Interview with Kenneth Gladney, Man Assaulted by Union Thugs at Town Hall

By Bob Ellis on August 7th, 2009

David Brown and Ken Gladney

David Brown and Ken Gladney

By now you have probably heard about the incident last night in Gadsden, the suburb of St. Louis where a man handing out flags at a health care town hall meeting was assaulted by union thugs from Service Employees International Union SEIU.

Yesterday, union bosses called out the dogs to defend socialism against the freedom-loving Americans who have been speaking out against the government health care plan at town hall meetings. It didn’t take long for a pack of them to show up in St. Louis last night and start causing trouble.

Neil Cavuto interviewed Kenneth Gladney this afternoon about the incident.

Gladney said he was giving out the “Don’t Tread on Me” flags when someone walked up to him and asked, “Who in the (expletive) is selling this (expletive) here?”

Gladney said he asked him if he wanted one of his flags, and the man (who was also black) asked Gladney, “What kind of n_____ are you to be giving out this kind of stuff?”

Gladney said he snatched a board of political buttons from him, Gladney grabbed it back from him and according to Gladney that is when the union thug hit him in the face. Then another union thug came up and started hitting Gladney in the face. At this point, Gladney fell down and then someone else started hitting him in the face and kicking him while he was on the ground.

David Brown, Gladney’s lawyer, released this statement earlier today:

Kenneth was attacked on the evening of August 6, 2009 at Rep. Russ Carnahan’s town hall meeting in South St. Louis County. I was at the town hall meeting as well and witnessed the events leading up to the attack of Kenneth. Kenneth was approached by an SEIU representative as Kenneth was handing out “Don’t Tread on Me” flags to other conservatives. The SEIU representative demanded to know why a black man was handing out these flags. The SEIU member used a racial slur against Kenneth, then punched him in the face. Kenneth fell to the ground. Another SEIU member yelled racial epithets at Kenneth as he kicked him in the head and back. Kenneth was also brutally attacked by one other male SEIU member and an unidentified woman. The three men were clearly SEIU members, as they were wearing T-shirts with the SEIU logo.

Kenneth was beaten badly. One assailant fled on foot; three others were arrested. Kenneth was admitted to St. John’s Mercy Medical Center emergency room, where he was treated for his numerous injuries. Kenneth was merely expressing his freedom of speech by handing out the flags. In fact, he merely asked people as they exited the town hall meeting whether they would like a flag. He in no way provoked any argument or altercation, as evidenced by the fact that three assailants were arrested.

These union goons had better hope they have plenty of cannon fodder, because this kind of Chicago-style intimidation isn’t going to stop Americans from speaking out against the planned socialist takeover of the health care industry.

Our freedoms as Americans are far too precious to surrender to elitist socialists in Washington, or to brutish thugs who think they are entitled to kick around other Americans.

And we won’t.

Note: Reader comments are reviewed before publishing, and only salient comments that add to the topic will be published. Profanity is absolutely not allowed and will be summarily deleted. Spam, copied statements and other material not comprised of the reader’s own opinion will also be deleted.

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Categories: Commentary
Tags: , , , , ,

  • Look for the union label... then BOYCOTT IT!!!

    Show up at town hall meetings wearing helmets, hard hats, and Kevlar vests as a protest.
  • ConservativeSteve
    Hey - Let's get out the Hate Crime Legislation. A Black man was called n_______ and beat up. This fits the Hate Crime profile does it not? If the Union SENT their members there to attack people should they also be named in the FEDERAL criminal complaint? If they are doing this around the country shouldn't this be considered racketeering and part of a criminal conspiracy? Let's put an end to the SEIU.

    Kenneth - sorry about what happened to you. It ain't right.
  • californiadreamin2
    There are no good actors in this case. Kenneth Gladney, by his own admission, was just trying to make a buck by selling, among other things, "Don't Tread On Me" flags. That is incendiary merchandise because those flags were originally used in the revolutionary war, which was a fight against tyranny. Trying to have a town meeting to discuss health care reform is not tyranny, nor is it socialism, it is democracy.

    Obviously the union guys were wrong to beat Mr. Gladney up, but it's absurd to demonize unions. Union members are just working class people trying to better their own and other workers' lot. If you want to demonize someone, just follow the money. America's health insurance companies are reaping scandalous profits from our disfunctional health care system. It is in their interest to maintain the status quo, and they are investing millions of dollars in doing just that.
  • What's wrong with "making a buck"? Are you such a Marxist that you think earning a living is evil? Don't those union workers "make a buck"? Are they evil for wanting to earn a living?

    Also, based on what I've heard from Gladney, he, too, wants to fight socialized health care, which IS tyranny. It is unconstitutional. It takes control of private businesses which is government theft and tyranny. It involves the government telling free Americans how to live their lives, how to spend their money (as it takes their money to pay for this abomination), dictates what doctors they can see and what health care procedures they can have. This tyranny makes King George look like a pussycat.

