SB champion Packers supporting unionists in Wisconsin

[mhgaffney]

The globalist clowns on this board who also happen to be NFL fans need to (try to) wrap their pea-sized brains around the fact that the SB champion Packers are the only publicly owned NFL team in the league. The folks in Green Bay understand the commonweal -- a word that then rightards on this board obviously do not understand.

They are now vocally supporting the unionists, students, public workers etc.
MHG


Wisconsin: Solidarity Among Workers … And Football Players

http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-po...otball-players

As Wisconsin’s public workers fight to keep their wages and bargaining rights, they’re joined by others involved in a labor struggle: their Super Bowl champion neighbors.

by Dave Zirin
posted Feb 17, 2011


Less than two weeks ago, the Green Bay Packers—the only fan-owned, non-profit franchise in major American sports—won the Super Bowl, bringing the Lombardi trophy back to Wisconsin. But now, past and present members of the “People’s Team” are girding up for one more fight and this time, it’s against their own governor, Scott Walker.

Walker, after the Super Bowl victory, bathed himself sensuously in the team’s triumph, declaring at a public ceremony that February was now Packers Month. He oozed praise for the franchise named in honor of the state's packing workers. But just days later, the governor offered cutbacks, contempt, and even the threat of violence for actual state workers.

Fighting austerity is not an Egyptian issue or a Middle Eastern issue—it’s a political reality of the 21st century world.

Walker has unveiled plans to strip all public workers of collective bargaining rights and dramatically slash the wages and health benefits of every nurse, teacher, and state employee. Then, Walker proclaimed that resistance to these moves would be met with a response from the Wisconsin National Guard. Seriously.

Yes, in advance of any debate over his proposal, Governor Walker put the National Guard on alert by saying that the guard is "prepared" for "whatever the governor, their commander-in-chief, might call for.” Considering that the state of Wisconsin hasn’t called in the National Guard since 1886, these bizarre threats did more than raise eyebrows. They provoked rage.

Robin Eckstein, a former Wisconsin National Guard member, told the Huffington Post, "Maybe the new governor doesn't understand yet—but the National Guard is not his own personal intimidation force to be mobilized to quash political dissent. The Guard is to be used in case of true emergencies and disasters, to help the people of Wisconsin, not to bully political opponents."

Already this week, as many as 100,000 people have marched at various protests around the state with signs that reflect the current moment like "If Egypt Can Have Democracy, Why Can't Wisconsin?” “We Want Governors Not Dictators," and the pithy “Hosni Walker."

But also intriguing is the intervention from past and present members of the Super Bowl Champs. Current players Brady Poppinga and Jason Spitz and former Packers Curtis Fuller, Chris Jacke, Charles Jordan, Bob Long and Steve Okoniewski issued the following statement:

We know that it is teamwork on and off the field that makes the Packers and Wisconsin great. As a publicly owned team we wouldn't have been able to win the Super Bowl without the support of our fans. It is the same dedication of our public workers every day that makes Wisconsin run. They are the teachers, nurses and child care workers who take care of us and our families. But now in an unprecedented political attack Governor Walker is trying to take away their right to have a voice and bargain at work. The right to negotiate wages and benefits is a fundamental underpinning of our middle class. When workers join together it serves as a check on corporate power and helps ALL workers by raising community standards. Wisconsin's longstanding tradition of allowing public sector workers to have a voice on the job has worked for the state since the 1930s. It has created greater consistency in the relationship between labor and management and a shared approach to public work. These public workers are Wisconsin's champions every single day and we urge the Governor and the State Legislature to not take away their rights.

The players who signed on don’t have quite as high a profile as Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers, but give it time. Rodgers is the Packers union representative in negotiations with the NFL, and on Tuesday the players' union issued their own statement in support of state workers, writing:

"When workers join together it serves as a check on corporate power and helps ALL workers by raising community standards."
"The NFL Players Association will always support efforts protecting a worker's right to join a union and collectively bargain. Today, the NFLPA stands in solidarity with its organized labor brothers and sisters in Wisconsin."

The support of the Packers players hasn’t been lost on those marching in the streets. Aisha Robertson, a public school teacher from Madison, told me, “It’s great to see Packers join the fight against Walker. Their statement of support shows they stand with us. It gives us inspiration and courage to go and fight peacefully for our most basic rights.”

Walker no doubt envisioned conflict when he rolled out his plan to roll over the workers of Wisconsin. But I don’t think he foresaw having to go toe-to-toe with the Green Bay Packers. As we learned in Egypt, envisioning unforeseen consequences is never an autocrat's strong suit. As we’re learning in Wisconsin, fighting austerity is not an Egyptian issue or a Middle Eastern issue—it’s a political reality of the 21st century world. And as Scott Walker is learning, messing with cheeseheads can be hazardous to your political health.

Dave Zirin is the author of Bad Sports: How Owners are Ruining the Games we Love (Scribner).

