Teaching Walker a valuable lesson

Chloe DirectorStaff WriterThere is historical precedent that proves the power of protest. Mahatma Gandhi advocated non-violent demonstrations that led to the overthrow of British rule in India, Martin Luther King led hundreds of thousands in a peaceful march on Washington that ended the Jim Crow era, demonstrations hastened the end of the Vietnam War and Nelson Mandela led protesters to end apartheid in South Africa.In the past month, the power of peaceful protest has once again been proven around the world. First the Tunisian dictator Ben Ali fell after thousands took to the streets, then the Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarek fell. Libyan dictator Colonel Gaddafi will be next.But what about the power of protest in America, the leader of the free world, in 2011? Will protesting teachers in Wisconsin prevail over newly-elected Republican governor Scott Walker? Americans are taking to the streets in a way that hasn’t been seen since the Vietnam War. But it may be easier to take down evil dictators than corporate-sponsored American politicians.Teachers have a powerful union. One that has won them benefits and healthcare coverage. One that gives them a voice on issues that affect them. For weeks, over 30,000 protesters crammed the State Capitol in Madison, Wisconsin, after Walker announced his determination to strip teachers and other public sector unions of their right to collective bargaining.Many Americans support the teachers. But there is a vocal opposition. Some workers in the private sector don’t have as many rights and benefits as public workers. Instead of forming their own unions, and fighting for their own right to a living wage, workers in the private sector want to take those rights away from teachers. They are fighting for a worse quality of life.Protesters in Madison who support the unions hope to give back inspiration, encouragement, and dedication to the hard-working teachers who have inspired, encouraged and dedicated their lives to educating children.Teachers left the classrooms weeks ago and took to the streets, gaining support from some students just for giving them the time off. But most supporters were serious about the importance of holding onto the basic American right to organize workers.“We’ve seen student walk outs, faculty teach-ins, citizens setting up camp overnight in the rotunda ... . Spontaneous rallies have popped up in every corner of the state, denouncing Walker’s extremist agenda,” the president of the American Federation of Teachers in Wisconsin, Bryan Kennedy explained.The State legislature approved the bill eliminating collective bargaining on Friday, Feb. 25, but the Senate is still missing Democratic members who fled the state to keep the Republicans from having a quorum and thus delaying the vote. State troopers have been searching for defectors, hoping to find them in their homes and bring them back to the assembly. So far, they’ve been unsuccessful, and the protest continues.Walker says that it’s not a democracy to “not do your job.” However, the senators say they are not likely to return until he compromises.The protest has been entirely non-violent, with teachers and supporters chanting thank you! Thank you! to clean-up crews, and singing “We Shall Overcome.” But it remains to be seen if the power of the people in the Middle East is stronger than the power of the people in the greatest democracy in the world.cdirector@thesamohi.com