A Story That Will Make You Laugh (or Cry)

[louis c]

I've been a DU member since 2004. I'm the head of a small union in Boston. I'm white, 60 years old and 5' 4".

All this is pertinent information for this story.

I'm a self-admitted big mouth. I don't let stupid statements stand, even if it comes from a stranger and I'm not involved in the conversation. I know what you're thinking "how the f*#k do you avoid getting your ass kicked every day?" To be honest with you, I have no idea.

Anyway, here's the story. I'm off duty and sitting at the bar. I represent the bar-tenders and cooks and almost everyone else in the place (150). Some loud mouthed, nearly intoxicated white male patrons are talking shit about our President. They like using the N-word, since there's none around. Three guys, average height and build (remember, I'm a shrimp). I've had enough. "I just want you to know, it's talk like that that made it easy for us to win this last election. We're lucky Obama's president, and he'll go down in history as one of our best". They're response, "who's talking to you, asshole?" My reply, "Nobody, I'm talking to you. Do you know how stupid you sound repeating Rush Limbaugh's talking points?" "I had a great election night, how was yours?" They responded with the Kenya, Socialist, impeachment bullshit, and I walked away.

As I walked away, I could hear one of them say ,"just as I thought, no answers to the truth."

Now, in a different section of the place (it's rather large), two of my favorite employees were on break. They happen to be African-American. One is 6' 2", the other 6' 3". Both are security officers and the hardest working, nicest guys you'd ever want to meet. I told them what happened and said I'd like to teach these guys a lesson, without making a big deal out of it. "We're in", they said. "Great", I replied. I told them all they had to do was walk with me, back into the bar, and let me do all the talking. I promised them it would not be a big deal. "OK", they said.

So, get the picture. Three white guys who hate Obama sitting at a bar in which everyone at the bar heard the first conversation. I walk back to exactly where I was standing, flanked by these two huge African American security officers, in full uniform and armed. They looked even bigger next to me. You could hear a pin drop.

I stood at the bar for a few seconds and asked the three of them, "Would you like to continue to discuss politics with me?" I paused, looked at all three, none looked back. They just stared down at their drinks. I let another 30 seconds pass and said "I didn't think so".

Laughter filled the air as me and my two buddies turned and walked away.

I love living and working in a union environment.

[monmouth3]

1. My only regret is that I wasn't there....n/t

[freshwest]

6. I would have loved to have been there to back him up.

[monmouth3]

43. Me too. I have a big mouth...LOL..n/t

[dae]

2. I would have liked to have seen that, way to go Louis.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

3. Great story.

[catbyte]

4. Well played, sir. VERY well played.

[ProudProgressiveNow]

7. +1 nt

[Lucky Luciano]

5. Classic! Please let this be a true story! nt

[louis c]

8. It really is true

Here's some more facts. One of the security officers is a preacher in an African American church.

The work environment is a race track, (there's only one in Boston, so it won't be hard to guess). The union couldn't be stronger. I've been President for 11 years and it's an IBEW local. With all that info, you can figure it out if you want to.

I've been called in by management before for confronting patrons on politics, but the company needs me since they need the union's support as we try to obtain a casino license. No one else could get away with what I get away with, and I don't recommend my behavior to my members.

I used to be much worse, I've actually toned it down.

We have just ratified one of our best contracts ever with raises that range from 12% to 22% over 3 years. As a result, my members have been extremely supportive.

I'm of Italian decent (100%), so you know I can't keep my mouth shut.

Believe me, this story is true.

[juxtaposed]

14. I took on an international rep. once at a meeting. they asked me to leave

[louis c]

22. I had run-ins with my union

while I was on the outside, too.

I didn't give in or give up. I won the election against the guy and have held that office ever since.

I try to remember what it was like when I was on the outside and I hope that it works.

The problem is, you can't ever get everyone to agree with you.

I've won 4 election, 80% to 20% each time. But that still means that 30 people that I represent probably can't stand me.

