Tag: Justice

UAW Local 2244: The Other Side of the Story

Recently, there were a series of videos that were shown on the website Big Government.com, they were of a union boss by the name of Javier Contreras, cursing at the union rank and file. Here are the videos in question:

One of the persons who commented on the videos, ID’ed himself as the old gent in the second video, that the union boss swore at, the older guy with the red jacket. Anyhow, I contacted him and asked him to give his side of the story. Here is what he wrote back:

Hello, Yes I really am the guy that Javier swore at. Back in June of last year Old Gm told us that they were getting out, and did so in 2 weeks. Gm gave us nothing, just left. Then in August of last year Toyota announce that they would be leaving too, but they are still here, still employing us, providing pay checks, overtime, vacation, holidays and medical insurance. NUMMI ( toyota) has been trying to reach a retention/ severance agreement with our union since then, but our union leaders have been very uncooperative with NUMMI in the process. Thus, We the workers have been enduring months of not knowing what is happening, what is going to happen. The union has been out of touch with the workers, telling us nothing specific. We live in a whirlwind of rumors, generally all bad. We are losing our jobs in two months, and still we do not have a deal with the company, and haven’t even been told why. I ask my commiteeman regularly, ” What’s up, what’s happening”, and always get the same answer, ” I don’t know”. The union leadership are supposed to be elected representives of us the membership. The union leadership has become what I see as a dictatorship, with Javier as the dictator. The union leaders do not ask us what we feel, think, believe or want.

The union leaders tell us what they are going to do, and what we will get from them. The union complains about the retention package that has been offered to us from the company, but the union has not offered us any type of severence package of their own. The members have been paying union dues into the union for 25 years, some say totaling up to $72 million. Why does the union not offer some sort of package? The union wants to demonize Toyota. The union is running a petition against Toyota. NUMMI ( Toyota ) is still employing us providing pay and benefits. The problem came from GM leaving. Why doesn’t the union petition GM? The UAW international now owns 18% of the NEW GM. The UAW international has an investment that they are not about to create trouble for, so the international instucts our local union to run a petition against it’s former partner. Toyota is not the problem here, GM and the UAW international, which is one in the same now, they are the problem. Our local 2244 union leaders have aligned themselves with the international, doing their bidding.

They are supposed to be our elected representitives, doing our bidding, answering to us. The union is run like a dictatorship, with Javier as the dictator. Javier needs to set down from his office, and whom ever takes his place needs to listen to us, the membership. In closing, I would like to apologize to everyone in attendance that day for the ruckus that evolved from it all. It has been a very difficult time for all of us here at NUMMI, as well as most everyone else here in this country in it’s current economic condition.

Stress is running high with this very uncertain time, facing a devistating change to our lives. It would be nice if our leadership could provide us with some sort of facts and certainty. perhaps then we may be able to plan a course of action for our selves. Let’s all take a look at the devistation of Haiti, and then try to put ours in perspective to that. Thank God we are living in California, USA.

Take care and god bless you all.

I wrote him back and asked him if it were okay if I published this, this is what he said:

Yes, please do. No action has been taken yet as far as I know, but I’m considering suing Javier, Surgio and the UAW. I’m a union supporter to the extent that they do some good for the person who is paying dues to them. But these guys collect dues to fund free vacations for them, family and friends. If the Union was earning the dues taken, then way am I and all the rest of the union workers losing their jobs. If you pay for services, then you should receive the services that you pay for, one of which should be continuing to work. I’m a conservative as well, I feel that if I work for my money I should be able to keep it in my pocket and decide for my self how to spend it, not have the government help them delve to it, because they feel they know better than I how to spend it. The working man and woman is getting screwed by everyone around them. There is a new slave in this country, the working class people.

Nothing in the replies was edited, changed or modified. Except for some misspellings and grammar errors, which I fixed for him.

As the late great Paul Harvey would say……”and now; you know the rest of the story…..”

Course Change: White House Orders New Location for 9/11 Mastermind Trial

That was quick:

The White House ordered the Justice Department Thursday night to consider other places to try the 9/11 terror suspects after a wave of opposition to holding the trial in lower Manhattan.

The dramatic turnabout came hours after Mayor Bloomberg said he would “prefer that they did it elsewhere” and then spoke to Attorney General Eric Holder.

