IBD Rips 'Mob Rule from SEIU'; Media Virtually AWOL

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Investors Business Daily called attention to an alarming story that goes back to Sunday, May 16 in a Monday evening editorial.

A protest noticed by the target's next-door neighbor who happened to be home at the time, namely journalist Nina Easton (who also took the photo at right), occurred in a Metro DC suburb in Maryland marked the next round of a national labor union's attempt at persuasion through intimidation.

IBD concisely describes what happens, and why it should cause so much concern:

Mob Rule From SEIU

On May 16, Washington, D.C., police escorted 14 busloads full of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) members at least part of the way to storm the Chevy Chase, Md., home of Bank of America's deputy legal counsel, Greg Baer.

Some 500 protestors affiliated with SEIU and their allies in the community organizing group National Political Action (NPA) trampled his lawn, blocked his doorway to his home and screamed "greed." Legally, it was burglary, trespassing and, possibly, assault.

But Maryland cops didn't enforce the law. And Baer had to brave the insult-hurling mob alone to rescue his 14-year old son who, home alone, had locked himself in the bathroom in fear.

But there was one thing these thugs didn't count on — a credible journalist next door who reported what happened.

Fortune Magazine's Nina Easton wrote about what happened and asked SEIU spokesman Stephen Lerner to explain.

His response was chilling: "People in powerful corporations seem to think they can insulate themselves from the damage they are doing," Lerner said, implying that physical intimidation was indeed the intent.

... What's important here is that these mobs act with near impunity and lash out at critics like Easton. What Stern calls "the persuasion of power" is identical to the violent means of maintaining political order in Cuba and Venezuela.

It's going full blast in the U.S. now as the party in power loses popularity. That's a bad sign that democracy itself is under attack.

Other reports at BigJournalism.com and BigGovernment.com indicate that a Huffington Post blogger was on hand to chronicle the goings-on and that a police escort was provided by Metro DC Police (there is dispute as to whether the escort stopped at the DC-Maryland border or was also present at Baer's home).

Establishment media silence has been, to use a word employed by Archy Cary at BigJournalism.com, "deafening":

• Searches on "Baer" and "Easton" at the Associated Press's main site return nothing relevant and nothing relevant, respectively.
• Searches on "Baer" and "Easton" at the New York Times return nothing relevant and nothing relevant, respectively.
• Cary at BigJournalism.com used "deafening" to describe the Washington Post's silence on the mob just before 7 PM Pacific Time. That's an appropriate descriptor, given that there is also nothing relevant at the post in searches on "Baer" and "Easton."

Mob rule and tyranny advance when the people who supposedly pride themselves on speaking truth to power stay silent. In effect even if not by intent, this makes them co-conspirators.

Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.