Sorry Wisconsin

I would like to say something about what is going on in Wisconsin.

The first day of the protests, I was glued to CNN on the tv and facebook/twitter on the computer to get up-to-the-minute news of what was happening in Madison and how it was (or wasn't) being reported. Glued. I'm ashamed to say that right now I don't know what is happening, and I feel terrible about it.

I have friends and friends of friends who live in Madison who have been going to the Capitol for weeks. I have friends who have driven to Madison to be at the Capitol. I personally know a fair amount of people who will be directly affected by the collective bargaining bill if it passes, and yet I have become distracted by the day-to-day things in my life outside of Wisconsin and I have no idea what is going to happen there and to my friends.

I feel like I probably represent a large silent percentage of Americans who are vaguely interested in the situation because they are curious what will happen and how it might affect other states down the line, but who haven't kept on top of the news because they feel too remote to make a difference. I want to apologize to Wisconsin and Madison and my friends there for apparently being an apathetic bystander.

I wish I had done more. I wish there was more I could have done.