Every once in a while I hear something so magnificently preposterous that I am forced to pause and wonder if I could actually have just heard it. Like last night (5/28/09).
I heard a radio ad from the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor on KABC 790 TalkRadio; the home of Dodgers Baseball. The ad is running during live broadcasts of Dodgers home games and supports something called the “Employee Free Choice Act” (EFCA); which is public relations spin to describe the elimination of the secret ballot method of voting to unionize in the workplace. The EFCA is designed to create a system that recognizes a union without a formal election, once a majority of members of the bargaining unit has signed union cards. In other words is abolishes free private elections.
I could go on and on about what a horrid idea the EFCA is…but my problem here is actually with the radio ad; which you can listen to yourself here. So you can really soak it in, I have transcribed it here verbatim:
“Hi everybody, this is Rick Monday for the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. There’s only one thing more all American than baseball, that’s service in the United States military. American’s joined the service by signing their names and they ought to be able to join the union the same way.
The LA County federation of labor believes that every veteran deserves a good union job in a country they fought to protect.”
This is so mind numbingly dumb, that I am forced to dissect it piece by piece in order to prevent my head from imploding as a result of spontaneous brain shrinkage brought about by the massive dose of stupidity this ad delivers.
So let me address it line by line, with my interpretation and response:
“Hi. My name is Rick Monday for the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor”
I am an ex-athlete that played so long ago that nobody under the age of 40 knows who I am. So thank God somebody is throwing me a bone and letting me read some lines for money.
“There’s only one thing more all American than baseball, that’s service in the United States Military”
Actually there is no comparison. Generations of US Military personnel have served, and some have died, in service to this country. Although it’s “America’s Pastime”, baseball is still just a game…on steroids.
“Americans joined the service by signing their names and they ought to be able to join the union the same way”
That this line could even have been written, let alone spoken, is an utter disgrace. An American joining the military is by no means an analogue to somebody joining a labor union. Union workers make cars, or teach, or fix some plumbing etc.
Oh and unions also artificially drive up the cost of US manufacturing and drive entire industries into bankruptcy; like the United Auto Workers United Auto Workers; just ask GM & Chrysler. Other times unions work to ensure that failing systems continue to fail, that competition is legislated away and that nobody can get fired; like the American Federation of Teachers American Federation of Teachers.
American servicemen (and women) on the other hand, fight and sometimes die, to preserve our rights and freedoms.
Odd. I can’t seem to find any common ground here. Hmmm….let’s see…going on strike to preserve your above market pay scale vs. getting shot in a god forsaken desert in service to one’s country…nope, I just can’t seem to find the connection.
“The LA County Federation of Labor believes that every veteran deserves a good union job in a country they fought to protect”
I’m pretty sure that amongst the many things that every veteran deserves, is to be able to live and work in an environment that upholds the basic principals that they served to protect. Like the fundamental right to vote in privacy in a free election…even in the workplace.
As importantly, what every veteran deserves, is not to have the honor and nobility of their service cheapened and manipulated into a sales pitch by some pro-union hack; especially when they are being pimped out to drive support for a concept completely antithetical to the spirit of their service.
Now show some goddamn respect and take this ad off the air !!
