Petty Unions
Organizers of the Labor Day parade in Wausau say Republican lawmakers aren’t welcome in this year’s event.
The Marathon County Central Labor Council sponsors the Sept. 5 parade. The council includes about 30 local unions from the Marathon County area.
Council president Randy Radtke says they choose not to invite elected officials who have “openly attacked worker’s rights” or did nothing when state public workers lost most of their right to collectively bargain.
I hope those who vote Republican stay away, too.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 28, 2011 at 1206 hrs
I think their point is perfectly reasonable. If there was a group similar to the Westboro Baptist Church, but the target of their vitriol was military members instead of homosexuals, I’m guessing communities wouldn’t let them march in Memorial Day parades, and most people would probably think that’s just fine.
Labor Day was founded to celebrate trade and labor organizations. It would only seem to make sense that organizers would not want to include groups whose behavior, real or perceived, is overtly hostile to the origins of the holidays.
To me, that seems better than the usual American tradition of bastardizing holidays until they have no meaning whatsoever (look at what we’ve done to Christmas and Easter).
Posted by Recess Supervisor on August 28, 2011 at 1314 hrs
I suggest that Democrats be banned from all Christmas parades, since they take pleasure in hating all that is Christian in nature and are the ones who constantly hijack the celebration of the birth of Christ to take the true meaning out of it.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 28, 2011 at 1446 hrs
Yeah, that’s right. All Democrats are Christ-haters. Don’t you ever get tired? Painting with that giant brush must be exhausting.
Posted by Recess Supervisor on August 28, 2011 at 1536 hrs
Time to go back outside and monitor the children, Recess Supervisor, because they’re the only ones who buy your statements. Inasmuch as Republicans “hate” labor, Dems “hate” Christmas and July 4th and Memorial Day every bit as much. Or is it your view that you have a monopoly on making and enforcing stereotypes?
To illustrate even further, are you saying that - oh, hypothetically - a Boston parade celebrating St. Patrick’s Day should be allowed to restrict who marches in that parade?
Now head on back to the sandbox where you belong…
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 28, 2011 at 1553 hrs
Let the babies have their bottle, I say. If keeping Republicans out of their parades makes them feel better after losing one election after another, then let them have it.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 28, 2011 at 1630 hrs
I’m thinking most Wausau residents will be smart enough to find other things to do if the only entertainment for the day is a Democratic line-up down Main Street. C’est la vie.
Posted by GAMazy on August 28, 2011 at 1715 hrs
I didn’t say Republicans hate labor. Please find where I said that, and then quote it back to me. And no, you inferring things that are not there does not count as me saying them.
I do think nearly all Republicans in the Legislature took a couple votes in the last six months that wouldn’t be considered labor-friendly and if labor groups organizing parades wish to exclude them on the basis of their actions, I think that’s fine.
I’m willing to bet if Dale Schultz wanted to march, they’d be fine with that.
And yeah, I think if a group wants to march in a St. Patrick’s Day parade that advocates the extermination of gingers, for instance, it would be perfectly appropriate for the organizers of said parade to deny them the privilege of participating. Just because one has a right to free speech does not mean they have a right to any forum they’d like.
In the future, you’d be wise to read what I actually write instead of merely seeing whatever it is you want to in order to play with your straw man.
Posted by Recess Supervisor on August 28, 2011 at 1819 hrs
“all dems are Christ-haters”. There you go, mr. Straw man. you brought it up so it’s entirely reasonable to assume that someone who debates coherently meant to bring the word back to the original point.
I will gladly stand corrected on my illustration. I thought for sure you would have been squealing about the fact that gay groups aren’t allowed in the Boston st. Patrick’s day parade while at the same time arguing that it’s reasonable to exclude the GOP from the Wausau parade. If you’re consistent on that point, then I was wrong. Somehow, though, I don’t believe you’ll admit what you really think.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 28, 2011 at 1910 hrs
There are labor day parades?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 28, 2011 at 2058 hrs
It doesn’t really matter. The labor council is already planning to hire sub-contractors at below minimum wage to walk in the parade for themselves. ;>)
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 28, 2011 at 2153 hrs
No Dan, I was referring to the argument that SQT posited in the third comment, which suggested Democrats be banned from Christmas parades. If you’re going to call it a straw man, let’s be clear about who brought it to the party.
“Somehow, though, I don’t believe you’ll admit what you really think.”
That’s quite possibly the most unfounded argument ever. “I’ll admit I’m wrong, but then I’m going to infer that I don’t think you’ll be truthful because it allows me to avoid having to just flat out admit I was full of crap.” Do you also believe in the Bogeyman? Santa Claus? The Flying Spaghetti Monster? Other things of which you have zero evidence?