“It would be an inconvenience at the least, and probably that’s too mild a word for people that live in the neighborhood and businesses in the neighborhood,” Bloomberg told reporters.

“There are places that would be less expensive for the taxpayers and less disruptive for New York City.”

via White House asks Justice Department to look for other places to hold 9/11 terror trial.

I think the word Cluster Fark would be about the right word to use. 😛 Glad to see the White House coming to its senses on this one. What really needs to happen is the President needs to say, “Never Mind” and let the idiot be tried in a military court.

Others:   Michelle Malkin, Big Government, ,  Tammy Bruce, Hot Air, Gateway Pundit, New York Times, The Lonely Conservative, Weasel Zippers,  Don Surber (H/T Memeorandum)

New Bin Laden Tape Surfaces

Him again?

A new audio tape allegedly from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden claims responsibility for an attempt to blow up a plane en route to Michigan on Christmas Day and warns the United States of more attacks.

The tape, which aired on the Arabic-language news Web site Al-Jazeera on Sunday, says “the United States will not dream of enjoying safety until we live it in reality in Palestine.”

The tape continues: “It is not fair to enjoy that kind of life while our brothers in Gaza live in the worst of miseries.”

CNN could not independently confirm the authenticity of the message, but the CIA has in the past confirmed Al-Jazeera reports on tapes from the al Qaeda leader.

President Obama’s senior adviser David Axelrod told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that while there was no immediate confirmation that the message was authentic, it “contains the same hollow justification for the slaughter of innocent people.”

In another section of the audio tape that Al-Jazeera broadcast, the voice says: “God willing our attacks will continue as long as you support the Israelis and may peace be on those who follow guidance.”

Bin Laden also claims responsibility for the foiled attack on Delta flight 253 in December.

“The message intended to be sent to you was through the hero fighter Omar Farouq, may God release him, confirming an earlier message that the [September] 11th heroes delivered to you and it was repeated before and after [that event],” he says.

A Nigerian man, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, has been charged with attempting to blow up the Delta Airlines plane as it approached Detroit from Amsterdam, Netherlands.

“Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was behind the failed attack on Christmas Day. That’s clear,” a U.S. counterterrorism official — who is not authorized to speak publicly — told CNN. “So a message like this — no matter whose voice it may be — should come as no surprise. Al Qaeda has, from time to time, tried to build support for its program of murder by talking about the Palestinian issue. That line’s never gotten them much in the past, and it’s unlikely to now, either.

via Report: New bin Laden tape emerges – CNN.com.

Here is the audio in question:

Here’s the full audio:

As many of my fellow Conservative Bloggers have asked; I thought all of this was going to, um, change after the election of Barack Hussein Obama? So much for that idea eh? As always, Osama Bin Laden blames the United States of America’s relationship with Israel for the attacks or in this case, botched attacks. Which shows you how bad the Al-Qaeda organization is demoralized since 9/11. Which was, in part, due to the efforts of President George W. Bush. President Obama has basically just continued his policies, which by the way Liberals, WORKED; no thanks to them of course. President Obama, on the other hand, has tried to play footzies with those bastards and look what it has gotten him —- Nowhere!

So, anyhow, the fight goes on and no amount of Hope and Change, Unicorns and rainbows is going to stop that. So, wise up Liberals and realize that the terrorists are not your friends.

Now having said all that; for some oddball reason, I somehow doubt that is actually Osama. I believe it might be someone within the Al-Qaeda group that sounds much like him. But as to that being him, I have my doubts.

Trijicon stops the Bible verses on the rifle scopes

(H/T Say Uncle)

I wrote about this here and here… and now the company has put a halt to it.

A company under fire for etching biblical references on rifle scopes used by the U.S. military said Thursday it will stop the practice, and offered to provide modification kits to the Pentagon to enable their removal on existing optics.

Michigan-based Trijicon Inc. made the announcement in a statement released by Levick Strategic Communications, a Washington, D.C.-based firm that specializes in crisis management.

“Trijicon has proudly served the U.S. military for more than two decades, and our decision to offer to voluntarily remove these references is both prudent and appropriate,” Trijicon president Stephen Bindon said in a statement. “We want to thank the Department of Defense for the opportunity to work with them and will move as quickly as possible to provide the modification kits for deployment overseas.”

