Visual Communication is an American Right

In case you haven’t noticed, my wonderful state of Wisconsin is in a bit of turmoil.

I’m being rather facetious here, because unless you’ve been vacationing on Mars since February 11, you’ve certainly witnessed much more than you want of Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed budget repair bill. But no matter from what side one views this standoff-watched-round-the-world, everyone agrees it’s become one of great passion.

It’s also of historic proportion.

Each week as I photograph protesters, I can’t help thinking of the images we see in history books—images of early labor unionists protesting for safe working conditions, women suffragettes marching for rights to vote and civil rights activists standing up for human equality. In all those photos, people visually communicated their message with signs.

Isn’t it blessed that we live in a country where we have the freedom to do so?

Here’s a small sampling of the collective communication going on in Wisconsin (I have to admit, in spite of my journalist’s education, my photos are a bit one sided. I was unable to be in Madison the day Walker supporters marched).