A union is a Democracy and that's what happens in a Democracy, the majority carries the day, but in a union, just like in a country, you represent those who voted for you as well as those who didn't.

You should have tried to change the system or taken it over. There are ways.

[juxtaposed]

26. very cool,, I'm not part of it or this.............been union all my life

[dixiegrrrrl]

54. Admit it ......you are really Joe Pesci, right?

[louis c]

56. I sure act like him.

although some people think I act more like Danny Devito

[dixiegrrrrl]

55. Admit it ......you are really Joe Pesci, right?

[radiclib]

9. My favorite part

"Nobody, I'm talking to you."
Man, I wish I had your balls. So to speak.

[geckosfeet]

10. Good deal dude. Good deal. You got some great friends.

[DeSwiss]

11. Ya done good.....

[Taverner]

12. Balls. Cojones. Whatever you call them, they were THERE!

Bring it brother!

[louis c]

19. I might talk tough, but I couldn't win a fight in a million years

That's why I returned with two big, bad looking buddies.

I think of myself as a good, loyal friend, but I know my limitations, and one of them is physical violence.

That's why I said in my original post that "I'm surprised I don't get my ass kicked every day".

I don't know how much balls I'd have if I really had to fight.

I hope my luck continues and I don't ever have to find out.

Here's one thing for sure, I'll never keep my mouth shut if I have something to say. And I usually have something to say.

[monmouth3]

44. I think Al Pacino could play you in a movie..n/t

[The Wizard]

45. I get big mouthed Rethug males

to shut up with one question: How old were you when you first realized you enjoyed the taste of semen? Yeah it's rude, but it always works. And I have been in a few fights including one resulting in a broken nose. But the broken nose worked out for the good. I got to straighten out my nose that was broken by a foul tip in a softball game a couple of years earlier.

[juxtaposed]

13. I learned about unions in middle school

I've been a member of DU for not so long. I like reading posts from my home state that deal with the union, mainly for inspiration, as what is possible.
I have two stories from way back when I lived there! Back in 1980 I was shooting pool in the pub called the "Red Door" in Maynard Ma. I was 19 early 20's not sure. I wasn't playing with anyone, just cleaning the table when two clowns walked in and got their drinks and came to the table I was just fucking around on, the pub had 2 more tables not being used.....
The two guys came over to the table and asked if I wanted to shoot partners and I said no b/c I had no partner!
There was small talk going on between us as I kept downing the ball left on the table, when one of the gentlemen pulled and tossed an ID membership card from the KKK on the table..

The 2 guys were not from the town? If so I would have known them or someone would have. We exchanged barbs for a few, telling the the one A-hole to pick up his card, not interested.

To make this short we exchanged barbs, They asked me to step out side so we could finish our disagreement, I finished my beer and walked out the door, I grabbed both around the neck and threw then both across the ally porch and proceeded to beat the shit out of then both, I had know idea someone already called the cops. so as I was knocking the shit out of both of then I felt an hand grab my shoulder and with the next punch I knocked the cop out with my elbow!!!!!!! And was quickly placed under arrest!


Number 2 also Maynard Ma. I was in high school working at a place called "Pace Plastics" I worked after school HS. I was promoted to second shift foreman. We had an elderly man working that could not speak b/c of a tracheotomy. He couldn't communicate with staff, and they wanted to fire him.
I asked if he could just be our shop cleaning person would that be ok? b/c it would be hard for someone like him to find a job..

20+ years union member
12 years union pres.
56 years organizing

[JNelson6563]

58. Well done!

On all counts!

Julie

[heaven05]

15. you

got my respect.

[NBachers]

16. You not only made your day, you made mine too

Let me bask in the reflective glow of your righteous encounter.

[whathehell]

17. Go on with your bad self!.......That is a great story!

[pasto76]

18. whenever some shitbag says n*****, they are talking about the N*****s that saved my ass in Iraq

literally a dozen times.

