MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
Merkley Tries to Cool It at Town Halls
Sen. Jeff Merkley got kicked around like a soccer ball (metaphorically) by hostile right-wingers at his town hall meeting in Madras last month, so he's
Leave a comment
Do you think the SEIU will be there to beat up on hapless protestors? Maybe there will be busloads of leftwing loonies shipped in to make it appear as if fewer people are opposed to this plan.
Oh, damn I forgot again, it is only the “rightwing” that is opposed to it, and causes troubles.
“Do you think the SEIU will be there to beat up on hapless protestors?”
Uh, no. Not the beating-up part, anyway. Has that happened elsewhere? I’m sure you’ll let us know if it does.
H. Bruce Miller says:
“Do you think the SEIU will be there to beat up on hapless protestors?”
Uh, no. Not the beating-up part, anyway. Has that happened elsewhere? I’m sure you’ll let us know if it does.”
Well, if you watched something other then Rachel Maddow, or Chris Matthews, you might have heard of it. In fact, it was even on the local news, and Washington Journal.
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/08/seiu-obama-supporter-smashes-woman-tea.html
Then too, since it was not a “rightwinger” I am sure it was justified in your mind.
Impossible to tell from that video what happened. The only references I’ve seen to this alleged “beating” are on far-right-wing websites.
H. Bruce Miller says:
Impossible to tell from that video what happened. The only references I’ve seen to this alleged “beating” are on far-right-wing websites.”
Perhaps that is because leftwing loonies refuse to accept responsibility for their actions, or the actions of their adherents.
Six people were arrested over the matter, at least 3 of which were SEIU members, and the victim has filed a lawsuit over the beating against SEIU.
However, to you it is an “alleged” beating.
BTW, since it was on Lou Dobbs, and C-Span, are they now “rightwing” outlets?
Oh well, any port in a storm for you to use to avoid reality.
Aren’t the right wing loonies guilty of refusing to accept responsibility for the actions of their adherents when they do something like kill a doctor attending church? I know–not an argument, but a glaring inconsistency I see in right wing blogs and postings every where.
Swipies: The video you linked to was dark, out of focus, and so chaotic that it was like watching an animated Jackson Pollock painting. I’ve seen other videos of the supposed “beating” of the protester. They’re more clear but it’s still hard to figure out exactly what is going on. There’s some kind of scuffle or shoving match, and one guy ends up on the ground, then he gets up apparently unhurt. There are no images of him getting kicked in the head or back while he was down, as claimed.
But I don’t know why I’m bothering to write this; you will see what you want to see, and if what you want to see is “union thugs” beating up some innocent patriot, so be it.
BTW I PERSONALLY resent the constant references to “union thugs” by right-wingers because my father (WWII veteran, American Legion member) was a union organizer and he was NOT a “thug.”
Why do you right-wingers hate working Americans who happen to belong to unions?
Another point: Blue-collar union members were won over to the Republican Party in large numbers by Ronald Reagan; calling them “thugs” now that it suits your political purposes will not endear them to you.
This guy Gladney — the one who supposedly was beaten up by “union thugs” — got up and walked around after the alleged beating, then was treated and released at a hospital emergency room but later shows up at a “tea party” event in a wheelchair collecting money for his “medical expenses” — although his lawyer said he has insurance through his wife. (Gladney himself is unemployed.) Asked why he needed donations if he had insurance, Gladney’s lawyer said, “Well, who doesn't need a donation? If people want to give him a donation because he's injured and unemployed, that's up to them.”
The lawyer also said “Gladney plans to sue both the individuals he says attacked him and the SEIU, since the ‘attackers’ were wearing union T-shirts and ‘unions have a 100-year history of intimidation.'”
If you ask me this is just some clown hoping (like Joe the Plumber) to have his 15 minutes of fame and maybe milk a few bucks out of it.
