Union Proud. Union Strong, Unions Keep America Working

My Father was a proud Steelworker and a Union member. He supported not just his Union but all of the Local Unions. He instilled in me at an early age that the Union worked together as a Family looking out for the best interests of each other. Making sure that their brothers and sisters in the Union were protected and their rights were preserved.

During Contract Negotiations they were able to have representation for Collective Bargaining to make sure that they received the best Health Care at The Best rates, after all they had served there employer well, shouldn't their Health and well being be important to their Employer as well?

My Father also taught me to never cross a picket line. This was something he believed very strongly in, to the point he stood in Solidarity with The Teachers and kept me home from school during strikes.He would often supply the picket line with Hot coffee. Solidarity For Our Unions.

I honour My father and all the hard working Men and Women who are fighting to keep their Collective Bargaining Rights. My Father was a Very wise Man.

Union Proud. Union Strong, Unions Keep America Working.

Loving Enough To Let Go

Loving someone enough to let go is probably one of the toughest decisions you will ever have to make in your lifetime. Your first instinct is to try to fix everything for them, and clean up the mess they have made of their life. This is only natural, and don't beat yourself up over it. At some point in our lives we have all had friends, family or even colleagues who have inflicted injury upon themselves and their careers by making foolish choices driven by addiction, and/or the mental illness that twists the mind with self injurious behaviour.

Until the afflicted person loses damn near everything, including themselves, they will not get any help. You will only be hindering their recovery by placing a stamp of approval on every outrageous act they perform associated with their problem. Walking away, and detaching with love is the only answer.

Sometimes people truly have lose everything to win.

The First Amendment and The Union

• First Amendment – Establishment Clause, Free Exercise Clause; freedom of speech, of the press, and of assembly; right to petition

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

 I am not a Lawyer, just a Citizen of The United States of America. I just want to make that clear.

Union workers , in my point of view are having their First Amendment rights violated. They will no longer have the Freedom to Assemble nor would the dedicated Civil Servants, the men and women who perform often thankless jobs such as Educating our children, Fighting Blazing Infernos, Taking Rapists and Drug Dealers off the streets, will no longer be able to petition the Government for a redress of grievances through a collective bargaining process done through a Union Representative.

Last time I checked these were inalienable rights.

Health Care Reform-How Much is a Human Life Worth

Back in the Eighties I knew a young woman whose husband had left her pregnant, and alone, without the benefit of health insurance.

Understandably she was under extreme stress which did affect her pregnancy, and she did go into premature labor at twenty two weeks. The only hospital in her hometown that handled OB care was a Private One, which meant that they could turn her away for her inability to pay. The public hospital was not equipped with a maternity ward.

The young woman was looked at and told to go home and abort. Clinically that is the name for a miscarriage, but at twenty two weeks a fetus is viable, and this fetus still had a heartbeat. One city over was Trauma Center equipped to handle premature deliveries with a state of the art Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit.  Medications could have also been offered to the young woman to stop her labor as she was not dilated, only spotting. These options were not offered to her. She could not afford them.

Eight hours had passed. The young woman awoke to a pool of blood in her bed, and severe cramping. She called out to her Father.  Her Father took her back to the Private hospital, where else was there to go. Standing there with blood dripping down her legs, a Catholic Priest took pity on her and  secured a room for her.

Young, and frightened. She was placed in a cold room and put in stirrups. She was left alone. Nature took over, and the urge to push came over her and she followed her instincts without the benefit of any medical assistance. She could not afford any. After the third push, her son literally shot from her to the floor, still attached to the cord.

They eventually came in and asked her if she wanted them to throw her son into their furnace, explaining that is what they did with stillbirths born in poverty.

Do we want to revisit this era of Privatization, Greed and Inhumanity?

Fighting For Freedom & Democracy-The UNION

Democracy is contagious, and it is spreading like wildfire. People rather enjoy having a say in what goes on in their government. Health care decisions, public policy on social issues, and being kept informed on who are true friends and allies are.


In America we have Democracy which is composed of collection of Representatives who act as a UNION, and they collectively speak for the Citizens of The United States of America. Their Voice ensures that their constituents rights are protected.

I am just going to come right out and say it. I love our Soldiers. I support them. They are Freedom Fighters, and true Heroes, spreading that infectious Democracy around The Globe. Many of these Brave Men and Women left careers as Fireman, Teachers, and Police Officers. Dedicated First Responders who belonged to a Union when they began their Tour of Duty. They may be coming home to find themselves without the protection they have earned.

Is this Fair? NO.

Ignorance Is NOT Bliss

To be uneducated and unaware of your choices is a scary thing and sometimes leads to acts of desperation. So you ask yourself, why would anyone in this day and age of our advanced technology be or choose to be uneducated?

Sometimes they have no choice. Poverty has made that choice for them.

For instance the young teen who goes to a local Planned Parenthood Center for Counseling.  She is provided with options through federally funded programs to protect her from an unwanted pregnancy, HIV, STD"s, and is even given screenings for Cervical Cancer. She is Empowered with Education. She has choices, and can lead a full productive life, and for all intents and purpose become a useful part of society, perhaps even contributing back to what society has given her one day because she has received an education.


Now let's consider what could happen to this young girl without these resources. Perhaps she could have unprotected sex, and end up with an unwanted pregnancy. Without Planned Parenthood, she did not realize that one night of unprotected sex would lead to this. She had not been offered affordable Birth Control nor Counseling for that matter. She conceals her pregnancy out of shame and fear. A resentment builds within her against the poor innocent baby she is carrying. She schemes to find a way to get rid of her mistake, as her mind grows mentally ill. At the tender age of 15. without proper nutrition and Pre Natal Care, she gives Birth alone to a premature baby and commits infanticide.

Could this have been averted? YES.

United We Stand

Definition of UNION

1

a : an act or instance of uniting or joining two or more things into one: as (1) : the formation of a single political unit from two or more separate and independent units (2) : a uniting in marriage; also : sexual intercourse (3) : the growing together of severed parts b : a unified condition : combination, junction <a gracious union of excellence and strength>

2

: something that is made one : something formed by a combining or coalition of parts or members: as a : a confederation of independent individuals (as nations or persons) for some common purpose b (1) : a political unit constituting an organic whole formed usually from units which were previously governed separately (as England and Scotland in 1707) and which have surrendered or delegated their principal powers to the government of the whole or to a newly created government (as the United States in 1789) (2) capitalized : the federal union of states during the period of the American Civil War

I was speaking with someone this morning about conditions at a factory they work at. They don't have a Union, sadly most Americans these days aren't protected by a Union, and if there is talk of a Union mentioned, they are swiftly terminated.

Why is this, you might ask? Unions offer protection for their members, seeing to it that their rights aren't violated in the workplace. They are a voice for the working man and/or woman, ensuring that they do not fall prey to unfair labor policies and discrimination.