Civics and Civility : Thoughts on Michelle Rhee in Oakland (Community Voices)
Michelle Rhee, www.studentsfirst.org/pages/about-michelle-rhee
Two recent incidents have made me worry about the decline of public discourse in Oakland and about how organized labor is contributing to that decline.
It troubles me to write this because I respect the important role labor unions have played in American history, and I support the goal of safe workplaces and fair wages for all workers. I believe in the right of public protest. But I can’t keep silent about what I see as a disturbing trend.
The first incident took place on Nov. 9 at a media conference in Lakeside Park, next door to Children’s Fairyland. As you probably remember, Occupy Oakland had begun a month earlier. There had already been police confrontations,