I forgot — link to the above: http://washingtonindependent.com/54511/gladneys-lawyer-hes-unemployed-insured-and-making-money-from-the-alleged-attack
Fed Up Granny says:
Aren’t the right wing loonies guilty of refusing to accept responsibility for the actions of their adherents when they do something like kill a doctor attending church? I know–not an argument, but a glaring inconsistency I see in right wing blogs and postings every where.”
What responsibility does the “rightwing” have for the murder of Tiller? Every “rightwing” website, as well as Conservative Christian, condemned the murder.
On the other hand, on the same day, or shortly thereafter, a Marine recruiter was murdered by a Black Muslim Convert. Where was the story about that? On page 16, and only one paragraph in most of your leftwing rags. And, did any leftwing group condemn the murder? NO.
Now, assuredly you would say that the leftwing is far more civilized then the right. That has been th e story for decades now. So, tell me. Where was, or is, the condemnation from the left of a “doctor” that takes a pair of scissors, jabs a hole in the neck of a living baby, sucks out th the brains so the skull will collapse, and then delivers the dead baby?
Factually speaking, any attempt by the “uncivilized right” to stop such procedures has been met with contempt by the “civilized left”, and when a murdering ass like Tiller is murdered you make a martyr out of him, and claim he is a “pioneer” in the arena of abortions.
Then too, you would have no problem with the selling of the body parts from that baby as is being done even today.
H. Bruce Miller says:
Swipies: The video you linked to was dark, out of focus, and so chaotic that it was like watching an animated Jackson Pollock painting. I’ve seen other videos of the supposed “beating” of the protester. They’re more clear but it’s still hard to figure out exactly what is going on. There’s some kind of scuffle or shoving match, and one guy ends up on the ground, then he gets up apparently unhurt. There are no images of him getting kicked in the head or back while he was down, as claimed.”
I don’t watch video’s on the internet. The one I saw on Dobbs, and on the Medford news channel, was quite clear, and did show the kicking, and hitting. He got up after the police arrived.
“But I don’t know why I’m bothering to write this; you will see what you want to see, and if what you want to see is “union thugs” beating up some innocent patriot, so be it.”
And you will definitely ignore what you want to ignore. In the long run, does it matter how badly beaten he was?
“BTW I PERSONALLY resent the constant references to “union thugs” by right-wingers because my father (WWII veteran, American Legion member) was a union organizer and he was NOT a “thug.””
The unions were first started by “thugs” if you know your history. And, even in the past 40 years there have been many instances of union thugs attacking “scab” laborers especially the Teamsters, and the Longshoreman Union.
“Why do you right-wingers hate working Americans who happen to belong to unions?”
It is not the worker that is held in disdain, it is the corrupt union bosses. In the past 20 years or so, there have been over 2500 federal investigations into union corruption, and numerous convictions. Then there is the constant use of the members dues to support political candidates, mostly Democrats, without the union members permission as required by law.
“Another point: Blue-collar union members were won over to the Republican Party in large numbers by Ronald Reagan; calling them “thugs” now that it suits your political purposes will not endear them to you.”
The ones who will not be “endeared” would not be so in any circumstance.
Kind of like trying to win you over.
“The unions were first started by “thugs” if you know your history.”
You mean right-wing revisionist history, according to which the poor, innocent, benevolent bosses were oppressed and terrorized by “union thugs”? No thanks. Why don’t you try learning some real-world history? I suggest reading up on the Homestead strike for starters. During the early decades of the labor movement hundreds of people were killed by police and private security forces hired by management for the “crime” of organizing to demand higher wages.
Depend on a right-winger to take the side of the rich and powerful in every dispute, no matter where or when. If you had been in America in 1776 you would have been a Tory; if you had been in France in 1789 you would have been supporting Louis XVI and the nobles. It never changes.
