by Tina Grazier
Following the events in Arizona that ended in death and the disabling condition of Representative Gabrielle Giffords, inaccurate accusations of Tea Party involvement and ugly heated rhetoric caused the President to use his bully pulpit to call for civility. This entreaty has been ignored completely by one segment of our society. The example they present isn’t indicative of democratic values, much less the personal values of civility, that we Americans hold dear. The world is watching; the president remains silent.
In the past few weeks we have witnessed the union brand of civility in places like Wisconsin.
This is a face that refuses to accept the outcome of elections as evidenced by the cowardly escape to another state by some legislators to avoid participation in the legislative process. It is a face that uses intimidation and bullying rather than the democratic process to achieve goals. It is the face of an angry, destructive mob that thinks using young people as props, defacing property, storming state buildings, or issuing death threats are acceptable methods of persuasion.
But let’s be frank… and accurate.
Some of those who participated in Wisconsin’s protest as bullies and intimidators were not Wisconsin’s public sector teachers. They were union thugs bussed in to make the crowd of protesters look bigger and to wield the union hammer.
These thugs unfortunately represent the leading edge in the Presidents appeal.
Theirs is the spectacle that shows people in other countries what Americans mean when they speak of civility. They are the icon of American civility. So far the President seems content with this outcome as reports of death threats and intimidation continue.
We have seen these faces before, provocing and attacking Tea Party members at town hall meetings. We witnessed their bold audacity when they showed up at the homes of banking CEO’s to frighten and harrass their family members. They showed up again in Wisconsin where they behaved civily byharrassing local business in an attempt to make them display their support for the union in their store windows…or else.
This brand of civility also includes the assumed right of union bosses to wage war on the workers at America’s companies even when the union has been rejected again and again by employees. One case in point involved the flight attendants of Delta Airlines. Over a three year period these workers rejected union efforts to unionize them. The union was defeated even under rules that gave a decided edge to the unions. These Delta employees are satisfied with the way the company treats them. But that hasn’t stopped the intimidation and threats that are part and parcel of the new civility. Read more about their story in the article, “When Does ‘No’ Mean ‘No’?” by Ashton Terrell at TownHall.com
A similar situation occured with workers of Hyatt Hotels:
Additional instances of the new civility can be found on the website UnionFacts.com
I saw something as my husband channel surfed last night that celebrated the 100 year anniversary of unions. It was a visual work extolling the triumph of truly oppressed workers to demand decent pay and work conditions but it was marred by a message that portrays the modern American worker as a hapless victim caught in an unfair battle with an inherently evil company boss. The point was hammered home with photos from a bygone era when working conditions were indeed very poor and companies often took advantage of their employees. The warning was implicit; except for union involvement now, the days of filthy sweatshops and long grueling hours with low pay will return to beat the American worker into the ground. This message is, of course, absurd given the plethora of worker’s rights regulation that has been around for decades as well as modern attitudes toward employees that most American companies have adopted.
I want to be clear. I know that the majority of people who belong to unions are decent hard working American citizens. They care about America and our system of government as much as I do. Their choice to join a union is personal and I support that choice…as long as it is their choice. My problem is not with these decent hard working Americans. It is with the methods and tactics employed by union leaders in their quest for absolute power. Many of these tactics sit well outside the normal parameters for civility and respect. They flaunt the laws that keep our society well-ordered and they spit on our notions of freedom and choice. It’s time for Americans to unite and send a clear message to these union leaders that we will not tolerate intimidation and threat as a means of persuasion. I hope that all Americans will use their voices and spheres of influence to send this important message.
Anyone, union member or non-union member, who has experienced union harassment or intimidation can get free legal advice and help by contacting The National Right to Work Foundation.
Note: California is NOT a right to work state. We are a forced unionism state. Changing this would be one step in sending this message and demonstrating that we reject the new bar for civility that is so blatantly displayed with impunity in businesses and on the streets of America as intimidation and threats.