Photo of blackboard at Ian's Pizza on State St. in Madison, WI (image featured here under Fair Use)

I know there’s been a lot out there about people, groups, and restaurants in Madison, Wisconsin supporting the people demonstrating against the legislation being put forward by Gov. Scott Walker to take away public workers’ collective bargaining rights. And it’s all very heartwarming in a global sense.

But Aunt Toby wants you to clean off the specs and read this list on the blackboard from Ian’s Pizza on State, Ian’s Pizza on State Order Board which has been fielding and fulfilling orders for pizza for the demonstrators. And I want you to think about what this list actually means, in more than a ‘what the heck; I’ll put a charge of $20 on my credit card.”

There are countries on that list where people are starving, suffering from want, suffering from earthquakes and other disasters, people who we have frankly failed. And they believed enough in what is happening in a town they have never seen, a half a world away, to send food to American workers demonstrating for their rights.

There are countries on that list where people have every right to hate the United States (and probably do) because of what we have done and continue to do, where our military forces have done unspeakable things their families and children. And people in those countries sent food to American workers demonstrating for their rights against corporatism.

There are countries on that list which we fear and demonize and vilify on a regular basis in our media. And people in those countries sent food to our people because they believed in us.

* Sniff * Makes you feel damned humble, doesn’t it? If they can do that, why can’t we get off our butts and fight for what is right and good?