New kid on the block.

Hello, readers. This is Crescent Parker, your new blogger here at Political Heat. I'm very thankful to Chris for letting me join in as one of the new writers, and for letting me share my political insight and opinions. So, who am I? To give you a brief introduction, I'm a girl of many interests. Born in Milwaukee, WI and raised in Kenosha. Public School attendee, Daughter and Granddaughter of four teachers. Sister of two wonderful, intelligent, and physically challenged brothers. Owner of one adopted black and white weinerdog. Theatre student turned Legal Studies major. Lifelong Wisconsinite, and Democrat.

Democrat, Super-Liberal, Young Progressive, Whatever you'd choose to call me, it all roughly means the same thing to me. Lover of Democracy. Yes, I'm a girl who completely values her Democracy.

If there's anything I've learned within the past 3 months, it's that I have never known how much I love something until I'm faced with the prospect of losing it. (And oh, has that prospect made it's all too apparent presence known.)
These past months have proved to be a alarming glimpse into a Wisconsin world run by one conservative Governor with one very hidden agenda. As citizens of Wisconsin, we have found ourselves outside the State Capitol, linked arm in arm, marching alongside police officers, firefighters, teachers and college students who are all pleading for the same preservation of our state's values. Some of us have been forced to reconfigure basic day-to-day actions to assure ends can be met, and ALL of us are scared of the extremely prevalent risk of losing fundamental aspects that make Wisconsin the place we know and adore. See, to the rest of the world, Wisconsin may be nothing but dairy, drunks, and darn' good beer.. But to a Wisconsinite, it's a state where education, equality, and respect for worker and civil rights have always taken priority. Wisconsin has a very strong reputation for being the birthplace of the union. To many, it's one of the last places any one would have anticipated such a detrimental attack on basic rights.
While Governor Scott Walker may have partially succeeded in using the state of Wisconsin as his Republican playground pinata I'd like to believe that the one thing he's fully succeeded in is providing not only Wisconsin but the entire nation with a revived sense of passion and solidarity that "We the People" haven't experienced in 50+ years. I believe he has, as they say, awoken a very cranky, very progressive sleeping dragon.

So, readers, I hope we can be friends. Whether you're a resident of this great state of Wisconsin, or reading from four states away. Whether you're a republican or democrat, red or blue, elephant or donkey, I think we can all agree on a basic love for our state and willingness to fight for what we love. And that, to me, is what Democracy looks like.
Crescent Parker