Middle East Protests Moved to the Midwest: Wisconsin Just the Beginning

The protests for freedom and citizen rights that began in Tunisia, moved to Egypt, and now Iran, may just be getting a little closer to home; protests and demonstrations have landed in the heart of America and this could just be the beginning.

On Feb. 15, 2011, middle class public employees in Madison, Wisc., began storming the state capitol building to protest the new legislative bill from Gov. Scott Walker which would strip the bargaining rights of public employees. No longer would employee unions be able to work for pay increases for employees, force employees to pay dues, and the bill would now require unions to hold annual votes to remain organized.

Needless to say, this bill has public employees furious and today over 40 percent of the Madison public school district teachers called in sick to protest, causing the school district to cancel all classes. Gov. Walker has also threatened to lay off up to 6,000 state workers if this bill is not passed. He has also said he will call in the National Guard if necessary.

Let's face it, the economy is horrible and so is the unemployment rate. Americans are not happy and it is really starting to show, and after spending 18 days watching the Egyptian people protest and demand a change in their government and freedoms, I think Americans are learning that in order to get things changed, they need to stand up and make their voices be heard. This demonstration in Wisconsin, I believe, is just the beginning.

Americans are starting to feel abandoned by their government and feel as though they no longer have a voice. But the problem is not that they don't have a voice, the problem is that, as a country, we have forgotten to use our voice. I see so many Americans complaining about this policy or this problem, but when you ask them if they voted, they say no. If you are not willing to use your voice, it is never going to be heard. The majority of Americans have lost the desire to fight for their freedoms and rights, and have developed a lazy wait and see type attitude.

Those of us who do vote and do stand up and make our voices heard are often looked to as just wasting time. We are told things like "You are only one person and one person can't make a difference." The majority of Americans feel that their voice is no longer important, and unless they are some big corporation filling the pockets of the elected officials, then their voice doesn't matter. But that's wrong.

Look back at Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, where he said, "and that government of the people by the people for the people, shall not perish from the earth." Unfortunately, in all reality, our government no longer represents the "people" in general and has perished. The everyday Americans are not represented and their voices are not heard. Unless you are a government official or have millions in the bank, your voice doesn't count.

Ask those state workers in Wisconsin if they feel their voices are being heard. Ask the unemployed Americans if they feel their voices are being heard and their concerns being addressed. Ask our retired population who worked hard their whole lives to make this country what it is if they feel their voices are being heard. Ask the residents in the Gulf states of the country who lost their means of employment and are now getting sick because of the oil spill and its cleanup if they feel their voices are being heard. I can guarantee you that almost all of these Americans do not feel that this is still a "government of the people, by the people, or for the people."

I believe that just maybe the Egyptians and their fight to make their voices heard may have just been a lesson and a wakeup call for all Americans. It is time we all come together and make our voices be heard. We, the people, need to come together and once again make our government representative of us, not the select few. Hopefully this demonstration in Wisconsin will be just the beginning. Maybe this will be enough to wake Americans up and demand change and their voices be heard.

Gettysburg Address

Thousands Descend on Wisconsin Capitol in Protest, MSNBC

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