One Nation Rally: Hope Over Hate
by UAW Region 8 Webmaster John Davis
Over a quarter million people lined the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. to rally for the working class. Faith, labor, and community leaders organized the One Nation march which was based on the theme of jobs, justice, and education.
A common sign stated “hope, not hate.” This was a very fitting theme as it seems hate is sweeping this country. UAW President Bob King recently stated that America was at a crossroads with two very different visions of America being presented. One vision is that of a corporate state where the rich and affluent control the country to the detriment of the working class. The other vision of America includes justice for all and leads America on a path of community, compassion, and common humanity. This  was the vision and purpose of the One Nation march.
The UAW sent over 117 buses from across the country, with a number leaving Region 8 alone. One such bus left the Region Office in Lebanon at 8 PM and spent a grueling twelve hours on the road to Washington with Regional Retiree Representative Tom Savage in charge. Reaching D.C. the group headed to the Mall to join roughly 50,000 UAW members who made the trip from across the country.
Faith and labor groups began filing in by 10 AM with the crowd lining both sides of the reflecting pool and spilling over into the World War II memorial between the pool and the Washington Monument. Ed Schultz, host of "The Ed Show" on MSNBC was the emcee of the event that included a large number of speakers from the faith and labor communities.
Speakers repeatedly spoke of the need to stand together as Americans to do the will of God including feeding the hungry, clothing the needy, providing care to the sick, and justice for workers. The crowd was peaceful and observant as the event began with an interfaith service followed by the national anthem as the crowd saluted the enormous flag at the end of the reflecting pool.
Hope not hate could cure many of the ills of this country. The saddest part remains that much of the hate displayed is by citizens who don’t have a clue what they are talking about. The Tea Party is a creation of Fox News whose big business, all for the wealthy rhetoric is sold to unsuspecting viewers. In a recent article by Princeton Economics Professor Paul Krugman, the award winning economist, stated that Fox News wasn’t even trying to make it look good anymore. Fox recently donated one million dollars to the Republican Governors Association and to the anti-worker National Chamber of Commerce. In addition, every single 2012 Republican Presidential hopeful is on the Fox payroll except for Mitt Romney.
In addition to Fox News’s billionaire owner Rupert Murdoch using his billions to sway public opinion, there is also the Koch Brothers. David and Charles Koch are richer than Murdoch and just as involved. While the Kochs may not be as well known, you know their handy work. They are the money behind “the tea party.” When David Koch ran against Reagan as Vice-President on the Libertarian Ticket in 1980 he advocated repealing Social Security, welfare, all federal regulatory agencies, public schools, CIA and FBI. While the Koch Foundation donates to cancer research, they also lobby to stop the EPA from classifying their products as a “known carcinogen” (which it is).
Since most people wouldn’t go along with all their big business agenda on those items, the money behind the tea party has to keep people angry. They use lies and double talk to keep their crowd going. They use hate to stir people up to do their bidding and unfortunately it works.
One nation is about bringing people together not driving them apart. The Tea Party operates on the idea that “I got mine and I don’t care about yours.” One nation was about bringing people together not driving them apart. Hopefully this spirit can spread and let hope conquer hate.
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