I dont tolerate it anywhere. Ive lost work because of it. Needless to say, calling these fucktards what they are, is the very least I can do to repay them for my life.

[johnp3907]

20. Excellent!

[LeftInTX]

21. +++++

[rury]

23. Fantastic!!!!!!!!

[MrModerate]

24. A fun story, but . . .

It's also a severe case of Feeding the Idiot. Those jerks almost certainly slunk away from that place even more convinced that black people are scary and that whatever benefit they may derive from government is extracted under an implicit threat of violence.

Sorry, but I don't count this as a win.

[louis c]

28. It's not about them

It's about the dozens of neutral people in the audience.

There will always be bigots. Those viewing it saw it as what it was.

First of all, the two black guys had jobs, not the "dead beats" that they tried to stereotype. Secondly, they were exposed as cowards, because all of those who witnessed them referring to Obama with the N-Word saw them slink away when confronted with the mere presence of two African Americans. It proved they didn't have the courage of their convictions and were unwilling and unable to press their case on the merits without using bigotry or code words.

The episode wasn't for them, it was for everyone else.

[MrModerate]

30. Point taken.

So how do you get through a day without getting clobbered?

[louis c]

39. Being President of the Union at work for 11 years is quite a benefit

and now that I'm over 60 years old, that also keeps people from getting physical with me.

You have to remember that being a union guy involved in politics at every level is a confrontational position. I enjoy it, and seem to have a knack of pushing the envelope just far enough to keep everything verbal.

It must work. I win elections, have made my points at meetings and seem to have the support of the vast majority of my members. Me and our negotiating team just ratified a recent contract with 12% to 22% raises over 3 years (the first year retro-active), so the union has never been stronger. We were active in the last election, as we usually are, and we continue to run about 90% winners.

I don't make a lot of money for what I do ($50K a year), but I enjoy every minute of it. It's like being able to put into practice what you really believe in, every single day.

[SemperEadem]

35. I love that line

"they had not the courage of their convictions, only the vanity of their conceit."

not even grown enough to take their asswhippin' for standing in their truth, that's how flimsy said truth really is.

[lunatica]

42. You seem to give those people a pass for bandying around the racial slur

and are implying that simply having two large black men stand behind the narrator is bad in comparison.


I think you should get over your self righteousness and I'm also left wondering if you aren't a racist apologist.

This sort of encounter should happen when racists feel perfectly free to slander and slur in public.

[MrModerate]

62. What's the word I'm looking for . . . umm . . . bullshit! That's it . . .

My point was, here were several jerks who think black people are less than human and our storyteller's response was to pretend that yes, black people get what they want through being scary. Through being less than human, in fact.

I'm not saying that the jerks in question are at all educable. As adults, they're probably lost causes. But now they've got another tale to tell their equally racist fellows about how big black guys threatened to beat them up "just because they were speaking their minds."

And this is a good outcome?

How about telling the jerks to leave because they've violated standards of conduct for the place?

[louis c]

64. The point is

How often do you think the N-Word is used by bigots in describing our President?

I have said in another response that, if anything, I was a bit too lenient.

Tossing patrons at a bar in a race track for vulgar, bigoted, insensitive remarks isn't as easy as it may appear in my description. If that same remark was made in front of the security officers, the situation would have been a lot easier.

The two men were not "scary", they were men with authority on the premises, and the fact that they were black, with authority, added to the scene.

The three men in question weren't frightened. No one was going to assault them or shoot them. they were embarrassed in that they had to eat their words.

I will admit to a sense of ego in that, rather than the final scene being me slithering away in a debate about the President, it became a scene of three bigots who used inappropriate language in referring to President Obama having to be humiliated in front of strangers.

I made my point without the fuss of an incident report. I think I handled it well.

[lunatica]

65. You're still doing the apologist thing

The only way to stop loud mouthed bullies who are obviously trying to intimidate a room full of people with their overt racist remarks is to make them back down as the cowards they are. You think they should be treated with respect lest they go running to their racist friends to whine.

