A message to Wisconsin liberals and progressives who are convening meetings across their state:
I'm not a resident of Wisconsin; but, as Director of Organizing for the Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council representing thousands of casino workers employed in Wisconsin trying to organize to protect their health, livelihoods and rights, I am wondering when Wisconsin liberals and progressives are going to do what good liberals and progressives should do, stand up for the rights of thousands of casino workers in Wisconsin employed in what is called the Indian Gaming Industry; an industry where all the slot machines and table games are owned by a bunch of rich white mobsters leaving the Indian Nations mired in poverty creating debt with the casino workers forced to work in loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages and without any rights--- no rights at all--- under the same state and federal labor laws protecting all other workers? In return for delivering this anti-labor/anti-worker agenda to these casino managements, the Wisconsin Democratic Party is richly rewarded with millions of dollars in campaign contributions by tribal governments who are trying to focus people's attention away from the unhealthy smoke-filled casinos by drawing attention to the mining companies. But, does it really make any difference if people die from heart and lung diseases and cancers and smoke-complicated problems relating to diabetes caused by being forced to work in a smoke-filled casino workplace or if people die as a result of the mining companies pumping contaminating pollutants into the fresh water aquifers, streams, rivers and lakes we drink from and catch fish in, or harvest the wild rice from--- or pollute the air we breath along with the soil our food is grown on?
Thousands of your friends and neighbors are being forced to work in these smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights and it is time for you Wisconsin liberals and progressives to join with us in correcting this most atrocious and deplorable situation.
Quite frankly, I find it just a little hypocritical that many of you, especially union leaders, would selfishly ask us to defend your rights when you won't lift your voices or your little finger to defend our rights.
Just saying.
Leave a twig for the birds to perch on... don't let the capitalists do your thinking for you... if you are in the neighborhood, stop on in; the coffee is always hot and the cookie jar is full... looking forward to the day when the real decisions in America are made by working class families gathered around the kitchen table... new postings daily...Yours in the struggle...Alan L. Maki
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Racism in the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party is orchestrated by the Governor
Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton stacks an audience with workers color to promote his jobs bill---
In announcing his new bonding proposals which Dayton calls his "Jobs Bill," Dayton, at his press conference had a packed "audience" at this press conference. The audience was mostly workers of color.
For some reason, after I challenged what he was doing with this hand-picked "audience" which was supposedly most construction workers of people of color by asking a very simple question--- the photo has now been removed. Here is the question I asked under the picture:
If one goes out to any construction site in the state of Minnesota, where do you find this mix including so many workers of color?
Obviously, this "good liberal" governor who refuses to enforce Affirmative Action, knew that anyone could see the validity of my comment--- and the intent of the comment which was: come on Governor Dayton, enforce Affirmative Action like you promised so when people see Minnesotans at work, they actually see what this picture was meant to convey--- a fully integrated workforce as a result of the enforcement of Affirmative Action.
So, what was the governor's response to my comment? Our "good liberal" Minnesota Governor, Mark Dayton, removed the photo from his FaceBook page.
This has got to be one of the most vile acts of racism any public official has ever engaged in by trying to make people believe there isn't a problem of racism when it comes to employment practices in Minnesota. Totally vile. Totally disgusting. Instead of correcting this racist injustice here we have Mark Dayton, the Governor of Minnesota, trying to cover the problem up.
Needless to say, along with the photo being removed, my comments on the photo were also removed--- talk about "democracy."
Shouldn't Mark Dayton be forced to respond by explaining his despicable racist behavior?
In announcing his new bonding proposals which Dayton calls his "Jobs Bill," Dayton, at his press conference had a packed "audience" at this press conference. The audience was mostly workers of color.
For some reason, after I challenged what he was doing with this hand-picked "audience" which was supposedly most construction workers of people of color by asking a very simple question--- the photo has now been removed. Here is the question I asked under the picture:
If one goes out to any construction site in the state of Minnesota, where do you find this mix including so many workers of color?
Obviously, this "good liberal" governor who refuses to enforce Affirmative Action, knew that anyone could see the validity of my comment--- and the intent of the comment which was: come on Governor Dayton, enforce Affirmative Action like you promised so when people see Minnesotans at work, they actually see what this picture was meant to convey--- a fully integrated workforce as a result of the enforcement of Affirmative Action.
So, what was the governor's response to my comment? Our "good liberal" Minnesota Governor, Mark Dayton, removed the photo from his FaceBook page.
This has got to be one of the most vile acts of racism any public official has ever engaged in by trying to make people believe there isn't a problem of racism when it comes to employment practices in Minnesota. Totally vile. Totally disgusting. Instead of correcting this racist injustice here we have Mark Dayton, the Governor of Minnesota, trying to cover the problem up.
Needless to say, along with the photo being removed, my comments on the photo were also removed--- talk about "democracy."
Shouldn't Mark Dayton be forced to respond by explaining his despicable racist behavior?