Trijicon also said it will remove the inscriptions from all products it has made for the military, but not yet shipped, and that it will provide foreign military services that purchased Trijicon products the same options.

via Trijicon: No more Bible references on rifle scopes –  Navy Times.

A wise-choice for that company indeed. All around, I believe that this decision will be good for all involved. Because the last thing we need, is the enemy using our own weapons for propaganda purposes.

On the SCOTUS decision, it is a mixed bag

This good in some ways, and bad in others:

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court threw out a 63-year-old law designed to restrain the influence of big business and unions on elections Thursday, ruling that corporations may spend as freely as they like to support or oppose candidates for president and Congress. The decision could drastically alter who gives and gets hundreds of millions of dollars in this year’s crucial midterm elections.

By a 5-4 vote, the court overturned two of its own decisions as well as the decades-old law that said companies and labor unions can be prohibited from using money from their general treasuries to produce and run their own campaign ads. The decision threatens similar limits imposed by 24 states.

It leaves in place a prohibition on direct contributions to candidates from corporations and unions.

via Justices Block Key Part of Campaign Law – NYTimes.com.

The good part about this is, is that it frees up private companies to make ads supporting their candidate of their choice. Which does mark a victory for Freedom of Speech. The bad part is, that Unions will now be able to use their own monies to produce smear ads against Republicans. So, it is a double-edged sword. It might be a victory, but at what cost?

Update: Something that I forgot to add, I am still trying to wake up; anyhow, I believe more than anything at all, this new ruling will cause the candidates to have to work harder to get their offices. There will be no more just gliding into the Presidency, like a particular person did in 2008. This means that anyone can produce an ad and run against someone who might have some questionable background, like someone we all know, who won in 2008. Overall, I believe the whole idea, of actually having to work for the office and the leveling of the playing field is a good thing. Because we all saw how Obama basically overran John McCain in this election.  The changing of this law will prevent that from every happening again —- and believe me, that is a good thing.

A bit more on the Gun Scopes and Bible Verses

Yes, I do know what I wrote here. I assumed everyone would know this, but in case not; I was referring to the Arabs who attacked us on 9/11 and those who are down with the whole idea of Jihad, not all of them.

However, I happened to read something over at a blog, of who’s author has criticized me in the past. Which, by the way, is his right to do. Anyhow, I happened to read this here and I felt the need to quote it here.

Ed Brayton writes about a message sent to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation:

To: Mikey Wenstein and MRFF:

I am a U.S. Army infantry soldier with the rank of (rank withheld). I am married with children. I am stationed at Fort (installation name withheld). I have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan multiple times. I have been awarded medals for direct combat engagement as well as for injuries and wounds received in hand-to-hand combat. I am a Muslim American. My family converted when I was very young. I am caucasian and have a last name that does not sound ethnic. Therefore, few of my fellow soldiers know that I am a Muslim. My wife comes from a Christian tradition but rarely practices or attends church. I have witnessed terrible religious persecution in the my (number withheld) years in the Army. Most of it comes from “angry” conservative Christians in my unit chains of command and occasionally from my fellow infantry soldiers. I am very familiar with the Trijicon ACOG gunsights and have often had them as part of my personal weapons; both my M-4 and my M-16. In my first 2 deployments I saw and experienced no incidents regarding the New Testament bible quotes that are written on the metal casing of the gun sights. Many soldiers know of them and are very confused as to why they are there and what it is supposed to mean. Everyone is worried that if they were captured in combat that the enemy would use the bible quotes against them in captivity or some other form of propaganda. As an American soldier I am ashamed that those bible quotes are on our primary weapons. As a Muslim American I am horrified. As one who swore his oath to the Constitution, I am driven to fight this Christian insanity but I know if I try to do so in a visible way that I will suffer at the hands of my military superiors. I am of low enlisted rank and can be crushed easily. I am prepared to suffer, but I am not prepared for my wife and children to suffer. So I have reached out to MRFF because there is nowhere else safe to go to try to fight this thing of disgrace. There are many other soldiers who feel as I do. Many are Protestant and Catholic and they fear reprisal just as much as I do for trying to stand up to the Christian bullies in uniform who outrank us. But if you try to fight back, you are not “asking” for trouble, YOU ARE IN TROUBLE from the start. And if you are a Muslim American, the hatred is always just below the surface and ready to explode at a moment’s notice. After the Fort Hood shootings, it was so bad, even for a low profile Muslim like me, that I had to ask MRFF for help.

