Senator Mike Goschka, Michigan State Senate
The support of fairness and equality raises the hackles of the right wing. Whether it be Ford, Disney, and Kraft, or, now, the AFL-CIO, the right wing wants to make it clear: tolerance will not be tolerated.
That was the message in a July 1, 2005 letter to John Sweeney, president of the American Federation of Labor & Congress of Industrial Organizations, and signed by the leaders of so-called "family" organizations nationwide as well as Michigan Senator Mike Goschka (R-Saginaw), who identifies as a union member.
The letter expressed outrage at the AFL-CIO's recent approval of a resolution opposing so-called marriage amendments on the state and national levels. It also included this shocking statement: "The AFL-CIO reiterates its longstanding support for the full inclusion and equal rights of [LGBT] people in the workplace and in society."
My word! Has the union gone crazy?
Yes, according to the letterÕs authors and signers. By supporting the equal rights of LGBT people, the union is working in tandem with the "homosexual agenda" to destroy traditional families and mandate unisex communal showers for all workers.
Yes, the letter really did say this.
The group strongly urged (dare I say a threat was implied?) the AFL-CIO to take back all that lascivious pro-LGBT talk and side with them.
"We urge the AFL-CIO Executive Committee to respect and honor the views of your own rank-and-file membership by voting Ð during your upcoming July 25-28 annual convention in Chicago Рto rescind your March 3rd resolution," the letter reads.
Just wondering: what have groups like the American Family Association done for worker's rights lately? Last time I checked, organizations obsessed with abortion and the "homosexual agenda" haven't made a lot of time to advocate for a fair wage and health benefits for America's workers.
A search for "unions" on the AFA's website came up with dozens of articles damning civil unions, gay unions, and homosexual unions, but only a couple for labor unions. Two of these urged teachers to stop paying dues to liberal unions.
If Sen. Goschka really wants to do something to help union workers in Michigan, perhaps his time would be better spent on legislation to produce jobs and protect the health benefits of working families – whether they're gay or not. Currently Michigan has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation, and not because of same-sex couples.
Remind Sen. Goschka, the only legislator in the nation to sign on to the letter, that he was elected to protect, not attack, all Michigan families. Email him at [email protected] or call him at 517-373-1760.
