SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Glorious Rallies in Madison, Ground Zero of the Fight Back
Feb 17, 2011
What glory it is to be in Madison, Wisconsin, this week, where the people of this state have risen up in revolt against the Neanderthal Republicans who are trying to bust public sector unions and inflict massive harm on their workers.
It's not about balancing a budget. It's about destroying unions as a political and economic force. That's why the bill says every public sector union would have to recertify every year, and why it says that no employer could deduct union dues from paychecks. Neither of those things has anything to do with saving a dime of Wisconsin taxpayer money.
This is ground zero in the fight back, and Wisconsinites are engaging in the closest thing to a general strike that I've ever seen in my lifetime.
This is what democracy looks like. One sign said, "This Is Our Tahrir Square."
I interviewed protestors on Wednesday when the crowd swelled to 30,000. One woman was wearing a "Kick Me, I'm a State Worker" sign. But she declined to give her name. "I'm afraid I'd get fired," she said.
Another woman named Mary Batt, who works for the Department of Justice, said, "I'm here for people who can't be for fear they'd be retaliated against."
I spoke with Allie Riefke, 17, of Mt. Horeb High School, who took off school to come to the rally. She held a sign that read, "Save Our teachers. And My Mom." Her mom works as a guidance counselor at another school, and she couldn't come to the rally "because she'd get into trouble."
Allie said her mom is "going to lose $5,000 if they pass this bill." She added: "That's braces for my little brother. It's not fair."
She's right. It isn't fair.
And that's why so many Wisconsinites are out in the street nonviolently but militantly fighting for their rights this week.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
© 2023 The Progressive
Matt Rothschild
Matt Rothschild is the executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. Prior to joining the Democracy Campaign at the start of 2015, Matt worked at The Progressive Magazine for 32 years. For most of those, he was the editor and publisher of The Progressive.
What glory it is to be in Madison, Wisconsin, this week, where the people of this state have risen up in revolt against the Neanderthal Republicans who are trying to bust public sector unions and inflict massive harm on their workers.
It's not about balancing a budget. It's about destroying unions as a political and economic force. That's why the bill says every public sector union would have to recertify every year, and why it says that no employer could deduct union dues from paychecks. Neither of those things has anything to do with saving a dime of Wisconsin taxpayer money.
This is ground zero in the fight back, and Wisconsinites are engaging in the closest thing to a general strike that I've ever seen in my lifetime.
This is what democracy looks like. One sign said, "This Is Our Tahrir Square."
I interviewed protestors on Wednesday when the crowd swelled to 30,000. One woman was wearing a "Kick Me, I'm a State Worker" sign. But she declined to give her name. "I'm afraid I'd get fired," she said.
Another woman named Mary Batt, who works for the Department of Justice, said, "I'm here for people who can't be for fear they'd be retaliated against."
I spoke with Allie Riefke, 17, of Mt. Horeb High School, who took off school to come to the rally. She held a sign that read, "Save Our teachers. And My Mom." Her mom works as a guidance counselor at another school, and she couldn't come to the rally "because she'd get into trouble."
Allie said her mom is "going to lose $5,000 if they pass this bill." She added: "That's braces for my little brother. It's not fair."
She's right. It isn't fair.
And that's why so many Wisconsinites are out in the street nonviolently but militantly fighting for their rights this week.
Matt Rothschild
Matt Rothschild is the executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. Prior to joining the Democracy Campaign at the start of 2015, Matt worked at The Progressive Magazine for 32 years. For most of those, he was the editor and publisher of The Progressive.
What glory it is to be in Madison, Wisconsin, this week, where the people of this state have risen up in revolt against the Neanderthal Republicans who are trying to bust public sector unions and inflict massive harm on their workers.
It's not about balancing a budget. It's about destroying unions as a political and economic force. That's why the bill says every public sector union would have to recertify every year, and why it says that no employer could deduct union dues from paychecks. Neither of those things has anything to do with saving a dime of Wisconsin taxpayer money.
This is ground zero in the fight back, and Wisconsinites are engaging in the closest thing to a general strike that I've ever seen in my lifetime.
This is what democracy looks like. One sign said, "This Is Our Tahrir Square."
I interviewed protestors on Wednesday when the crowd swelled to 30,000. One woman was wearing a "Kick Me, I'm a State Worker" sign. But she declined to give her name. "I'm afraid I'd get fired," she said.
Another woman named Mary Batt, who works for the Department of Justice, said, "I'm here for people who can't be for fear they'd be retaliated against."
I spoke with Allie Riefke, 17, of Mt. Horeb High School, who took off school to come to the rally. She held a sign that read, "Save Our teachers. And My Mom." Her mom works as a guidance counselor at another school, and she couldn't come to the rally "because she'd get into trouble."
Allie said her mom is "going to lose $5,000 if they pass this bill." She added: "That's braces for my little brother. It's not fair."
She's right. It isn't fair.
And that's why so many Wisconsinites are out in the street nonviolently but militantly fighting for their rights this week.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.