Rev. Jesse Jackson led students and community leaders in a crusade against the California recall and Prop. 54 in a rally at Sacramento State on Thursday.

Sac State was one of seven schools on Rev. Jackson’s week-long Keep Hope Alive Campus Tour. The tour is part of a crusade to inform young voters of the effects of Prop. 54, the California recall and the Republican right wing agenda in the country.

“Today we fight a mean spirited set of actions that threaten to disable democracy,” said Jackson at a press conference before the rally in Serna Plaza. “The mean spirited are loose in this nation today.”

Hundreds of students and members of the community gathered in Serna Plaza to listen to Jackson as he denounced the recall and Prop. 54, the racial identity initiative, on the Oct. 7 ballot.

“Vote no on the Recall. Vote no on 54. Vote yes for Bustamante,” shouted Jackson as the crowd recited numerous times. Students like Nina Shoman said that the diversity and motivation by students was a good thing to see.

“It’s very inspiring to see local activism motivated by the “No on 54″ campaign. I hope activism like that stays on our campus,” said Shoman.

Rev. Jackson stood in front of university, student and community leaders and talked about how students are directly affected in the Oct. 7 election in regards to the recent fee hikes.

“Students have so much at stake here, the administration will not tax the top 1 percent, but will increase taxes on students, that must be challenged,” said Jackson.

During his speech Jackson accused the Bush administration of having the same beliefs of anti-reconstructionists following the Civil War. He also said the Republicans were of the same forces that were against desegregation and civil rights.

Jackson also accused the G.O.P. of diverting attention from the economy and instead starting the California recall and Prop. 54. “This issue is not about Gray Davis it’s about Bush, Wilson and Schwarzenegger- and we must say no,” Jackson said Thursday.

The rally ended early Thursday afternoon with Jackson having the crowd join hands and bow their heads in prayer. He asked them to pray for American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. He also urged students to vote in the upcoming election.

“If Chavez and Dr. King gave their lives we can give one day for hope and we will prevail,” Jackson said