Nothing in my first 2 deployments prepared me for what happened with the Trijicon ACOG gun sights during my 3rd deployment to Afghanistan. I will never forget the day it occurred. It was morning and there was a mandatory formation of several companies. A very senior NCO was yelling at us which is not that unusual. He asked a private what it was that he (the private) was holding in his hand and the private said it was his “weapon” several times to which the senior NCO replied “and what ELSE is it”? FInally, the senior NCO said that the private’s rifle was also something else; that because of the biblical quote on the ACOG gunsight it had been “spiritually transformed into the Fire Arm of Jesus Christ” and that we would be expected to kill every “haji” we could find with it. He said that if we were to run out of ammo, then the rifle would become the “spiritually transformed club of Jesus Christ” and that we should “bust open the head of every haji we find with it.” He said that Uncle Sam had seen fit not to give us a “pussy ‘Jewzzi’ (combination of the word ‘Jew’ and Israeli made weapon ‘Uzi’) but the “fire arm of Jesus Christ” and made specific mention of the biblical quotes on our gun sights. He said that the enemy no doubt had quotes from the Koran on their guns but that “our Lord is bigger than theirs because theirs is a fraud and an idol”. As a Muslim and an American soldier I was fit to be tied but I kept it in. There were many Afghans, both civilian and military, on base within earshot of what was being yelled at us and I can only wonder in shock what they must have thought. This senior NCO was apparently also the head person of a conservative, crazy Christian group called the “Christian Military Fellowship” and made a big deal about the importance of joining to everyone. He told us all that we MUST read a book called “Under Orders” in order to make it through this combat deployment and said he had many copies for everyone. Some of my friends went and got their copies. I refused. Finally, this senior NCO ended his yelling by warning us that if we did not “get right with Jesus” then our rifles would not provide spiritual strength despite the bible quotes on our ACOG gunsights and that we would be considered “spiritual cripples” to our fellow units and soldiers. He didn’t say it in so many words, but the message was clear; if anything bad happened in a combat situation, it would be the fault of anyone who had not accepted Jesus Chris in the “right way”. I have never felt so ashamed and scared in my life. I have never hated myself so much for not speaking out. So I thought of my wife and children and endured. Every time I looked at my rifle with that Trijicon ACOG gunsight/scope with the biblical quote from the book of John (8:12), it would make me sick. If I had tried to protest, it would have made me dead. And if I’m dead I’m of no use to my wife and children.

To which Ed adds:

I’m at a loss for words. “Appalling” seems inadequate.

Now, I realize that what I wrote at the other posting was a bit rough, okay? For the most part, I was being quite snarky. Further more, I was referring to the Arabs who are in the arena of Jihad against America. Yes, I do believe that this a war of ideals and yes, it does happen to involve “Christian Americans” (Not in the sense of CHURCH per se, but rather of culture and ideals.) However, as someone that does believe quite highly in the SEPARATION of Church and State —– Yes, I do realize that the actual wording is not found in the Constitution, however, our founding fathers did believe in it and the concept is there. In fact, Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptists the following:

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.

Thomas Jefferson believed that, and so do I. Therefore, I believe, on constitutional grounds that these sights with the scriptures on them should be removed. We must remember that there are AMERICANS fighting this war on terror, not just Christian Americans; but Muslim Americans, Jewish Americans, and Americans of ALL Faiths are fighting against a backward ideology that seeks to destroy our Country.

I realize that some Christians and some Conservatives will not agree with me and might even accuse me of being a phony for writing this. But, Hey, it is the price one must pay to stand for something that is absolutely right.

So, to Ed Brayton, I say this, you might not like me one bit and that is your right. But this time, you are absolutely correct.

Military Scopes being sold by Michigan supplier have Holy Scriptures references on them, liberals horrified

The idiot story of the day:

Coded references to New Testament Bible passages about Jesus Christ are inscribed on high-powered rifle sights provided to the United States military by a Michigan company, an ABC News investigation has found.

At the end of the serial number on Trijicon’s ACOG gun sight, you can read “JN8:12”, a reference to the New Testament book of John, Chapter 8, Verse 12, which reads: “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” The ACOG is widely used by the U.S. military.

