A flash mob at Bachmann & Associates, a Christian counseling clinic run by Michele Bachmann and her husband Marcus, protested the clinic’s acceptance of state and federal money Thursday and poked fun at allegations that the clinic performs therapy to “cure” homosexuality. The mob, dressed as barbarians — a nod to one of Marcus’ comments about LGBT people — danced a choreographed routine to Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.”

The barbarian outfits were in response to a radio interview Marcus Bachmann gave in 2010 that insinuated that LGBT people were “barbarians” who “need to be educated.” The dance troop also featured a fake Marcus Bachmann who was “baptized” in glitter during the stunt.

Here’s video of the protest:

Gov. Mark Dayton is scheduled to sign an early Medicaid expansion for Minnesota on Wednesday, and the tea party is planning to be there to protest. Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty refused to sign the state up for the early Medicaid opt-in, in which all states will have to enroll by 2014 as part of health care reform. An email from the Tea Party Patriots of Minnesota says they hope to have 100 protesters at the Capitol rotunda.

Under the early Medicaid expansion, single childless adults earning less than $675 a month will be shifted off of General Assistance Medical Care, which was gutted during the budget battle in 2009 and partially reinstated in 2010, to federal Medicaid.

Pawlenty opposed the funding because it would cost the state matching funds to implement the expansion. Dayton originally has set Tuesday as the date to sign the executive order enrolling the state in the Medicaid program, but changed it to Wednesday which the tea party sarcastically took credit for.

Here’s the email sent out jointly between the tea party and Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom, a tea party affiliated group:

You Scared the Governor!!!!!!

He Changed the Date & Location!!!

Note the Change of Date & Location

ObamaCare Protest

DATE: WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5
PLACE: GOVERNOR’S RECEPTION ROOM, Office of the Governor
DATE: 9:30 a.m. (please arrive by 9:00 a.m. to receive CCHF talking points/stickers)
Room: 130 State Capitol (first floor)
Address: 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55155

RSVP Requested – email Jenna (jenna@cchfreedom.org)

PLEASE COME:
One legislator I was speaking with hopes there will be 100 protestors in the Rotunda. Dayton is planning to be surrounded by supporters. Your presence will tell a different story. NOTE: if anyone from the media approaches you, please talk in a very respectable manner. We’ll distribute talking points for your use.

Let us know if you’ll be coming.
Email Jenna Minegar with your name, approx. number of people coming and phone number (in case the location changes): jenna@cchfreedom.org

ADDRESS – 75 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55155
PARKING – Bring lots of quarters to park on the street or in parking lots near the State Capitol.

See you there!

“The sleeping giant is now awake”

“I’m sorry I didn’t do more to stop the madness”

“Sleep? I’ll Sleep When Conservatives Run Congress”

“No Taxation Without Deliberation”

“No Taxation Without Deliberative Representation”

“No Spending Without Deliberation”

“No Spending Without Deliberative Representation”

Despite the fierce verbiage, there seems to be some timidity among event organizers. Local Tea Party blogger “cinnfullyconservative” warns: “Beware of the anti-tea party saboteurs!” Word — from Michele Malkin and other rightwing bloggers — is that clipboard-wielding nogoodniks are planning to “infiltrate tea party events and try and collect information from participants.” Cinnful’s advice:

If you are asked to sign something at the rally, please make sure the people asking have the proper credentials.

Nothing says “Revolution! Nuff said” — as one sign idea reads — than “Can I see your ID card, please?”

Photo details: Flickr/Eric Richardson, DU.com/Kadie

Americans’ anger over AIG’s publicly funded executive bonuses may make this the last “Why are we not rioting?” post. First, one more observer remarks on the stateside calm, blaming low levels of unionization while seeing sparks of resistance in hundreds of homeowners picketing a mortgage financier’s Connecticut home. But there’s union help in spreading the word about anti-AIG-themed economic protests planned for Thursday at sites across the country. They’ll have to draw the advertised 10,000 to the streets without us: The Minneapolis protest is set for “500 Griswold St, Detroit, MI,” time TBA.

As usual, California is ahead of the curve, with a lightly attended anti-AIG demonstration yesterday, documented here. Another protest at Wall Street will take place April 3-4.

None of it will likely reach the heights Fox’s Sean Hannity hoped for late last month with an online poll asking which sort of revolution (right wing, natch) viewers prefer:

The Queer Women’s March will take place at 9 p.m. on the corner where Boyne was attacked, at Bryant Avenue and Lake Street. Organizers are urging people to bring signs and candles to mark the event as “a loving and peaceful demonstration” to counter the violent act.

