In recognition of International Workers Day, a diverse crowd of approximately 250 people gathered on the steps of the state Capitol Thursday evening to protest the policies of the Bush and Doyle administrations.
The rally, which criticized current defense, education and labor policies, began at 6 p.m. on the steps facing State Street, where several speakers representing various groups preached to the audience.
Local activist Robert Miranda underscored the importance of solidarity and the impact of peaceful protest.
\We come united and as one voice,"" he said. ""The government has not been listening, but the government's going to start listening now.""
Frank Emspak, a UW Extension professor in industrial relations, denounced the growing U.S. military budget. He claimed the increase in military funding has caused the current state and federal budget deficits, which he said have prompted massive tuition hikes at public universities, including the proposed 18 percent tuition hike at UW-Madison.
""The only way we can move on in this country is to take the defense budget and whittle it down to practically nothing,"" he said.
Sol-Kelly Jones, a student at Madison West High School, echoed Emspak's sentiment. According to Jones, the federal government allocates 50 percent of its budget to military expenditures and only 8 percent to education, a situation she said she views as perilous.
""The very foundation of the country is being undermined by the devaluation of my generation's education,"" she said.
After the speeches, the master of ceremonies, Ben Manski, a UW-Madison alumnus and co-chair of the National Green Party, led the crowd around the Capitol square and down East Washington Avenue to the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce building, 501 E. Washington Ave. While the crowd amassed on the front lawn, beating drums and chanting slogans, Matt Nelson, a Milwaukee-area activist, concluded the rally by summarizing its significance.
""What we are seeing right here around us is a preemptive strike of the working class against the rich,"" he said.
