Jesse Jackson compares Madison to Selma and Gettysburg

In an op-ed at the Huffington Post, civil rights leader Jesse Jackson compared the insurrection in Madison to the civil rights march in Selma, Alabama:

Madison is this generation's Selma, the epicenter for the modern battle for basic human rights.

Blaming America's economic woes on Wall Street, he completely ignores the policies enacted by liberal Democrats in Washington, D.C., and the ever increading demands made on taxpayers by public-sector unions.

He attempts to re-write history by claiming Governor Walker's plan provides "...dramatic hikes in what they pay for pensions and health care," but fails to note that the plan put forward asks state employees to provide 5.8 percent of their salary for pensions and 12.6 percent of the average cost of their annual premiums.  Most private sector workers would love to have a plan like that.

He further distorts reality by claiming:

As if to flaunt his power grab, he exempted the unions -- police and firefighters -- that endorsed him in the election.

But as Walker told CBS, of the 314 fire and police unions in Wisconsin, only four endorsed him, while the majority endorsed his opponent.  As the saying goes, Jackson is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.  Still, the big lie continues.

Jackson then writes:

The right to organize, to bargain collectively and to strike are basic human rights enshrined in international law.

It is true that international law does support collective bargaining, but as usual, Jackson only tells half the story - the half that supports his position.

Tonia Novitz, a Professor at the University of Bristol's School of Law, writes:

The right to strike may be restricted or prohibited: (1) in the public service only for public servants exercising authority in the name of the State; or (2) in essential services in the strict sense of the term (that is, services thinterruption of which would endanger the life, personal safety or health of the whole or part of the population).

While teachers and other public sector employees may have the right to collectively bargain, they do not necessarily have the right to strike - as the teachers in Wisconsin did when they walked off their jobs.

The Republicans who were elected to office in November were not elected to uphold international opinion.  They were elected to get the state's fiscal house in order.

Jackson concludes his piece by writing:

Madison, like Selma, is not a major city. It isn't Chicago or New York or Los Angeles. And it isn't Cairo. It is the epicenter of the battle for America's democracy, and it is as American as Lexington, Concord, Gettysburg, Montgomery and Selma.

One may find it interesting that Jackson compares Madison to Gettysburg.

History teaches that Gettysburg was the site where an invading Confederate army was defeated by Union forces. 

For days, Madison has been invaded by progressives and union protesters provided, in part, by the President's own campaign arm Organizing for America and the Democratic National Committee.  Still, Governor Walker and the Republicans have stood firm despite threats and never-ending protests.  If Jackson really wants to compare Madison to Gettysburg, he may want to re-read his history, because the invaders lost that battle.

An article at The Blaze notes that some of this weekend's rallies have "...actually been organized by the International Socialist Organization..."

In addition to working with liberal activists and national labor unions behind the scenes, the ISO is just one of many socialist/Marxist/communist groups organizing their members to support Van Jones’ new “American dream” initiative.

Their goal could not be more clear, despite all the rhetoric of "workers rights."  What they seek is nothing less than the reversal of November's election. 

Over a week ago, the question was asked, "Is Wisconsin the beginning of a progressive revolution?"

Given the actions of the last several days, and the participation of groups dedicated to the destruction of the U.S. system of government, the answer has to be 'yes.'

Does Jackson really want to embrace international Socialism?  Is this what the unions seek as well?  Do the average teachers understand who, exactly, is behind this revolt and do they fully understand what is at stake?

This is not about civil rights or the "American Dream."  It is about upholding the result of November's election.

If Jackson wants to compare Madison to a pivotal historic event, he would be better off comparing it to the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, which ultimately led to the creation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

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