Labor Rally Mantra: Murphy Good, Sweeney Bad

TRENTON – Twisted Sister sure gets around.I recall hearing the heavy metal band’s now iconic song, “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” years ago at “Tea Party” rallies in New Jersey. It also has popped up at Donald Trump rallies and on the other side of the political spectrum, it was recently used as a rallying cry for aggrieved teachers in Arizona and Oklahoma. Talk about bipartisanship; Twisted Sister, which was originally from Bergen County by the way, could not have imagined any of this when the song was released in 1984.

Now firmly established as the anthem of the oppressed, the song’s familiar beat and lyrics loudly reverberated through the courtyard of the Statehouse Annex to mark the end of Thursday’s union rally in support of the governor’s plan to raise taxes on millionaires.

It was a festive ending to a spirited rally attended by an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 people, many of whom sported colorful shirts signifying their union. There was a lot of red for CWA, but also a good amount of green for AFSCME.

Curiously, no elected official spoke. All the speakers were either union leaders or representatives of liberal-oriented public interest groups. Most were unremarkable. That is not to suggest they failed to make their point. But when you are speaking to the proverbial choir and when each speaker is essentially making the same point, it’s a bit tough to stand out.

Read more: https://www.insidernj.com/labor-rally-mantra-murphy-good-sweeney-bad-soundtrack-twisted-sister/