I have been traveling across the Midwest to stand with working families and the energy at these rallies is truly inspiring, and long overdue. For too long we have looked on in shocked disbelief as those on the right distort and demonize good people and good works. It seems clear to me that this is the year the Republicans have decided to wage their long sought war on the protections that keep millions of Americans in the middle class. Collective bargaining, living wages, and benefits have made the middle class in America strong.
This morning I am about to hit the road again. I'm headed to Indianapolis to join the efforts there to withstand the corporatist onslaught. Before I head out, I wanted to let you know that our work is not going unnoticed, on either side. Russ Feingold recently announced that he is forming a political action committee with the same goals as Heartland Revolution. I am glad to see Russ Feingold enter this fight. We need people like him and with his experience and access to media outlets, our message has just gotten a big boost.
Not suprisingly, those on the right have taken notice as well. A conservative columnist for the Washington Examiner newspaper wrote a pretty misguided and outlandish column attributing the wave of protests to some Heartland Revolution conspiracy. He gives us a little too much credit. We are simply standing up for what's right, but people like this columnist see nothing but conspiracies and nefarious motives. I suspect they assume we operate the same way they do. From there, the column showed up on the Free Republic message boards and has inspired a lot of frenzied and hysterical responses. The Freepers have been busy painting us as unamerican and evil.
In the past few days, my wife and I have been getting some pretty nasty emails from people that think school teachers are communists and that demanding living wages is tantamount to treason. I cannot share some of what they've written as it's hardly polite, but here a few things I've seen since I came home to get some clothes and see my family.
FROM AN EMAIL TO JANIE WALTZ: "you little commie *removed obscenity* have no idea the number of people who hate you and your movement.get off your *removed obscentiy* and take cre of yourself. I have never earned more than $35.000 a year but I raised 6 kids. Paid for health care and hosing without ever taking food stamps or any other gov. help. Stop your commie whinning and just take care of yourself instead of being a leech."
FROM A TWEET: "Heartland Revolution http://www.heartlandrevolution.com/ We need to put this outfit in the Conservative crosshairs- TODAY! #tcot#ocra#2A"
FROM A MESSAGE BOARD: "John Waltz...The current Mayor of Dorkville.."
Believe me, these are some of the tame ones! It would be easy to get down or feel intimidated, except that is exactly what they want. I for one am more saddened by the fact that a lot of these people have been fooled into blaming working people that simply want to provide for their families instead of the Republican elites that bilk investors, employees, and taxpayers alike to continue widening the income gap so that they can buy jets, yacts, and private golf courses. How is it that the blame is to fall on teachers and welders and bus drivers and nurses, but never on Wall Street hustlers that made billions from our economic collapse?
This is not time to back down. They can call us names and send us menacing emails with bad spelling all they like. I will not stop. I will not shut up. I will not cede the floor to the misinformed, misguided, and disingenuous.
If you have had the chance, be sure to follow us on twitter at #getupfightback or facebook. We need the back up as the freepers and the Glenn Beck fans begin to single us out for punishment. And of course, your donations help us prepare for the epic struggle that has already begun.
I hope to see some of you in Indianapolis. If you know of a rally in your area, it is important to attend if you can. The tea-partiers aren't the only ones that know how to rally. If the media wants to swoon over fake outrage, let's see how they respond to real people fighting for their livlihoods. Our rallies aren't about hypothetical and abstract budget scenarios designed to ruin Medicare and Social Security. We aren't asking for government handouts. We're asking that the billionaires stop sacrificing the working class in the name of one more quick buck.