The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Unions Object to Mob Rule

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Apparently organized labor has found some violence that it doesn't like. It's just terrible, these protestors showing up at congressional town hall meetings opposing nationalized health insurance. Complains the AFL-CIO:

The extremist fringe of the anti-health care reform movement-with a wink and a nod from more mainstream health care opponents-is using mob rule to disrupt town hall meetings and community forums set for the congressional recess. Mob rule tactics stopped the Florida vote count during the contested 2000 presidential elections, ultimately turning the presidency over to George W. Bush-a strategy now emulated by the anti-health care reform lobby.

Terrible, just terrible. It's not as if unions every resort to, oh, shall we say "enhanced" protest techniques. Such as blatant violence and intimidation.

Patrick Semmens of the National Right to Work Foundation reports on just one instance:

In Upstate New York non-union workers were targets of a campaign of violence and intimidation by Operating Engineers Union Local 17 thugs:

The indictment accuses Local 17 leaders and members of dozens of threats and instances of vandalism and harassment against non-union workers and contractors. At times, members of other unions were also targeted.

Much of the activity took place at major publicly funded construction projects, including the expansion of Roswell Park Cancer Institute and renovations at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo State College and the Buffalo Sewer Authority's treatment plant on Bird Island, prosecutors said.

One of the disturbing aspects to the case, in Flynn's view, is that members of the local repeatedly used the Web site of the state Department of Motor Vehicles to find out the addresses of people they intended to harass.

It's nice of the AFL-CIO to be concerned about the democratic process. Perhaps labor officials should start by campaigning against violence within their own movement.

View all comments (6) | Leave a comment

J. Kelley| 8.5.09 @ 7:08AM

This is part of the Democrats play book. They steal elections, and blame Republicans. ACORN, Move On Dot Org., and other Democrat groups rent protest mobs. So Conservatives must do the same thing. We must be winning.

martin J smith| 8.5.09 @ 8:00AM

What I fear is left provocation of violence at anti-obamacare rallies. Be carefu,watch the crowd,take pictures of individuals,find out who they are and their affiliation. Saul Alinsky the lefty.

martin J smith| 8.5.09 @ 8:00AM

What I fear is left provocation of violence at anti-obamacare rallies. Be carefu,watch the crowd,take pictures of individuals,find out who they are and their affiliation. Saul Alinsky the lefty.

martin J smith| 8.5.09 @ 8:02AM

watch for left provocations at rallies. Photograph,identify indivduals and their affililations.
Saul Alinsky them.

martin J smith| 8.5.09 @ 8:02AM

watch for left provocations at rallies. Photograph,identify indivduals and their affililations.
Saul Alinsky them.

Solo| 8.5.09 @ 8:31AM

Interesting that the AFL-CIO is mentioning the Florida recount protests.

That was the first time that I recall seeing conservatives actually protesting in the streets.....and, obviously, the ultimate mob thugs (the unions) didn't like it one bit.

There they were screaming and waving signs while democrats were hand-wringing and complaining about "lawlessness in the streets".

I don't care who you are, that's funny there!

Conservatives just don't usually play like that and the dems know it. This is what makes it all the more effective and the dems all the more worried.

For the dems to call this an "Astro-Turf" movement is 'whistling past the grave yard'...and rank projection.

The more the dems attempt to marginalize this and the more they ignore the voice of the people, the more angry these regular folks are going to get.

This isn't the "Rent-A-Mob" tactic the lefties use. This is the real deal and their representatives will ignore them at their own peril.