Marathon Pundit: SEIU boss threatens Boy Scout volunteers

And the union people crawled away.
Billy Joel, "Allentown," 1982.

Since Barack Obama's inauguration, Service Employees International Union president has visited the White House an astounding 22 times. Stern boasts that his union spent $60 million to place Obama inside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Stories like this one from Michelle Malkin tells us why this is a problem:

The Boy Scouts' motto is: Be prepared. Who knew it meant preparing to defend themselves against purple-shirted union thuggery over community service? Kids, pay attention. This is a teachable moment for all of you on power, politics and Big Labor's culture of corruption.

Last week at a city council meeting in Allentown, Pa., a top official of the local Service Employees International Union chapter ranted about 17-year-old Scout Kevin Anderson's park cleanup work. Anderson devoted some 200 hours to the job in order to earn an Eagle Scout badge. He picked up trash and helped clear a 1,000-foot walking path with fellow members of Boy Scouts Troop 301 of Center Valley.

But SEIU's Nick Balzano gave them hell instead of thanks.

Balzano disparaged altruistic efforts in city parks and asserted that "there is (sic) to be no volunteers" since his union members were laid off. He then issued a witch hunt threat: "We'll also be looking into the Cub Scout or Boy Scout who did the trails. We may file another grievance on that." Citing union rules, he gave the Allentown city council, the Boy Scouts and all potential volunteers an iron-fisted ultimatum: "None of them can pick up a hoe. They can't pick up a shovel. They can't plant a flower. They can't clear a bicycle path. They can't do anything. Our people do that."

An SEIU official called Balzano's comments "completely unauthorized and insensitive"; he has since resigned his post. Or as Billy Joel phrased it, he crawled away.

Lovely. Keep in the mind that Obama, our first community organizer president, appeared in this Ad Council public service announcement stressing the importance of volunteering.