[peacepipe]

They are now vocally supporting the unionists, students, public workers etc.
MHG

Unionists!? are you kidding me.

[mhgaffney]

What? No discussion? No debate?

The little minds are tongue tied -- mind blown that up in Green Bay they have a different way of doing things --

Globalism is not inevitable. The Packers proved it a few weeks ago.

Here;s a clue for the dim wits: we could also have public owned utilities , public owned not for profit health care, a public owned postal system (hey we already do!)

How come they don't talk about this on FOX?

[W*GS]

Ummm, the privately-owned Denver Broncos beat the "socialist" Packers for the SB trophy, once upon a time.

I guess that shows that capitalism is superior to "socialism".

This whole thread has got to be one of the most inane things ever posted here, and it's no surprise it's gaffe that done it.

[TailgateNut]

Originally Posted by W*GS

Ummm, the privately-owned Denver Broncos beat the "socialist" Packers for the SB trophy, once upon a time.

I guess that shows that capitalism is superior to "socialism".

This whole thread has got to be one of the most inane things ever posted here, and it's no surprise it's gaffe that done it.

He's peddling his future best seller: "How the Green Bay Packers changed the world"

[cutthemdown]

Stoopid is as stoopid posts.

[mhgaffney]

How come you guys are not talking about the world champion Packers?

Are you scared of a little public ownership?

You prefer packing up like lemmings-going-off-the-cliff?

[shakenbake]

Yes, because when I need to make a tough decision I always turn to football players for advice... Them and movie stars. Thats how I role...

[cutthemdown]

So Gaff you want to go seize the Broncos from bowlen and say Denver owns the team now!!! We could light torches and dance around like a bunch of savages.

[cutthemdown]

Originally Posted by shakenbake

Yes, because when I need to make a tough decision I always turn to football players for advice... Them and movie stars. Thats how I role...

Sometimes though they don't know what we should do. That's when we go ask rock stars!

[cutthemdown]

But it is cool how the fans of green bay own there team. But its not like they have a say in anything. It just means they have to volunteer to work stadium for free and the team can't move.

So how much cheaper is it to go to GB games?

[shakenbake]

Originally Posted by cutthemdown

Sometimes though they don't know what we should do. That's when we go ask rock stars!

If all else fails you can then ask socialites, like Paris Hilton. Now they really know some ****...

[SoCalBronco]

Originally Posted by TailgateNut

He's peddling his future best seller: "How the Green Bay Packers changed the world"

Sorry Gaff, but you just got Guile-rolled!

[W*GS]

Originally Posted by mhgaffney

How come you guys are not talking about the world champion Packers?

Are you scared of a little public ownership?

You prefer packing up like lemmings-going-off-the-cliff?

NOTA - this is just a stupid thread.

[epicSocialism4tw]

Originally Posted by shakenbake

If all else fails you can then ask socialites, like Paris Hilton. Now they really know some ****...

If that doesnt work, seek out you tube celebrities like Tay Zonday, the "Leave Britney Alone!11!!!1" guy, or Keyboard Cat for nuggets of wisdom.

[shakenbake]

Originally Posted by epicSocialism4tw

If that doesnt work, seek out you tube celebrities like Tay Zonday, the "Leave Britney Alone!11!!!1" guy, or Keyboard Cat for nuggets of wisdom.

Man, those guys with You Tube channels, they really know some stuff. I wonder if they support the the public unions. If they are on board that would really change my opinion.

[shakenbake]

btw, does Gaff have a You Tube channel? Because if he does that means he really knows about how **** works.

[mhgaffney]

Why is it -- just to scare up some conversation around here - you have to go off the wall -- or insult someone?

Yeah I'm laughing -- I have a sense of humor. (I was routing for the Packers)

But there also a serious lesson here -- and you guys -- most of you -- just never seem to get it.

Is there something in the water -- where you live? Whatisit?

[epicSocialism4tw]

Originally Posted by shakenbake

btw, does Gaff have a You Tube channel? Because if he does that means he really knows about how **** works.

I would watch a Gaff you tube channel. That would be some funny stuff.

Set it up for us Gaffer.

[shakenbake]

Originally Posted by mhgaffney

Is there something in the water -- where you live? Whatisit?

2 parts Hydrogen 1 part Oxygen ?

[SoCalBronco]

I think Gaff needs more Guile's theme.

[mhgaffney]

hey So Cal,

You got a problem with publicly owned fooooball?

[SoCalBronco]

Originally Posted by mhgaffney

hey So Cal,

You got a problem with publicly owned fooooball?

I have no problem with the Packers arrangement, it seems to work for them, although it may not work for all teams.

Sometimes, a private owner can be a roadblock to success (Pat Bowlen for instance) but I dont think that necessarily has anything to do with the fact the owner is an individual, it just has to do with the person. There are alot of great private ownership structures out there, its unfortunate that we aren't one of them, but they exist nonetheless.