[MrModerate]

67. There's no "only way to stop loud-mouthed bullies" . . .

There're a million ways, and some are better than others.

P.S.: Look up 'apologist' in any online dictionary. I don't think you understand the term. While you're at it, look up 'racist' and see if you've got that one right.

[JNelson6563]

59. I disagree.

The more times it is made known that their hateful behavior is not welcome, the better.

Peer pressure at it's best.

Julie

[MrModerate]

63. Except that these trogs don't consider the two security guys to be their peers.

Quite the contrary. They (almost certainly) consider them to be the enemy. Something that this event just validates for them.

I'm OK with the sentiment, but the way it was done was not, IMO, helpful or appropriate. Which I told the OP.

[louis c]

66. Their peers were the other patrons. Now do you get it?

[amywalk]

25. Wow, Louis C, I hope you don't mind a point of personal privilege. My husband is 6'4". My youngest

son is 5'5". He was bullied a lot in school. The stuff he has told me about is horrible. The stuff he hasn't told me about is much worse, I'm sure. How did you navigate those treacherous waters? How did your self esteem survive and thrive as it obviously has? If you don't want to talk about personal stuff, I understand. It's just I am gutted by what my son has had to endure and so impressed by you. Any advice would be much appreciated.

[louis c]

27. Wow, I could tell you so much

My Father was 5 foot nothing, with a mouth and balls way bigger than mine.

My Dad supported Ed Brooke, the first Black US Senator. My Dad was my hero.

He loved politics and speaking and writing were his method to get his point across. Coalition building was in my blood. Loyalty was a big thing. I had friends in school. Some were very big, and I made no bones about the fact that if you screwed with me, that I had people that had my back, just as I had theirs at different levels, other than physical.

I never assumed that everyone was my enemy and that I could find a way to make friends who liked the same things that I did. The tough call is being loyal without being used. Clever was always my watch word. I always tried to keep in mind what my dad taught me, trust people until they prove they can't be trusted, not the other way around. When you meet some one, be the best friend you can be to him or his worst enemy, but let him choose.

I wasn't afraid to talk. Sometimes I had to take a bit of a whooping, but whoever did it had to answer to one of my friends, especially if I didn't deserve it.

I had a saying, that I use to this day whenever I am threatened with physical violence. "Beating me up is easy, your problem is going to be outsmarting me."

Genetically speaking, in order for smaller people to have survived in Darwin's theory, they had to be more clever.

As your son gets older, the real world becomes less physical. Fewer and fewer disputes in his life will be settled with a fight and more and more of them will be settled with brains. In my original thread, I walked away as though I was beaten, because I knew that my adversaries would try to physically intimidate me, as well as any scuffle would result in my being put in a bad position at work. Walking out and letting them get the last word could have been humiliating if the two security guards didn't back me up. Now remember, I'm the President of their union in which they just got a big raise. It was easy for them to back me up. That's where the loyalty part comes in. Leaving, knowing that these two guards were on break and being relatively sure they would concur with my suggestion, allowed me to plan out the ending of this story with a high probability that it would be happen as planned.

It doesn't always work out that way, but I win way more times than I lose

I hope that's a bit of help to you.

[amywalk]

32. Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. My son is 18 and will be starting college in

January. His father and I have tried to explain to him that college is nothing like high school. He is extremely bright, loves to talk, and has never met a stranger. Having said that, he usually gets along much easier with adults. There are people old and young, little and big, that have an issue with him just because of his small stature. He seems to be always fighting battles that he didn't start. I think he has also tried to trust people until they proved untrustworthy. Unfortunately, he has learned some very hard lessons about trust. Thanks again, Louis C. You give me inspiration and lots of hope.

[wordpix]

29. excellent and I would have watched your back, too

small woman with gray hair, I've taught quite a few toughs and survived, still enjoy it.

