When I first moved to Seattle, I mainly started hanging out with Michiganders. Midwesterners in general tend to gravitate toward one another here in the Northwest and home of the so-called "Seattle freeze" of anti-socialities. I didn't meet too many Wisconsinites right away...WITH the exception of a girl from my hometown who went to same high school (same graduating class as my brother, three years ahead of me) who I saw lived here when I noticed her name in the album credits for a local band (having done the artwork for them).
In the last 8 years or so in Seattle, I've come to be a part of a musical community that has Wisconsinites in spades. Hell, i hang out with more Wisconsin folk here than I do when I visit back home. Now I'm not saying we all ended up out here or moved away because we didn't fit in....but on my end, after the results of the November election, I knew exactly the who and the why of how Trump got elected. Here in Seattle, people tend to think and interact in one of those "bubbles" everyone's been going on about (and Obama even mentioned in his farewell speech). They assume anyone that would vote for Trump would be a straight-up racist and endorsing of sexual assault.
But the folks I know in Wisconsin who voted for Trump voted for him DESPITE these proclivities of his, not because of them. They voted for him because he actually visited the state (unlike the other candidate) and made sweet promises of returning things to how they used to be that said people remember as being better because they were younger and/or employed and/or nostalgia is powerful thing.
I TRY myself to live in the here and now (don't always succeed of course) and as many others have noted, this election has if nothing else been a reminder of the divide between progressive and extremist ideologies that has always existed and will always exist. And that those who don't know their history are bound to repeat it. A lot of people voted for Trump thinking it was funny and "hey what's the harm? It'll shake things up a bit..."...Combine those folks with the ones who sincerely DO want to break the system and twist it to their own despicable version of humanity, combine BOTH with the folks mentioned above who want their voices heard and things to be as good as they remember them being, and THAT's how this reality-show star got elected.
I didn't mean to go on about Trump here, I MEANT to go about Paul Ryan and how he is shamefully my hometown of Kenosha, WI's representative....and how when he first ran in '98, a little old lady who I worked with at a restaurant told me I reminded her of him (physically, I assume). This was the first and most inconsequental of the reasons for me to hate Paul Ryan.
Anyway, to cut to the chase, the Wisconsin friends in my musical community have helped me put together an EP called "The Sin in Wisconsin Vol.1" with a song each from me, The Foghorns, Caleb Bue, Clayton Ballard, Aaron Zig & The Pornadoes with all sales going to support Planned Parenthood, which is currently having their federal funding slashed via the Obamacare repeal. You can click here to pre-order for digital delivery on January 20 and get my new song "Rosebud in the Fire (The Death of Adrienne Rich)" right away
Next week, we'll be having a release show on Inauguration Eve at the Sunset Tavern here in Seattle. Caleb's band Caleb & Walter will be playing and I'll be joined by Bart & Casey from The Foghorns then Aaron and Clay on a couple songs. All band proceeds from the night will also go to benefit Planned Parenthood and hopefully provide some catharsis and support for all involved. Hope to see you there.
And oh, go Packers!
