Awake the State!

We came, we sang, we wore Groucho Marx noses!

The Mickee Faust Club was part of the evening Awake the State rally, singing a song I wrote ten years ago on the tune of "Anatevka" from "Fiddler on the Roof".

Tallahassee, Tallahassee

Underwaged, overworked Tallahassee

Where Jimbo Fisher is a star!

Tallahassee, Tallahassee;

Intimate, obstinate Tallahassee

Where no one ever goes too far.

Soon I'll be a number in the jobless line

Searching for all those old friends of mine

From Tallahassee...

I belong in Tallahassee!
Governor: Fuck* yourself! Tallahassee.

Dear little city, little town of mine.

*for the purposes of this performance, we blew a raspberry and flipped him the bird.

Our performance was met with laughter and applause. The noses, which we wore in an effort to protect those state employees in the troupe who are feeling particularly vulnerable at this time, added another layer of the message: folks are having to put on a mask in order to remain employed in this state government town.

A reporter from the Orlando Sentinel asked me why I was out protesting on this opening day of the state legislative session. And I told him the truth. I have friends who are scared, and clients in my massage practice who are anxious about their futures. I knew they were not going to be standing up for themselves, and since I can, I did. I gave up all my other activities I would have been doing today for the sole purpose of standing by the road, holding some signs and waving to motorists. And as I said in my earlier post, I did this with joy. My signs, seen here, were meant to evoke the ire of those who voted for the high-speed rail amendment nine years ago... and to call upon a hero to save us from the Dark Lord Voldemort who has bought himself a state.

One person remarked, "It's gonna take more than Harry Potter to save us!"

True.