Tom Morello Rallies for Wisconsin's Workers, Calls Madison 'The Next Cairo'

Posted on Feb 21st 2011 2:35PM by Jenny Charlesworth
Comments

Tim Mosenfelder, Getty Images

Former Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello will headline the "Rally for Wisconsin's Workers" concert in Madison today in support of workers flocking to the state capitol to protest the challenge to their collective bargaining rights.

"I really think that the future of the rights of working people in this country is not going to be decided in the courts," Morello, who records songs of protest as Nightwatchman, told the Huffington Post.

"It's not going to be decided in Congress or radio talk shows. The future of rights of working people in this country will be the fight on the streets of Madison, Wisconsin."

Morello -- reportedly a union member of Professional Musicians Local 47 in Los Angeles and whose mother is a schoolteacher -- called Madison "the next Cairo," and revealed that he had received an email of solidarity from one of the principle organizers of the protests in Cairo, Maor Eletrebi.

Eletrebi asked Morello to share the message of encouragement with those gathered at the capitol, whom he called "our friends in Madison, Wis."

Watch Tom Morello Perform as the Nightwatchman
Joining the guitarist at the rally will be a handful of other politically-minded musicians such as Rise Against's Tim McIlrath, Wayne Kramer of the MC's, and the Streetdogs, featuring former Dropkick Murphys frontman Mike McColgan.

Morello's headline appearance is particularly touching to those fans who reached out to the musican via his Facebook page asking for his support.

"Tom, please come to Madison!" read one post. "The national news are not covering this the way they should be. We need your voice! To get on the national front. First person I thought of writing to was President Obama, which I did, at a close second came you!"