[Marie Marie]

31. Well, look at you with your bad ass.

That was great! Way to shut 'em down.

[tavalon]

33. Great story

You are spunky.

[Cha]

34. Thanks for sticking up for our Prez, louis c!

And, letting those, regurgitating brainwashed talking points. know how stupid they sound.

Our enemies are brainwashees who have no idea what reality is as far as our Awesome President.

So glad the Security Guards were there and able to assist with your Smack Down.

[SheilaT]

36. I LOVE the visual of the shrimply little white guy

flanked by two great big African Americans.

As for your comment about as a guy gets older, size becomes less important. I understand that in a somewhat different context. Both of my sons have an auto-immune disorder called alopecia areata. It causes hair loss. The older son lost all of his hair when he was only four, the younger one at age ten. When they were kids, strangers always assumed cancer and chemotherapy (which occasionally got us perks like being boarded first class on an airplane) but in reality they were the two healthiest kids out there.

Now that they are adults, 25 and 29, people either figure they shave their heads, or that they simply have early male pattern baldness. In either assumption, they no longer are considered odd or objects of pity.

Getting older has distinct benefits.

[tclambert]

37. Well played, sir.

Well played.

[Aerows]

38. I would have paid

to see that!

[babylonsister]

40. I did laugh, but

I'm awfully proud of my fellow DUer for handling this and them so well. Mad props to you, louis c, for perhaps shedding some light on bigotry in a subtle but substantial way that may have educated others.

[lunatica]

41. A living breathing example of SOLIDARITY!

I love loud mouthed Democrats and Union leaders!

[WiffenPoof]

46. Something Bothers Me About This Story...

...I'n just not sure what it is.

Paige

[louis c]

47. Let me see if I can ease your concern

These are patrons who used a word that should have got them tossed from the premises. We do not allow the N-Word to be used in our facility under any conditions. Any employee can enforce this, with security doing the enforcement.

I didn't want to toss them, but engage them in a political discussion. They were loud and I confronted them. That's what I do.

We, as progressives, need to confront ignorance and bigotry, not let it stand uncontested. After all, in legal parlance, silence is consent.

I refuse to remain silent.

I also am not stupid. I'm dealing with 3 bigots, drinking, and I interjected myself into their conversation. I know my limitations.

When I returned, I made sure that I would get the last word. This is a private establishment and the N-Word is not ever permitted. We toss customers who use terms like that.

If you want to know what I did that was out of line, it was that I was much too lenient. After all, my witnessing the N-Word comment would have been enough for the union security officers to eject all 3 patrons. The Bartender is also a member, and would have told the truth, too.

I figured that just embarrassing them was enough.

Once again, I reiterate, I love living and working in a union environment

[uponit7771]

61. +1

[Jasana]

48. You Rock!

I would have loved to have been there to see that!

[kag]

49. Oh, to be a fly on that wall!

Excellent!

[Sophiegirl]

50. Ah, to live vicariously...

Great story.

The only thing better, in my fantasy, would be that it was me: a 50 year old, 5'4," 120lb, blonde-haired, blue-eyed white woman standing between those hulks.

[sarchasm]

51. I just have 2 words to say ...

... balls!

love it. KnR!!

[graywarrior]

52. This former Lynn girl is rather impressed.

[louis c]

57. Boy, did Lynn come through in this last election

Last edited Sat Nov 24, 2012, 08:34 PM - Edit history (1)

They brought home John Tierney, who looked like a goner.

They gave overwhelming numbers to Liz Warren and Barack.

I have a lot of members from Lynn and I'm close to one of their new City Councilors.

[graywarrior]

60. Yeah, my brother lives in Lynn and according to him, the people he

knows were all in agreement that Tierney does his job and he does it well. Lynners may be dangerous but they know bullshit when they see it and Tisie was a BSer.

[Window]

53. LMAO!! Too funny!! K/R

Standing O