“Love, compassion and understanding is the only cure for hatred and fear,” said the group’s organizers. “So in response to this senseless act of hate and violence, we will march to demonstrate that queer women (and all women!) will not tolerate being victimized by hateful bigotry and violence.”

While the march is organized for women, everyone is welcome.

“We are all for a boycott if that is what brings about a sense of community for people,” said Sean Hetherington of West Hollywood, Calif. Hetherington dreamed up the idea as a protest to the passage of California’s Prop 8. “You can take away from the economy and give back in other ways,” he told the Associated Press.

Hetherington’s website has serves as a portal for the event, connecting participants to volunteer organizations. For those that live in the 30 states where it is still legal to fire someone just for being gay or lesbian, the website offers other ways to get involved without risking employment.

In Minnesota, some of the opportunities to get involved include the following:

The Hub Bike Co-op will be hosting free classes in honor of the event. The University of Minnesota Human Rights Center is looking for volunteers to help run an event featuring the film A Promise to the Dead: The Exile Journey of Ariel Dorfman. Open Arms of Minnesota, a nonprofit that delivers meals to those with severe illnesses, including AIDS, has openings for drivers. Family and Children Service will be wrapping presents for those in need and Avenues for Homeless Youth need assistance cleaning and painting the shelter.

Photo by Simon Hare Photography

As a part of the UnConvention, a sideshow to the Republican National Convention, next week Miami artist Steven Gagnon will drive his sculptural contraption to the Twin Cities and park it in a public spot near Intermedia Arts, a sponsor of the festivities. Gagnon’s “border cruiser” calls attention to the experience of undocumented people in the U.S. (This week, it will be on view curbside in Denver for the Democratic National Convention. See video below.)

The unconventional project is part of a “series of non-partisan citywide programs around the theme of participatory democracy through art, education and journalism,” geared around the political conventions. The vehicle is just one of many politically minded exhibitions and events that also includes other remade forms of transportation. (Go here for a full schedule of events.)

Once a detective’s car, the cruiser, an all-white Ford Crown Victoria, retains its former glory with a black wraparound stripe and tongue-in-cheek markings that read, “To project and present” and “projection vehicle.” However, the real spectacle comes from inside the multimedia car/installation: It is furnished with several digital projectors that play video footage, providing the kinds of details you won’t find in an incident report.

From the back seat, a Brazilian man’s image flashes life-size across the rear windows, while his narration comes through the roof-mounted speakers — fixtures that bear a striking resemblance to sirens and lights. The immigrant, who has been taken into custody, tells the story of what brought him to the U.S. and the difficulties he has faced since then. (Cool back-story: Gagnon bought the car from a Brazilian woman whose work permit had expired.)

One of the biggest challenges of the project, Gagnon says, was to pull it off legally — avoiding any kind of official police car branding. Even so, the traffic-stopping installation isn’t immune to scrutiny. When taking pictures of the finished product, Gagnon was questioned by police who responded to 911 calls about a fake police car. The cops then stayed close for the remainder of the photo shoot, so as to prevent additional calls. On the other hand, “it gives you a sense of authority even though you have none,” he chuckled, noting that fellow drivers always stick to the speed limit around him.

Gagnon, who comes from a long line of auto mechanics, similarly revamped a New York City taxicab into a mini theater. In “Eins Werden,” which combines equal parts West German-manufactured Mercedes Benz and East German Trabant, he portrays the reunification of Germany, while another piece uses a 1930s Ford to describe his origins. “A lot of my work has dealt with who and what is an American? Who am I as an American?” said Gagnon, who comes from an immigrant family. “I want to raise awareness and provide more dignity to these people who many perceive as second-class citizens. This is a way I can give a different perspective.”

With another convention in the wings, I contacted the artists to see if they had any updates to their self-published book, GOP 100: Deconstructing Dumbo. While they said the book is still fresh four years later and doesn’t necessarily need updating, they had one: a retitled piece showing an elephant in prison stripes (reminiscent of this year’s convention logo). It’s now called “Larry Craig.” But Sockwell, who has created illustrations for clients from the New York Times and Apple to Newsweek and the U.S. Holocaust Museum, agreed to share some illustrations from the book here, along with each work’s title. And next week, he’ll give MnIndy an exclusive illustration that traces the evolution of the Democratic donkey and Republican elephant logos.