Dems Send in the (Union) Muscle

Taken aback by the surprisingly well organized and vocal opposition to Obama’s health care initiative Democrats turned to their long-time partners and heavies to offer balance and, apparently, a little muscle — the unions.  As reported by the Huffington Post AFL-CIO President John Sweeney issued a written call-to-arms Thursday.

The principal battleground in the campaign will be town hall meetings and other gatherings with members of Congress in their home districts  [...]  We want your help to organize major union participation to counter the right-wing “Tea-Party Patriots” who will try to disrupt those meetings, as they’ve been trying to do to meetings for the last month. …

Message sent and received by all parties.  That evening at a Ybor City, FL rally sponsored by Rep. Betty Reed and the Service Employees International Union at least one gentleman who had turned out to protest was roughed up by a couple attendees.   The video can be seen here.   While many have claimed these were SEIU “thugs” I see no proof that they were union members.   I do know the meeting specifically was for SEIU members so I’ll let you come to your own conclusion.

Last night, though, we definitely got a taste of what we’ll see now that Sweeney’s minions become engaged in the town hall process.  At a Russ Carnahan town hall meeting in St. Louis a number or SEIU representatives were given special seating as Carnahan’s “guests.”   (Apparently, the Democrats are going to ensure their events are staged as well as an Obama press conference.)  Afterward, these union members made it clear they’d brook no opposition and drove the point home by beating a man selling “Don’t Tread On Me” flags and pins.  The day’s events were well-chronicled at HotAir.com.

The victim, Kenneth Gladney, issued the following description of the incident via his lawyer, David Brown:

Kenneth was attacked on the evening of August 6, 2009 at Rep. Russ Carnahan’s town hall meeting in South St. Louis County. I was at the town hall meeting as well and witnessed the events leading up to the attack of Kenneth. Kenneth was approached by an SEIU representative as Kenneth was handing out “Don’t Tread on Me” flags to other conservatives. The SEIU representative demanded to know why a black man was handing out these flags. The SEIU member used a racial slur against Kenneth, then punched him in the face. Kenneth fell to the ground. Another SEIU member yelled racial epithets at Kenneth as he kicked him in the head and back. Kenneth was also brutally attacked by one other male SEIU member and an unidentified woman. The three men were clearly SEIU members, as they were wearing T-shirts with the SEIU logo.

Kenneth was beaten badly. One assailant fled on foot; three others were arrested. Kenneth was admitted to St. John’s Mercy Medical Center emergency room, where he was treated for his numerous injuries. Kenneth was merely expressing his freedom of speech by handing out the flags. In fact, he merely asked people as they exited the town hall meeting whether they would like a flag. He in no way provoked any argument or altercation, as evidenced by the fact that three assailants were arrested.

This is Chicago-style politics at its worst.  Now that the health care proposal won’t be rammed through quickly, as had been hoped, the Democrats are resorting to intimidation and outright force.  They’re putting a chill on public discourse by asking that opponents be reported to the White House, are ensuring town hall participants see their “muscle” in the meetings, and now are physically abusive toward those who just don’t get the message.

I do ask a favor of all those who are attending the meetings; please try to be a bit more civil and less mob-like.  Yelling and chanting slogans is the stuff of the left.  (Think Code Pink and ACORN.) We’ll win more respect and converts if we conduct ourselves professionally and civilly.