Do Not Let Your Silence Become Your Consent

This evening lawmakers in Wisconsin have acted again the heart of democracy to push through a bill that removes the collective bargaining rights of state employees. Individuals who were protected by unions and have worked for the state for years now find themselves in a perilous position. Last week StateBill 5 passed through one house of the Ohio Legislature. SB5 will remove the collective bargaining rights of state employees. These employees include teachers, firefighters and police officers.

Some alterations have been made to protect firefighters and police officers, but still the attacks come for the teachers. Ladies and Gentlemen if you are currently reading this, remember who taught you to read, who taught you to think, to expand on your thoughts, who taught you how to write. And please, remember your teachers.

First They came... - Pastor Martin Niemoller

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

The majority of American's support unions, public unions and the collective bargaining rights of those unions.

In 2008 68% of eligible voters voted in the Presidential elections.

My thoughts on this whole subject are so disjointed right now that it's hard to explain.

I am not currently a member of a Teacher's union, but I will be. Currently I am a member of a United Food and Commercial Worker's Union. My current union is unaffected by the changes but that does not mean they are silent. Calls are being made and we are being asked to make our voices heard. If politicians are attacking the public workers how long will it be before they choose to interfere with all unions, including those in the private sector.

My lovelies... we can not allow our voices to be silenced. We can not allow our silence to be consent. For too long too many of us have say by the wayside and made the assumption that those with more experience, with more power, more knowledge will make the decisions that are best for us. We have made the assumption that what is truly evil and wrong in society will not be allowed to pass. We have made the assumption that our government will protect us, will make the best decisions for our nation and for the citizens.

We have our voices, we must use them. We can not allow the citizens of this nation to be trampled, we can not allow our voices to be silenced, we can not stand idly by as our rights are ignored in favor of those with deep pockets.

Do not allow your silence to become your consent. Speak up, let your voice be heard, change the world.