Although Justin Bieber was playing at the Staples Center, it was Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine) and Crosby, Stills and Nash who shook the rafters of the Nokia Theater on Wednesday night.
An appreciative crowd of 6,000 was treated to an evening of music and messages about the perils of Prop. 32, which would selectively restrict campaign contributions for some corporations and all labor unions.
Between e-blasts, internet articles and word of mouth, the 99 percenters found their way – first to the snack bar and cocktail stands, then to their seats.
Soon they were on their feet, with one standing ovation following another.
A coalition of workers, including police, nurses, firefighters, teachers and active union members from a wide range of trades shared a rare moment of appreciation, instead of degradation. Edward James Olmos and the Nightwatchman, Tom Morello, reminded the willing listeners of the value of their individual and collective strength in the face of deception and manipulation.
Together with the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of California and the California Alliance for Retired Americans, over a hundred organizations were represented as standing in opposition to Prop. 32. Thanks to the wonders of taping and the internet, no one would be missing the 6 o’clock Presidential debates.
Yet national politics were on the backburner in the Nokia Theater, at least for a few hours.
As California goes, so goes the nation, was one message. If the 1 percent could buy the passage of anti-union Prop. 32 in California, they would be encouraged to do the same in other states. Would the voters in our state realize that if Prop. 32 passes it would only serve to concentrate even more power in the grasp of corporations?
Or would Red Riding Hood fail to see what big eyes the multimillionaires, dressed in wolves suits, had? What big teeth they were planning to bite Little Red with?
On the day of the concert, the Los Angeles Times wrote an op-ed piece in opposition to Prop. 32. Rigging the system in favor of the Lincoln Club, the Koch brothers and Charles Munger Jr. will not be easy once the citizenry of California hears the anti-Prop. 32 messages from a variety of reputable sources.
As a bonus that same evening, concertgoers got to sing along to Woody Guthrie’s original lyrics of This Land is Your Land with Crosby, Stills and Nash plus Tom Morello.
“One bright sunny morning in the shadow of the steeple, by the Relief Office, I saw my people as they stood hungry. I stood there wondering if this land was made for you and me.”
Both the mullet crowd and the Mohawk crowd responded with thunderous affirmation.
And tomorrow morning the hard work of active citizenry begins anew.
See info@truthonprop32.org
Ms. Sergant maybe contacted at robertasergant@ccusd.org
