My Jerry Maguire Moment

It's been a while since I have posted anything and I apologize for that, to those of you who enjoy my little columns here.  My newest post here is my letter to my union president and fire chief/boss.  All of the information that I have provided to back my claims is easily available on the internet, the Patriot Sheepdog is a great start, but follow up with TheBlaze.com.  Long read, self explanatory...enjoy!


To my Co-workers, Friends and Managers,

To say the least, we are living in “interesting” times in the United States and I am severely troubled with current events not only in America but in the entire world.  I have never been shy to speak about my opinion on labor unions and the foundation that they have been built on straight out of Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto, Vladamir Lenin’s Marxist Revolution, Saul Alinsky’s community organizing – and many, many other radical figures who wish to overthrow the capitalist system of the United States of America.  There is evidence of this violent, radical communist movement being enacted in Greece, France, Wisconsin, Ohio and soon to be in other United States.  Wisconsin is a solid example of the corruption of the unions in a coordinated effort with corrupt politicians.  When legislation hit the State floor to drastically change the law in accordance to public service collective bargaining that is costing the taxpayers, 14 members of the State government fled the State of Wisconsin not in protest of the bill, but in a stalling tactic to await the arrival of a large mob of union members to intimidate those who supported the bill.  The members who supported the bill could have had the vote without those 14 in attendance, and the 14 who disagreed had an obligation to just simply vote “no,” and blatantly refused to do so.  If you research history of evil dictatorships and their gain of momentum into power, you will find that they all joined forces with organized labor to aggressively push through their agenda; and shortly after they moved into power they disbanded and discouraged the very unions that they used.  There is also evidence of this violent labor movement joining forces with violent Islamic Caliphate organizations to overthrow governments in the Middle East.    

The main problem with powerful labor unions is the leadership that they carry, and their systematic ability to use laborers as “useful idiots,” to enhance their own agenda, just as Lenin did.  Take for instance Andy Stern, the former head of Service Employees International Union (SEIU).  Stern has been quoted stating, “If we can’t use the power of persuasion, we will use the persuasion of power.  Workers of the world unite.”  As you should know, the quote of “workers of the world unite,” is straight out of Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto.  Stern is an advocate for a one world government that operates on the redistribution of wealth, or in other words, a communist one-world government.  Stern is an outright admitted communist who states that the goal of the labor movement is to create a world-wide labor movement that ensures redistribution of wealth, rather than help local unions improve their working conditions.  Stern is also a former member of the Student for a Democratic Society (SDS), which branched off into the Weather Underground – the organization that promoted violent overthrow of the United States, resulting in murdering of police officers and innocent civilians.  What is most troubling is that Andy Stern is the most frequent visitor and guest to our White House, and he has met with President Obama more than anyone else.  He was one of the main figures involved in the “Obamacare” health care bill that was forced through our congress into law, and once it was passed – he resigned and consults from the shadows.  Stern is on record admitting that “Obamacare,” is in fact, redistribution of wealth.   

Richard Trumka is the head of the AFL-CIO, which the IAFF is a part of.  Trumka also has a vast vision of converting the United States into a Progressive or Supra-communist state.  Trumka is instrumental in the aggressive and often violent protests in Wisconsin, busing in union activists from out of state, hiring homeless people to protest without any knowledge or conviction, having doctors provide fake sick notices of absence to protestors that miss work to protest, and even letting teachers pull their students out to protest for something that they are clueless about.  Trumka has come out and complemented and supported protesters in Egypt and encouraged them to continue the overthrow of the government with hopes of inserting more labor activists to form a progressive state.  The problem is that the innocent and peaceful protestors who want real liberty are being hijacked and led by violent protestors who want an Islamo-fascist, Theocratic government.  Although half a dozen cabinet members of the Obama administration have stated that they have not even received as much as a phone call from the President, Trumka is on record bragging that he speaks to someone from the White House every day and visits a couple of times a week. 

The original idea and intention of the labor union was pure in origination and often needed.  The implementation of the IAFF into the NBFD was also needed, according to stories and history of our department.  But over the years the unions have been hijacked by communists, corrupt politicians and organized crime.  The sole purpose of the union is to take dues money from its members and provide a thug-like protection with an extensive list of labor lawyers and as you can see in Wisconsin, high numbered mobs of members to intimidate an opposing view.  The labor unions have joined forces with radical revolutionary organizations with communist, socialist, progressive and anarchist foundations, and I encourage everyone to research these organizations: 

Moveon.org, SEIU, AFL-CIO, AFSCME, colorofchange.org, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, National People’s Action, People for the American Way, USAction, Democracy for America, Daily Kos, CREDO Action, Green for All, Presente.org, Campaign for Community Change, Working Families, Jobs with Justice, Campaign for America’s Future, Apollo Alliance, True Majority, Energy Action Coalition, The Partnership for Working Families, United States Student Association, Sierra Club, Media Matters, Campus Progress, American Rights at Work, Democrats.com, BlueGreen Alliance, Progressive Majority and Working America. 