Is this an example of the “peaceful” strikers to whom you refer:
“The striking workers were determined to keep the plant closed. They secured a steam-powered river launch and several rowboats to patrol the Monongahela River, which ran alongside the plant. Men also divided themselves into units along military lines. Picket lines were thrown up around the plant and the town, and 24-hour shifts established. Ferries and trains were watched. Strangers were challenged to give explanations for their presence in town; if one was not forthcoming, they were escorted outside the city limits. Telegraph communications with AA locals in other cities were established to keep tabs on the company’s attempts to hire replacement workers. Reporters were issued special badges which gave them safe passage through the town, but the badges were withdrawn if it was felt misleading or false information made it into the news. Tavern owners were even asked to prevent excessive drinking”
If you knew your history as well as you wish to appear then you must know the first people killed at Homestead in 1892 were the Pinkertons who were hired to protect the plant.
Now, I am not interested in who the “rich” are. However, it is quite apparent that you would defend the violence of the AA at all costs just as you would ignore the corruption of the unions today, and even the violence by the Longshoreman in their strike just a few years ago. And the average ILU member makes $125,000.00 a year.
Want to try again?
BTW, here is an article that may interest you, yet I doubt it.
http://www.npri.org/publications/incidental-union-violence
The Pinkerton army of 300 men was hired by Henry Clay Frick (Carnegie’s partner) to break the strike and take back the Homestead plant, which union workers had seized after the company locked them out, and bring in non-union workers. Contrary to your statement it is not known who was killed first in the fight between the Pinkertons and the union men. The end of the affair was that the union was broken and the plant was run with non-union labor — which had been Frick’s objective all along.
Here is what Carnegie wrote about the Homestead strike later:
“This is the trial of my life (death’s hand excepted). Such a foolish step — contrary to my ideals, repugnant to every feeling of my nature. Our firm offered all it could offer, even generous terms. Our other men had gratefully accepted them. They went as far as I could have wished, but the false step was made in trying to run the Homestead Works with new [non-union] men. It is a test to which workingmen should not be subjected. It is expecting too much of poor men to stand by and see their work taken by others. . . The pain I suffer increases daily. The Works are not worth one drop of human blood. I wish they had sunk.”
It does not sound as if Carnegie, at any rate, felt guiltless about this event.
H. Bruce Miller says:
The Pinkerton army of 300 men was hired by Henry Clay Frick (Carnegie’s partner) to break the strike and take back the Homestead plant, which union workers had seized after the company locked them out, and bring in non-union workers. Contrary to your statement it is not known who was killed first in the fight between the Pinkertons and the union men. The end of the affair was that the union was broken and the plant was run with non-union labor — which had been Frick’s objective all along.”
“Union” workers never siezed the plant. While they did control the area around it, they never gained control of the actual plant.
While it is not known which side fired the first shot, the first two who were wounded were the Pinkertons. Then the Pinkertons returned fire killing two strikers.
“Here is what Carnegie wrote about the Homestead strike later:
“This is the trial of my life (death’s hand excepted). Such a foolish step — contrary to my ideals, repugnant to every feeling of my nature. Our firm offered all it could offer, even generous terms. Our other men had gratefully accepted them. They went as far as I could have wished, but the false step was made in trying to run the Homestead Works with new [non-union] men. It is a test to which workingmen should not be subjected. It is expecting too much of poor men to stand by and see their work taken by others. . . The pain I suffer increases daily. The Works are not worth one drop of human blood. I wish they had sunk.”
It does not sound as if Carnegie, at any rate, felt guiltless about this event.”
True. Originally he supported the unions. It was not till he saw the potential destruction of what he had built that he agreed to Fiske’s plan.
The final conclusion is that unions first “organized” through two methods, coercion, and if that failed, violence. One of the most violent was the ILWU, Longshoremans union. It was not till the union had gained the power to shut all of the ports in America by strike that the violence ended. The event called Black 5th. is still celebrated by the ILWU today.
Sen. Jeff Merkley, what you are experiencing is that most real Americans will NOT tolerate a socialistic/Marxist style of government because it just doesn’t work. It didn’t work with Hitler and it won’t work in America. Perhaps you should read and digest the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights!