By Mike Westfall

8-01-2005

While growing up as a youngster in Montrose, Michigan back in the 1950’s, I never thought that our American culture could so radically change like it is changing today.

Times were simpler. We boys would spend our summers shooting homemade soup can rockets powered from firecrackers over the banks of the meandering Flint River. Every summer night I would listen from my bunk bed through the open window for the train clicking down the rickety old tracks two blocks from our home. Our TV received two black and white fuzzy stations and the films at Moose’s movie theatre were all family rated. Our adolescent years were much more innocent then our children’s informative years today.

Montrose was populated with citizens who were God fearing, morally straight and mostly blue collar.

 It was inconceivable that powerful organized labor officials, whom had historically fought to bring a better life to my family and nation through bargaining, would overstep their boundaries and be in the forefront like they are today in redefining the Judeo-Christian family.

The AFL-CIO today is fighting the Federal Marriage Amendment. It is supporting the right for men to marry men and women to marry women. The AFL-CIO didn’t even open up the marriage amendment for discussion or debate to their Christian members.

I have spent most of my working life as a labor activist dealing with employment related issues as evidenced by my work beginning 40 years ago http://westfallmike.tripod.com .

  I am saddened by these developments and would be remiss if I turned a blind eye to the moral confusion exhibited by some of these union officials. I realize the political correctness, growing popularity and even glamorization “by some” for those that practice homosexuality but the majority of workers do not share this support. The institution of marriage, as we know it, will be destroyed if those who practice homosexuality are allowed to legally marry.

The majority of American workers live in Judeo-Christian marriages consisting of one-man and one-woman. The majority also consider themselves as people of faith. This is fact.

Union officials are missing the boat by being on the wrong side of this issue. Workers need their unions and the union officials need to clean up their act. Throughout the bible the practice of homosexuality is condemned. Its practice is called an abomination to God and a deviate sexual practice.

That is why I support Rev. Wildmon’s “American Family Association” http://www.afa.net/ , Gary Glenn  www.afamichigan.org &  Dr. Dobson’s Focus on the family” www.family.org

These organizations promote the biblical definition of marriage and I support and respect them.

I am a Christian and I take Christian positions in my writing.

 Because of this, I receive strong criticism from various groups, including those practicing homosexuality as well as from some union officials around our country. They can send all the e-mails they want. If God’s word calls it an abomination, then that is what it is.

 It really is sad when workers are afraid to challenge controversial issues raised by their union officials for fear of being charged with being intolerant or even anti-union.

I believe that unions are the only hope for organized workers on employment issues, but this issue is a major example of these officials failing their members.

Why is the AFL-CIO even involved in this issue when it is not even a labor issue? It is a moral issue. On this issue the AFL-CIO officials are dividing workers and weakening unions just when workers need them most.

Why are union officials wanting to open up worker’s pensions and benefits to the same-sex partners of those practicing homosexuality, when their partners have never worked for the companies. It is grossly unfair to do it at worker expense when all these plans are already in financial jeopardy?

Why are these union officials not more worried about saving jobs and protecting workers rather then dividing the unions over divisive moral issues that are not even related to labor?

Why did the AFL-CIO just arbitrarily push through their anti- marriage amendment resolution without a worker debate? Shouldn’t workers have a voice in their own union?

State after state has passed legislation banning same-sex marriage and union officials don’t care what their own people are saying.

 AFL-CIO officials are obviously spending dwindling worker resources to pit themselves against their own workers. This is not Solidarity.

Why are union officials calling this a human and civil rights issue when those practicing homosexuality already have the same rights as everyone else? AFL-CIO officials say they have always been at the forefront of human and civil rights. “They allude that unions should protect those who participate in the practice of homosexuality.” This is insane! Why should active workers be forced to share their benefits and pensions with these people? Just how much of workers benefit packages are union leaders willing to give away? Is there a limit?

Union leaders allude that this is a civil rights and human rights issue. This is false. Blacks and women had their civil and human rights violated. Those who practice the homosexual lifestyle do it by choice and have had no rights violated. They have all the same rights as everyone else.

These AFL-CIO officials are clearly wrong on this and frittering away resources on the wrong issues while our people and their families who pay the bills are getting hammered. Workers have so many profoundly important problems today with job loss, benefit cuts and loss of union prestige. Those who practice homosexuality don’t care because they will back up their pick up trucks to their unearned benefits, pension and healthcare benefits they will receive at the workers expense once they are recognized as legally wed to their same sex working partner.

We as a nation had better watch out because when we lose our values and are not allowed to protest indecencies then freedom, as we know it will be over.

So yes there are many of us blue collar and white collar Christians which are Democrat, Republican and Independent that are fed up and we are out to reclaim our culture before it collapses completely. Our nation is at a climatic point in the fight to save the family. The future of our children and culture hang in the balance.

 michaelwestfall.tripod.com