You were correct without the qualifier. You were indeed wrong. Stick to your guns! Don’t second-guess yourself.
If the license or a permit is given for a public gathering, I have no problems whatsoever with the license or permit holder deciding whom it would like to participate in its event. Unlike most people around here, I’m waaaaaaay more consistent in my beliefs because I’m not hell bent on “my side” always winning.
It’s amazing how intellectually liberating it is when you don’t feel compelled to be a partisan hack. I’ll crush the free speech “rights” of gays AND wackjob conservatives in the name of freedom of association!!
Posted by Recess Supervisor on August 28, 2011 at 2247 hrs
Kind of funny how the Repugs have such difficulty facing that they to have to deal with the consequences of their idiotic stunts. Oh, and they’ll be dealing with it for a long, long time.
Posted by capper on August 28, 2011 at 2339 hrs
It’s kind of funny how capper has difficulty facing lost election after lost election because he and his buddies act like 3 year-olds having a series of tantrums.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 29, 2011 at 0639 hrs
capper…right back at cha’, slick.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 29, 2011 at 0640 hrs
” think their point is perfectly reasonable. If there was a group similar to the Westboro Baptist Church, but the target of their vitriol”
So, shall we rename Labor Day, Union Day?
Or, “Samuel Gompers Day”? “Joe Hill Day”?Yes, we know that Labor Day was originated by the unions. BUT we also know that the high water mark of unionism in the USA was some sixty years ago. And that unions’ over-reach had a good deal to do with driving once-great companies like General Motors into bankruptcy. And that teachers’ unions are the single biggest obstacle to reforming public education.
Then again, we also know that public sector unions are fundamentally different than private sector unions in that they rely on corrupting the political process (by making government serve private rather than public ends). And that even FDR opposed public unions.
So, today, most of us sell our labor to support ourselves. BUT, few of us are still union. AND, many of us like it that way.
And so, if the holiday is Labor Day then it honors all those who labor. But if it’s just Unino Day, then it’s of little interest to most of us, and is in need of re-purposing if it is to remain a public holiday.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 29, 2011 at 0854 hrs
1) Albigensian, I was already looking up the origins of labor Day, because I had the same argument in mind, dang it.
2)Yeah, that’s right. All Democrats are Christ-haters. Don’t you ever get tired? Painting with that giant brush must be exhausting.
I do think you have painted with a similar brush in this thread. It is an easy argument for any liberal to say that it is reasonable that a parade’s organizers can invite someone against their interests to their parade because they are secure in the knowledge that their interests are covered by ‘racism’ and ‘sexism’. Preclude specific Democrats from a Christmas parade for precisely the same argument(passing anti-religious legislation) and you will get all sorts of vitriol from a hundred angles. From ‘not very Christian of you’ to a black church in the Democrat’s district suing the parade for racism on the basis that they are in the that politician’s district and they agreed with his voting.
On one hand, it makes me laugh that private unions actually think of public unions as being any more related to them than the stereotypical red-headed step child. On the other, I am disgusted that unions think people think that poeple celebrate them on Labor day(though I would not go to a protest over it, an identifier right there that I am not at all liberal).
The greatest irony and offense to the title is that ‘labor’ is protesting the politicians fighting to create jobs. I don’t think anyone doubts that Republican policies have that goal firmly in mind, while Democrats clearly just don’t have a clue how to create jobs. Yet a small minority of parade officials is inviting the clueless and not inviting the pro labor makers, because they are not their kind of jobs.
I am not calling you any sort of hardcore liberal RS, but using the argument you did for this situation while knowing full well what the uproar and consequences would be if a conservative organization pulled a similar manuever is disingenuous. This is a public parade, not a private event and the politicians are always a part of it.
This smells. It may be a lot of things, but it is not ‘perfectly reasonable’, and I think you are intelligent enough to know it.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 29, 2011 at 1157 hrs
Sorry too many mistakes in that last comment, but I hope you get the gist.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 29, 2011 at 1200 hrs
It’d be great if we could exclude Democrats from 4th of July parades and celebrations. I mean, they hate the country anyhow, why the hell should they care?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 29, 2011 at 1351 hrs
I read that the mayor may have some input on the parade because the city insurance is used to cover liability. But, hey, why don’t you ask AFP and Club for Growth for a grant to start a Management Day. Imagine what an up-town spectacle of a parade you millionaires could put on.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 29, 2011 at 2256 hrs
Indeed, the mayor has just told the unions, “You want to exclude Republicans, then the city cannot pay a cent for the parade, and you’ll have to pay for the entire thing.”
Let’s see how they respond.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 30, 2011 at 1047 hrs
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