me that.” Following the loss of the recall, there was a certain longing for something strong, powerful and positive. Nuns on the Bus reminded Janesville’s faithful believers in democracy about solidarity in all of its forms, and they gave us that inspiration to continue to stand for what is right. It was a privilege to witness it.
THANK YOU FOR READING AND SHARING THIS POST. NOW, PLEASE TAKE A SECOND TO CONTRIBUTE TO MY ASSEMBLY CAMPAIGN! https://secure.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/27978
BRAVO TO NUNS & THEIR “RADICAL FEMINIST” <yes, sarcasm AGENDA.
HEY, IT HAS TO START SOMEWHERE! WOMEN OF THE WORLD UNITE!
YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BUT:
your murder, mutilation, beating & humiliation, your second-class status [and/or treatment], interference in your rights over your own body, your inferior pay, your absence in positions of power in the corporate AND government worlds, weakness, rapes [at least SOME], low self-esteem, brainwashing about appearance, the "old boys" network, condescending attitudes when buying a car [or repairing one too, for that matter], putting up with & actually CHOOSING "bad boys" [on a personal note, THAT one REALLY pisses me off], discrimination in hiring & promotions at pretty much ANY level, except "assistant", TRAINING THE MALE WHO THEN BECOMES YOUR BOSS [that one is just unbefuckinglieveable], hurting yourSELVES with unreasonable expectations like being the perfect wife AND mother AND career woman…
FOR GOD'S SAKE, GIVE YOURSELVES A FUCKING BREAK!
The people who lost the cause they started back in February are not an inspiration, since they lost; and they should not be an inspiration. Note that those liberal Democratic Wisconsin legislators fled to Illinois to unsuccessfully oppose successfully getting Wisconsin pensions in order under a Republican governor.. Now Illinois is struggling over getting its pensions in order under their Democratic governor and legislature.
RLA Schaefer, I’m one of those who you say should not be an inspiration because we lost. Sorry you feel that way, because we were really fighting the fact that our Governor lied to us, said he would talk with us and didn’t, then got rid of collective bargaining by doing it illegally and without allowing all Dems to vote. Public workers were willing to give up even more of our benefits and salaries to help out. (That was especially hard for teachers in Wisconsin, since they have had their salaries capped since the early 1990′s.) But that wasn’t enough for Walker. He wanted to take everything, and he wanted to divide and conquer. Our state is now hopelessly divided. I’m not sure when it will ever be the way it once was. Our best teachers are leaving. Few young people will even consider teaching as a career now. Our son and wife lost their jobs and health care because of Walker, and then their home. It wasn’t just about pensions.
The Democratic Senators who left our state did so because they were being forced to vote on a bill that they had just received and had no time to study. (The Republicans had had copies of the bill earlier, but the Democrats hadn’t been given time to read them.) From the moment the Democratic Senators arrived in Illinois , they began reading the bill and sending information on Facebook and through emails, explaining what the bill contained, giving them the site online where they could read the bill for themselves. This is how people in Wisconsin found out what was in the bill. Farmers and others would eventually lose access to Badgercare (a state health program begun by a Republican governor, (ironically); public workers would lose jobs and find that private companies would come in and take over. Corporate farms would begin amassing the land of small farmers and putting in large one; , large businesses would begin coming in and taking out small, local ones. Small green energy companies would be stopped because the Koch Brothers are invested in fossil fuels and would eventually control most of the state. And all that is now beginning to happen. When the Dems went to Illinois, we didn’t even know that the public worker pension fund would be bankrupted. That came out later.
Since I’m originally from Illinois, I feel sad about the problems you are now facing there, and I don’t understand it. But even though we lost here, we admire your fight, and we really hope you’ll succeed in your struggle. You are an inspiration to us, even if you feel that somehow we let you down. We wish you the very best.
While I most certainly disagree with Paul Ryan’s budget, I am equally adamant about the Catholic nuns making a political statement. It amounts to no difference than if priests/bishops/popes etc, coming out against abortion. If they were that committed to their cause, they could have showed up in tank top and cut-offs or anything not related to their religion.
Nuns on the Bus! You didn’t become nuns to become politically active! Shame on you!! You come to serve the Lord and serve the faithful… and to not ‘show up’ with your habits on, just tells me you are of the very liberal catholicism that I dislike….
Well… I am not a Catholic but I don’t think you need to be in order to understand that these nuns are indeed American citizens who wish to exercise the same rights anyone else has. But apparently you don’t believe they are allowed to serve the Lord at the same time by speaking up for the least fortunate among us? Do you think the Lord disapproves of this? Seems like He didn’t have any objections to speaking truth to power, especially on behalf of those less fortunate, But I am just a fallen away heathen with a distant memory of all this. I just don’t see the harm in what they are doing so perhaps better to suspend judgement on them for now. What if some union members showed up in their fireman’s hats to express their opinions. Would you have a problem with that?
Should be “Naivety on Bus.”