The sights are used by U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and in the training of Iraqi and Afghan soldiers. The maker of the sights, Trijicon, has a $660 million multi-year contract to provide up to 800,000 sights to the Marine Corps, and additional contracts to provide sights to the U.S. Army.

U.S. military rules specifically prohibit the proselytizing of any religion in Iraq or Afghanistan and were drawn up in order to prevent criticism that the U.S. was embarked on a religious “Crusade” in its war against al Qaeda and Iraqi insurgents.

One of the citations on the gun sights, 2COR4:6, is an apparent reference to Second Corinthians 4:6 of the New Testament, which reads: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Other references include citations from the books of Revelation, Matthew and John dealing with Jesus as “the light of the world.” John 8:12, referred to on the gun sights as JN8:12, reads, “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

via U.S. Military Weapons Inscribed With Secret ‘Jesus’ Bible Codes – ABC News.

UPDATE: I had some stuff written here, that I wish I had never written. Snark is fun, but only if everyone else is laughing. I blew it and I apologize.  Please, go read this….NOW.

Others: Winds of Change.NET,  Townhall.com, The Jawa Report

This is not going to help Coakley's cause

Once again, the Democrats employ thug tactics:

After Coakley finished her answer, she began walking away from the restaurant, and I walked behind her asking why health care industry lobbyists were supporting her at the fundraiser. She didn’t reply.

As I walked down the street, a man who appeared to be associated with the Coakley campaign pushed me into a freestanding metal railing. I ended up on the sidewalk. I was fine. He helped me up from the ground, but kept pushing up against me, blocking my path toward Coakley down the street.

He asked if I was with the media, and I told him I work for THE WEEKLY STANDARD. When I asked him who he worked for he replied, “I work for me.” He demanded to see my credentials, and even though it was a public street, I showed them to him.

I eventually got around him and met up with the attorney general halfway down the block.

“Attorney General, could I ask you a question please?” I said. “We’re done, thanks,” Coakley replied. She walked back toward the restaurant, apparently searching for her car. She remained silent as I (politely) repeated my question.

Coakley staffers told me they didn’t know who the man was who pushed me, though by every indication he was somehow connected to the campaign.

via We Report, We Get Pushed | The Weekly Standard.

There are reports that it is a Democratic Party operative that was working for the campaign. Just more of that plantation politics at work folks. That is what happens when Democrats feel threatened, they lash out and hurt people, been that way for years. How do you think JFK and RFK, MLK ended up dead? The Democratic establishment felt threatened, and when they did, they got rid of them. Been that way for years and will be that way for a long time to come.

Stick a fork in her, I believe Coakley’s campaign is over.

Memeorandum has the roundup.

Breaking News: London Police Board Plane due to passanger making threats

Man, decide to take the weekend off and all hell breaks loose… Oy!

The Video, Via Sky News:

The Story, via Sky News:

Armed police have boarded a plane at Heathrow airport and are believed to have arrested two men after a “verbal threat”.

Passenger Cameron McLean said: “Police just swarmed the guy and rushed him out.

“I think he was a white male. There was another one but I didn’t see him.”

He said the man was taken out in handcuffs then sniffer dogs were brought on board.

An airport spokesman said: “I can confirm there has been an incident on the EK004 flight to Dubai.

“Police are attending. It’s not affecting the rest of the airport which remains opens.”

Sky’s crime correspondent Martin Brunt said: “A verbal threat of some description was made. It was overheard. It was reported to members of the crew.

“They were understandably very concerned.

“They stopped the plane. The plane was taken back to some part of Heathrow, at which point anti-terror police boarded the plane.

“I think, at the moment, this was just a verbal threat but, of course, an investigation ensues until police are satisfied.

“It’s an indication of how jumpy airlines and anti-terror police are.”

Fox News is now reporting that it was group of drunken passengers. But it does show how jittery the authorities are here in America and in England.

Folks, if you’re flying, do not, I repeat, DO NOT make a stupid remark while flying. You will go to jail.  It is being reported that these guys were trying to be funny. How stupid. They should be jailed for making false terror threats.

It is being reported that the Heathrow Airport is back to normal.

Update: Fox News is now reporting that three men have been arrested in London.