A group of Chicago ministers and politicians called on Congress last Tuesday to bring an end to the Federal government shutdown because it’s hurting the working poor across the country.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., celebrated his 72nd birthday at Chicago’s downtown Federal Plaza with protestors, who took a stand not only against the government shutdown but also showed their support for the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
“Today we shall stop saying Obamacare,” Jackson said. “There is no law called Obamacare; there is only the Affordable Care Act.”
Jackson said even though many, especially in the South, are losing resources under the shutdown, the public must continue to protest.
“In the south, they’re cutting back public assistance on food, education, housing and transportation,” Jackson said. “But America must not shrink in the face of this challenge to the Affordable Care Act.”
John Mitchell, who works for Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH, said that he has family members who have been laid off by the government that are now struggling to provide for their families.
“They need to go take the vote and cast the budgets so that people can go back to work,” Mitchell said, referring to congress.
The Rev. Michael Pfleger expressed his concerns to the crowd of protestors telling them that that the shutdown of our government is wrapped up in paper and bows of patriotism, values, moral righteousness and supposedly love for the country.
“When I was a child I received a prank birthday gift wrapped up in nice paper with a bow on it,” Pfleger said. “But when I opened it up, it was just empty candy wrappers and now the same thing is taking place with our government shutdown.”
Pfleger said that the Republican’s main goal is to bring down President Barack Obama even if it means seeing America fall.
“They would rather see America fail than a black man succeed,” Pfleger said. “But, brothers and sisters, it is time to take the paper off and to see them for who they really are.”
As the rally concluded, Pfleger criticized U.S. House Speaker John Boehner and Republicans for not taking a stand for America in regards to the shutdown of our government.
“They don’t love America,” Pfleger said. “They’re just a group of elite thugs who are using House Speaker John Boehner, like a ventriloquist. It is time for Boehner to get some backbone. Call the vote, let it be passed and put our government back to work.”
