Oregonunionfacts.com Airing New Racist Ad

A new racist ad by Oregonunionfacts.com , one of only many shadowy front groups run by political extremist and super lobbyist, Richard B. (Rick) Berman has begun to air in the Portland, Oregon area.

The new ad uses a black female employee who uses job benefit achieved union benefits such as paid sick leave as an excuse not to do her job. It is an outrageous racist ad that depicts a black employee as looking for any excuse not to work. This ad is racism of the worst type. It creates an ugly stereotype that is very demeaning to both Black citizens and workers and should be immediately pulled from the airwaves.

Right wing political extremist and superlobbyist, Richard B.(Rick) Berman is responsible for this new racist ad. A few days ago I attacked his last ad which presented a disgusting parody of teacher's unions. But this latest ad featuring a Black worker seeking some way not to do her job is a new low for even Berman. But little indicates that Berman is a man of any ethics or values.

Berman was implicated in questionable donation of $25,000 to a college class at Kennesaw State College that Newt Gingrich taught in exchange for teaching the extremist economics of Berman's Employment Policies Institute. It seems that Berman was recruited by Gingrich's GOPAC both to donate and to seek other big donors. In the letter that came with the check, Berman even went as far as to thank Gingrich for his "help" after Gingrich had helped to arrange for Berman to testify at a Congressional hearing involving some industry matter. This seemy web of donations, favors, access, is all a disgusting pattern in Washington of those who gain influence through donations and is a large reason that an ethicly challenged Congressman like Newt Gingrich is no longer in office.

Berman is also a lobbyist for alcohol and tobacco, interests. He is well known for extremist attacks on organizations such as MADD when he opposed their efforts to strengthen drunk driving laws because it might hurt the sales of the alcohol industry that helps to fund his $10 million dollar lobby organization. Berman also opposed the Americans With Disabilities Act(ADA) because it would have forced restaurants to provide wheelchair access to disabled patrons. And Berman has opposed any no-smoking sections in restaurants because it may hurt cigarette sales or cause any construction expense to restaurants, despite the fact that even Phillip Morris indicates on their very own website that second hand smoke causes ear infections, respiratory inflections, asthma or even SIDS to small babies. Berman has supported the use of the pesticide Alar on fruits such as apples. This dangerous pesticide is now banned from use on apples.

Right wing political extremist Berman is well known for setting up one shadowy fly-by-night organization after another, and failure to provide open public disclosure of both donations and expenditures. Activistcash.com, American Beverage Institute, Center For Consumer Freedom, Employment Policies Institute, Employment Roundtable, FishScam.com and The Center For Union Facts. For all the official sounding names of some of Berman's front organizations, Berman's organization comprise only 28 members who handle $10 million in donations from the alcohol, tobacco and other industry groups. It is certainly not clear who stands to benefit from Berman's latest antiteacher's union ads or whether he is simply attempting to drive wages down and make Oregon a "right-to-work" state. This could cut worker's wages by thousands a year and strip away health, dental and retirement benefits, and remove protections against wrongful worker termination.

It is not only very regrettable that antiworking people extremists like Berman are so well financed, but that they now use clearly racist advertising to promote their evil values. It is also very sad that for the sake of the almighty dollar that TV, radio or print media accept and not reject such ads. It says a great deal about the values of some in the media that we are supposed to trust.