Allan Branscomb

“The sustained and massive attack on the rights and opportunities of working people underway in the US has eroded the capacity of our educational systems to meet basic requirements of sustaining our nation.  While proponents of reducing public support for educational institutions cite financial frugality as their purpose, the actual consequence of this attack is to disenfranchise Americans by keeping them so uneducated and misinformed that they cannot discern who their enemies are, cannot identify their actual jeopardies, are not able protect their interests and opportunities.

The actual purpose of the movement to reduce government, or to starve it until it dies, Grover Norquist’s stated goal, is to leave Americans too weakened and economically  terrified that they will not fight for their rights or the health of the country.  The right wing hates unions as much or more than it hates regulatory government precisely because both protect the rights of the many against the power of the few.

The formation and active engagement of any organization that fights for and strengthens the rights of ordinary citizens in the current environment is desperately needed at this time.  I strongly support the formation of our union, United Academics, at the University of Oregon.”