Time For A Scorched Earth Policy
Many folks are going to scream in protest about what I am about to say and call me unkind names, but at the moment we still have some limited freedom to speak our minds and being a Vietnam Veteran I grew accustomed to such treatment at an early age.
About fifteen years ago my wife was having major renovations done on our yard and she hired an old-world Vietnamese craftsman to do the job; his name is Dan. Dan subcontracted the iron work and electrical work to other tradesmen. One day when I came home everyone was there and at work. Dan introduced me to his two subcontractors and we began a casual conversation - spurred no doubt by the fact that I wear a “Vietnam Veteran” ball cap virtually all the time. To make a long story short, it turned out that the two subcontractors and I had been in the same places at the same time during the Vietnam war; in the same rice paddies as it were. And as things sometimes go, one of them had been with the NVA (North Vietnamese Army). Talk about a pregnant moment. And as I have always done when meeting a veteran of that war, I extended my hand and said: Welcome Home.
The reason I recount this story is to emphasize a point. I hold no animosity towards the people of Vietnam (three will be house guests in my home in December). The former NVA soldier that I met was not and is not my enemy but had circumstances presented the opportunity I would have taken his life and he mine. He and I wore the uniforms of our separate countries and as members of our separate militaries, we did what was asked of us. Our one difference is that he was drafted and I had volunteered.
And like my new friend formerly of the North Vietnamese Army, I have several brothers-in-law who have been life long Union members. And I think the world of them all because they all have taken good care of my several sisters.
Since I returned from Vietnam in 1970 I have been a strong proponent of “Buy American” and I always will be...but with a strong caveat: Buy Non-Union American.
Like every war this nation has ever been involved in, it is not the foot soldier we oppose but those who control and direct their assaults on ourselves and indirectly against our families and our nation.
I have two (10+ year old) American made vehicles in my garage. Both need replacing and they will not be replaced by American Made vehicles. One of my brothers-in-law worked for General Motors (GM) for thirty years and I had what was to me a CHUNK invested in GM.
The current regime simply took my investment from me and gave it to the Unions. Period. And all those wonderful things the Union promised him? They did not materialize and now he and my sister live in fear of ending up homeless. The current saga of Hostess Bakery (Twinkles) is but an air bubble on an ocean of the underlying cancer called “Union Labor”.
Labor Unions were critical in the evolution of this country and initially served to better the lot of the working man and woman.But over the last several decades they serve only one purpose: To empower the “leadership” and to fund political manipulations.
When I returned to this country after an extended period overseas, there was a UAW strike that targeted the GM plant in Fremont, California. And I recall GM basically saying:
“Here are the books. Show us how to give the Unions what they are asking for while insuring our ability to make a profit and the discussion is done.”
And I vividly recall the Union’s response which basically said:
“Your making a profit is not our concern.”
And GM was escorted into a uniquely structured bankruptcy in which a significant portion of my retirement was glibly handed over to the Unions.
I am advocating a “Scorched Earth Policy”, to wit: Avoid wherever possible buying anything from any company the utilizes Union Labor.
Union Labor has declared war on the American People and it is time that we returned fire with great emphasis, enthusiasm and commitment.
Every war has collateral damage and this war will be no exception; such is the nature of war.
My house is looking to Japan to replace our current fleet of vehicles and we are researching every source as much as is humanly possible to avoid doing business with Union Labor.
Always Buy American - when we can. There are tens of thousands of American businesses that produce every day goods and services that do not incorporate Union Labor and quite often the quality of goods and services provided is superior to the same items made off shore or by Union Labor “competitors”. Local “Farmers’ Markets” are a great alternative to Union dominated chain groceries. Perhaps a bit more expensive on some items, but I could write a book on the differences in the quality of Farm Fresh vs You-Don’t-Want-To-Know from the chain groceries.
Union Labor is funding the assault on the stability of this country and the minimal sacrifice needed to fight back is within the grasp of every American. We need to do our homework - identify non-Union sources of everything and share the knowledge with our friends and neighbors.
We need to loudly voice our support for a national “Right to Work” law and to inform each and every one of our “elected officials” that their failure to loudly and clearly support such a goal will have serious political ramifications.
Everything we truly need is available from alternative sources. In Las Vegas we have been able to replace aging major appliances with “virtually new” replacements at about ten cents on the dollar vs. “new” appliances. “New” items support Union Labor whereas “nearly new” replacements starve the markets for an extended period from the need for products produced with Union Labor. Any organism that is starved for a sufficiently long time will eventually starve to death.
Like far too many cities in this country, Las Vegas is heavily populated by Union Labor. And in the current economic down turn - and we have not seen the worst of it yet - much of the Union Labor not only does not have work, but does not even have anyone to hold a strike against.
But what is most interesting is the number of “dues paying Union members” who are moon-lighting; taking side jobs out of sight of their Union bosses.
It is high time to re-light the Torch of Freedom.
It is time to set the country ablaze with a “Scorched Earth” policy in every home.
Darwin Rockantansky
Las Vegas, Nevada
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