    Finally, there are many good people who belong to unions. But unions usually work by force--whether it's enlisting Big Brother government to force employers to deal with them (quashing the freedom of the people who own the business), or the thuggery often seen by union leaders and goons against workers who get uppity.

    If you despise capitalism, profit and the American way so badly, you really should move to one of the socialist cesspools elsewhere in the world. We Americans were born free, endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, and we'd like to keep them all.
  • peoriaindian
    If this was a Black Man being attacked by a conservative it would be on for 24 hrs a dy! I for one am sick and tired of the Political Correctness that is uded to control the U.S.Citizens. The libs better understand that the PEOPLE have had enough! We are all Americans and maybe this Health Care Bill is what it took to finally show the lib/socialists that we are not the ones that discriminate it is them, to beat over our heads with to keep us seperate and manipulated!
  • shaky jake
    The Service Employees International Union has a long history of thuggery and violence. It is only natural that they would be chosen to be the Obama Brown Shirts. This behavior is why America should ban union membership for public employees!
  • southern belle
    Has anyone set up a LEGAL fund to help Mr. Gladney SUE the pants off seiu,acorn,the congressman, AND,the Obama administration.Have these black THUGS been charged with assault and battery,attempted murder,etc.etc.If not, WHY NOT????????????
  • gman5284
    Sounds like a hate crime to me.
  • Waitingforchange
    I hope these thugs are prosecuted. If Americans knew who they were, I know many who would hunt the cowards down (they run in packs like dogs - attack someone alone; one on four yeah, big men; big people) like the sorry dogs they are and give them what they have coming to them. These thugs will not stop Americans from exercising their right to assemble or their right to free speech under the First Amendment. Just because Obama is in bed with the SEIU doesn't mean they can commit crime upon the American people and expect not to get punished. Americans will fight back. It might not be at the scene but you better watch your backs. And, we are boycotting EVERY UNION NOW.
  • Neil
    time to end the mob mentality and behave like upstanding citizens.
  • ramindenver
    Didn't this same type of intimidation occur with the black panthers at a voter location. . . ? I see a pattern. This is a sick and twisted way to handle politics, and if the Dems and SEIU are going to pull this crap, they had better be ready for a fight they never thought would happen. People are fighting back. This crap will only intensify the matters.
  • stanistheman
    Again the socialist Washington "Brown Shirts" are bringing Chicago style gangster tactics (shades of Nazi Germany and techniques used under Hitler's rule) to our country. This is not only "grim but Grimm" and the elitist socialist union goons are being let loose on Americans who are voicing their freedom of speech, especially related to the massive spending bills (stimulus, Tax and Cap, ObamaCare) and the accompanying $$$$ Trillion plus of tax payer dollars stuck on the backs of future generations ... unbelievable!! We do not need fast tracking of "unread" bills being past and the cavalier attitude of our congress and current Administration backing Chicago Style intimidation. We need to have them hear our voice loud and clear. No more Nazi tactics and arrogant politicians. Count me in as one of the "angry mob" that the 'drive by media' promotes and tags hard working middle class taxpayers, seniors and others as disruptive mobs. The audacity of this and then the attack of black SEIU union goons beating up a flag/pin selling vendor ( who happened to be a black adult citizen - Kenneth Gladney) who was promoting his wares and passively attending an open meeting to discuss ObamaCare. This type of activity (beating up innocent people) is being condoned by the Attorney General and the Obama White House (directing us to "shut up"). This is totally unacceptable. There will be more blood in the street as long as the SEIU goons and other far left hoodlums, thugs and ruffians are let to run with impunity breaking bones and laws. We need to defend democracy and freedom of speech & assembly and expression in the streets, in the meeting places and in the media including the internet. We will raise our voices and defend our rights before they are taken away from us by the socialist gang.
  • Crispus Attucks
    Unions may not be aware of just how serious this is to us - their customers. This is not the usual political fun and games. Conservatives are serious. We are viewing their actions as treason.

    If the unions do not halt their support of this expansion of federal authority, their products will be shunned by conservative american consumers. Cars mae by the union owned GM and Chrysler will be treated as Japanese cars were by our fathers. We would rather walk than drive one.

    They are very close to losing us forever as customers. Millions of us - for generations. maybe they can get their pal Obama to legislate that we have to buy their cars and products.
  • Waitingforchange
    We are boycotting all union products. Buy only Toyota, Honda, BMW autos. They do not use union labor. They are all made in the USA and do use USA labor. They are working and keeping Americans working, however. And those workers are not out beating up other Americans.
  • Marcia Baracaldo
    I can't believe that the SEIU ATTACKED good American verbally and physically.

    I am praying for Mr. Kenneth Gladney that JUST WILL BE SERVED IN HIS CASE.

    WE CANNOT TOLERATE RACISM AND VIOLENCE OF ANY KIND TO THOSE WHO ARE EXERCISING THEIR FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
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