If you decide to research any of these, please research the organizations affiliation with a man named George Soros.  George Soros is a multi-billionaire investor who has made his money literally collapsing monetary systems of 5 different countries and attempting to convert the country into a one-world progressive government.  He is known as a monetary war-criminal in Asia and banned from multiple trading markets. 

I have openly spoken to so many of you about this and I cannot stand for this utter hatred of a free market.  I cannot stand by and allow my name to be attached to such a movement that is against everything that is great about the United States.  I have heard many arguments from co-workers that try to justify keeping Local 3505 up and running, one co-worker mentioned that the substantial increase in pay and benefits a few years ago was due to the action of the union.  This may be true, but I personally think that the people that were instrumental themselves were more significant than having a labor union involved.  Another co-worker told me that the system that is currently in place is all that we have to work with, and that we should continue to “play the game” that is in place.  This argument quite honestly sickens me.  Can’t you ask yourself this question: Isn’t the “game” in place, the actual problem?  You can attach this question to so many things that coincide with systems that have been in place for so long, they just don’t work efficiently.  Take for instance your local, state and federal government?  How about some of your problems with management?  How about our union labor management?  What about the process of collective bargaining, and all of the absurdities involved?  The beauty of America is the ability to reset, reshape and succeed following failure, and the answer is to reset and restore.  It is my own personal belief that there is enough law in place that would not require so much union labor representation.  If you look at the union labor structure, it aligns with one of a free-market structure: local (it’s even called “local”), regional, state, national.  If you look at the way government structure works best, it is when it is smallest and most independent – which is the model that our Nation’s founding is built.  I believe that we can disassociate ourselves with the IAFF and AFL-CIO, and form our own, small system of contractual negotiations without the assistance of such a huge, progressive, anti-free-market apparatus.  With the economic catastrophe that is going on not only in the United States, I personally have a hard time going to a negotiation table and setting forth demands for conditions of my employment with the AFL-CIO name attached to mine.  My disagreements with our management are nothing that cannot be worked out through everyday communication, as long as someone is willing to listen and communicate back without an ego weighing them down or an open mind to evolve the fire service.  I am nothing short of grateful for my job and its benefits, but I give more credit to the people on both sides to create our workplace than an organized entity that provides protectionism to even its worst.  All across our great nation businesses have been shut down or brought to their knees by labor unions along with poor management, and have required employers by law to retain bad employees who have shown up to work with anything from the least of, or no effort to work – to being under the influence of alcohol or an illegal substance.  Employer budgets and contracted promises have gone out of control to a point where in Los Angeles; it takes 40 employed firefighters to afford the pension of 1 retired firefighter.    

With all of my heart, I firmly believe that we can cut ties with the IAFF and AFL-CIO and form our own, private, not for profit organization that can conduct contractual negotiations in a similar manner that we do so currently, and even with much improvement.  With some extra effort on the side of the Firefighters and our Management, we can easily transition ourselves out of purchasing corrupt protection – to an independent body that creates a healthy working environment and serves its public with mutual respect and pride.  The declined attendance and participation within Local 3505 is also evidence that the enthusiasm of our members is not for the IAFF itself, but for our own individual interests combining into a collective interest.  Another thing that we need to realize is that public perception of labor unions mirrors my personal opinion.  Labor union member ship is at an all-time low and consumers along with our constituents are not pro-union, although pro-fire service.  Our media is in on the agenda of the labor unions, failing to report the 15,000 + citizens who picketed in Wisconsin against the organized laborers.  I am confident that a divorce from the IAFF will open new opportunity and practice with management and public commission. 
It is with my sincere conviction that effective immediately; I am submitting resignation and discontinuing my membership with the IAFF and the AFL-CIO, in Local 3505.  The most common response is probably one that you will even ask yourself:  “For $17 bucks a paycheck?”  My answer is:  Absolutely.  I have stayed in the organization as long as I possibly could for the sake of the strong bond of friendship and fraternal respect for my co-workers.  The principals that the IAFF and AFL-CIO practice and utilize are not at all in line with mine.  Please know that my problem is not with the talented and hard working men that I work with, but the people in the union that make decisions on our behalf that use us and our money for their agenda.  Again, all of our staff at the North Bay Fire District know of my loyalty to our district in the field, and need not question my dependability.  I am confident that if you objectively research my reasoning for leaving Local 3505, you will find that you agree with my logic.  With this I am also willing to provide any opinion, feedback or consultation for the organization if needed.  We should meet and discuss individual employment, real and actual local collective bargaining, and independence.  Even though my political opinions and philosophies may be different from some of you, or even if it were all of you, I ask that you honestly research what I have informed you on.  The agenda of the labor movement is way bigger than any one of us, or the North Bay Fire District for that matter.  We are told all of the time by our constituents and children that we are brave in the line of work that we do.  If you honestly think about why you would not want to leave the AFL-CIO, the honest answer would be: fear.  In my opinion, standing up to one of the world’s biggest bullies that is the AFL-CIO could be the bravest thing that we do, and I am convinced that we have nothing to fear. The truth has no agenda, it just is.

Sincerely,

Shawn P. Thurston