row against a roustaboout
Comments here and there.
Ad hominem attack? It's a sign of his insecurity, and my insensitivity.
I'm happy the mayor of New York told the people riding on the transit to say, "Thanks for coming back. I missed you." It was humble. People were battered on all sides: the union workers; the union itself, the riders who lost three days of wages from working as day care babysitters and teachers; the tourists; the waiters, waitresses, bellboys, and valet paid tips and wages; and the people who could not go home.
Thinking about the difference between unions and laws, because Cary brought it up, makes me realize that it is the people who vote and support changes in law. Child labor and 14-hour workday didn't stop because of union strikes. They stopped because the unions raised awareness of the poor working conditions, and goaded people into boycotting the services and products of a corporation with a policy they don't agree.
That's how some people avoid Nike or Wal-Mart, because they disagreed with their products made in sweatshops, or because they support animal rights, or because they want more benefits to the workers.
In the end, it's the people, the people who vote for the politicians that pledge to change the law, the people who write letters to let corporations know they are boycotting their services and/or products in protest. Although the majority of New Yorkers are probably ambivalent about the transit workers' wages, I doubt workers' actions reflected highly on unions in the their mind. Strikes and violence should be a last resort.
It's this reason that I don't support, for example, the Earth Liberation Front for torching hummers and burning down scientific research buildings, though I support environmental policies to regulate and raise mileage requirements of cars.
Since Ridor declares himself a militant left-wing, I already know I don't support his position. He is as free to make his opinions as I am, but he should not be telling me to stop talking—his word is "meddling"—about New York, much as I would talk about China or Iraq. The moment he did, his comments became just as illogical as any closed-mind militants, whether right-wing or left-wing.
Ad hominem attack? It's a sign of his insecurity, and my insensitivity.
I'm happy the mayor of New York told the people riding on the transit to say, "Thanks for coming back. I missed you." It was humble. People were battered on all sides: the union workers; the union itself, the riders who lost three days of wages from working as day care babysitters and teachers; the tourists; the waiters, waitresses, bellboys, and valet paid tips and wages; and the people who could not go home.
Thinking about the difference between unions and laws, because Cary brought it up, makes me realize that it is the people who vote and support changes in law. Child labor and 14-hour workday didn't stop because of union strikes. They stopped because the unions raised awareness of the poor working conditions, and goaded people into boycotting the services and products of a corporation with a policy they don't agree.
That's how some people avoid Nike or Wal-Mart, because they disagreed with their products made in sweatshops, or because they support animal rights, or because they want more benefits to the workers.
In the end, it's the people, the people who vote for the politicians that pledge to change the law, the people who write letters to let corporations know they are boycotting their services and/or products in protest. Although the majority of New Yorkers are probably ambivalent about the transit workers' wages, I doubt workers' actions reflected highly on unions in the their mind. Strikes and violence should be a last resort.
It's this reason that I don't support, for example, the Earth Liberation Front for torching hummers and burning down scientific research buildings, though I support environmental policies to regulate and raise mileage requirements of cars.
Since Ridor declares himself a militant left-wing, I already know I don't support his position. He is as free to make his opinions as I am, but he should not be telling me to stop talking—his word is "meddling"—about New York, much as I would talk about China or Iraq. The moment he did, his comments became just as illogical as any closed-mind militants, whether right-wing or left-wing.
posted by Alan at December 24, 2005
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