When I was a teenager in Detroit, Walter Reuther moved in across the street. It was after he got shot and he had a security detail guarding him and the house. They were big guys who kept an eye on everything.
They kept an eye on me when I would be sitting in a car with my date, or acting goofy with my girlfriends. My mother loved it.
I didn't know who Walter Reuther was when he "made us behave." But later, I made it a point to read up on his amazing life. Especially the sit down strike at the River Rouge plant.
The relentless attack on unions has destroyed what I believe was most "American" about this country.
The ordinary guy had a chance.
"The ordinary guy had a chance." Indeed. On the other hand, sounds like your dates were in a more than usually risky situation. No need for your folks to give them a stern warning. ')
ReplyDeleteReuther Central High School here in Kenosha is named after Walter Reuther. Every time I go past it on the bus, I recall how the state of Wisconsin used to be a place where the "ordinary guy" came first. Now Wisconsin has to take the blame for Scott Walker and Paul Ryan.
ReplyDelete