Teaching the next generation abouts Dems, Labor, and Civil Rights, etc...

[Omaha Steve]

I spent a lot of time today with my 13 year old granddaughter Bobbi. She went with me to physical therapy. Then we headed over to Council Bluffs. She saw her first picket line. She walked with those out of work holding a sign. She had several good questions. She watched a semi cross the line. Her face said it all.

'Work stoppage' enters third month: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19463261&BRD=2703&PAG=461&dept_id=555106&rfi=6

Next we stopped off in Omaha at Kenefick Park. I'm a train nut. The largest steam and diesel engines ever built are there. I told her how until the Omaha shops closed, her cousin was a union welder there. That Omaha used to have 11 different railroads. Now we have 2. I mentioned Omaha used to be a labor town with packing houses, railroads, and more providing good work. As times changed union jobs have left, and our middle class and it's standards are shrinking fast. I also said the Republican Party is responsible for damage that will take our country years to try to fix.

Kenefick Park: http://phpdev.ist.unomaha.edu/~sadams/Omaha/Lauritzen_Gardens/Kenefick_Park.htm

We talked about how President Lincoln stood across the river and pointed at the spot to start the transcontinental railroad. We talked about his death at the end of the war. Why somebody that wanted to end slavery, wanted to end the war, died for all men and women that are created equal. I told her some people in America still have near slave conditions in the Florida tomato fields etc... Some people have been forced to stay at gunpoint. By the math, Bobbi is 1/4 black. Her maternal grandfather is black. She knows more than an average kid her age. I'm very proud of her.


I thought that ended our lesson for the day. Nope. We hadn't been home long and the UPS truck pulled up. I saw the sender and let her open the package. My new AFSCME MLK, I AM A MAN shirt really made her think. I explained through tears how Dr. King died while helping mostly poor black men in Memphis in my union AFSCME. They were using civil disobedience in an unlawful strike. They won recognition after Dr. King's death, even though to this day state law says the city doesn't have to accept the union. What a day. I'm sure Bobbi will be a Democrat all her life. Tomorrow we are going to see the local labor memorial. It is the second largest in the US.

Omaha Steve and Bobbi

[Mountainman]

1. The railroads merged didn't they.

Burlington and Great Northern, Burlington Northern

Union Pacific and Southern Pacific, Union Pacific

Burlington Northern and Santa Fe, Burlington Northern Santa Fe



I'm a train nut too. Don't know how we get that way. Maybe a train gene.

[Omaha Steve]

3. Not all of them

Even mergers ended service on lines and ended jobs. That closed lots of grain bins etc that were left high and dry. CNW dropped the line that ran from Florence to South Dakota long before it merged with UP. I think Wabash and Rock Island just went bankrupt. Amtrak (runs by my house everyday) ain't the same. :-(

[Mountainman]

4. When ever I read the histories of any railroad it seems they all went bankrupt and reorganized over

and over. I read a lot about the Pennsylvania and New York Central since I came from Ohio. There was so much competition from airlines and the interstate highway system both subsidized by tax money.

[Omaha Steve]

5. Fallen flags link

Enjoy.

http://www.thedieselshop.us/INDEXFF.html

[Imalittleteapot]

2. Way to go Omaha!

I have been working with my 8 year old granddaughter. She is so curious and receptive, and best of all empathetic to the many causes and historical
incidents we discuss.

Teach you children well.