Posted on 12/21/2005 7:48:44 PM PST by NormsRevenge
NEW YORK - The war of words over the transit strike took an ugly turn after Mayor Michael Bloomberg described union heads as "thuggish," a remark some said was racist in the context of a predominantly black union. During his first briefing on the strike Tuesday at City Hall, Bloomberg complained that union leaders had "thuggishly turned their backs on New York City and disgraced the noble concept of public service."
A group of City Council members and black leaders said Wednesday that Bloomberg's comment was racist because it was directed at leaders of a union that is less than 30 percent white.
"We resent the idea that you would characterize a predominantly black and Latino union as a bunch of thugs," said City Councilman Charles Barron.
Ed Skyler, the mayor's spokesman, replied: "It's despicable to inject race into this situation."
Bloomberg has no official role in the labor negotiations, since city subways and buses are managed by the state Metropolitan Transportation Authority. But he is responsible for keeping New York running during the shutdown of the nation's largest transit system.
The Rev. Herbert Daughtry, an influential black minister, said the mayor, governor and MTA leaders were risking comparisons to Eugene "Bull" Connor. The Birmingham, Ala., segregationist police commissioner turned fire hoses and police dogs on black civil rights marchers in 1963.
Daughtry said Bloomberg was using as his "bully club" the state law prohibiting strikes by public employees.
"Be cautious how you use the law to beat people into submission," Daughtry said.
In the past, Barron and Daughtry have used the word "thug" to describe white attackers involved in bias crimes. Barron stressed that the context of the predominantly black union is what made Bloomberg's comment racially insensitive.
Transport Workers Union President Roger Toussaint stopped short of joining the accusations of racism, but said Wednesday that the "thuggish" remark showed the mayor's "lack of respect" for his members.
"We wake up at three and four in the morning to move trains in this town," Toussaint said. "That's not the behavior of thugs and selfish people."
"Crud, we are losing the Public Relation battle... PLAY THE RACE CARD!!!!"
So if I call you a "thug," and you happen to be Black, I have just made a racist remark? And if you're Jewish and I call you a thug, now I'm anti-Semitic? How about if you're a thug and I call you a thug?
All unions are thuggish. But the interesting thing is the hypocrisy coming from the liberal Bloomberg. Liberals love labor unions. Just not when their members work for the city.
Wait, he said their acts were "criminal" as well!
RACISM! RACISM!
Never mind, Mike; you told the truth.
The word "thug" and "union" have been coupled long before the hip hop crowd adopted the word.
Methinks the unionistas protest too much.
Liberal movie makers go to Canada and other countries to avoid high union wages in NY. They are hypocrites of the highest order.
He should say, "I am sorry I called the extortionists thugs."
Union Goons, "thugish"???
Why, there must be some mistake!!
This is a further illustration as to why one must never, ever allow a friend to vote RAT (RINO).
And that is pretty ironic that they go to Canada to avoid the unions. I guess Canada is so disfunctional that even union wages are low.
This is nothing compared to the Union Leader I heard interviewed on radio today. He ACTUALLY had the balls to compare the what they're going through to what Rosa Parks did. I kid you not.
Since when is "Thug" a racist slur? I stipulate
that at one time it was....against *Indians*..
from *India*...because that where the Thuggies
came from..an *Indian* cult....But it has long
since stopped being related to *any* race,
*hundreds* of years ago. only to being violent
low brow cultists, that usually work in groups.
Time to sit back with some popcorn. Bloomberg is not so pure that we need to grieve over seeing him get into a fight with a labor union.
i personaly hate unions as much as terrorists.
missouri is not a right to work state, i have been in 5 unions in my 40+ years of working. was a shop steward in one just so i could negotiate a contract instead of the drunken sot guys who only wanted to strike so they could be off for dear season.
if you are a responsible adult and actually show up to work on time everyday, why pay some vampire leach money to ride around in his neeegosheatin ride.
shake your employers hand and go to work.
man i hate unions.
He should really stir things up by calling their stalling tactics niggardly.
You hit the nail on the head
You're obviously an anti-thugite.
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