Announcement from www.kubuntu.de

[Michael T. Richter]

On Mon, 2006-10-04 at 09:57 +0100, Daniel Carrera wrote:

> Michael T. Richter wrote:
> >>Strikes are not extortion or blackmail.
> > 
> > They are extortion.  They are not blackmail.
> 
> Strikes are not extortion. Extortion is illegal.


Not all strikes are legal.  I think it's time for you to do a little
research.  There was, in fact, a time when all strikes were illegal.
Now strikes are illegal unless you're in a legal strike position.
Striking when you're not in such a position is called a wildcat.


> That is not extortion either. Extortion does not mean "pressure". 
> Extortion is (I quote) "Illegal use of one's official position or powers 
> to obtain property, funds, or patronage."


extortion
     n 1: an exorbitant charge
     2: unjust exaction (as by the misuse of authority); e.g. "the
        extortion by dishonest officials of fees for performing
        their sworn duty"
     3: the felonious act of extorting money (as by threats of
        violence)

Note carefully the use of "as by" in the definitions.  Or we could move
from WordNet to Mirriam-Webster:

ex·tort
: to obtain from a person by force, intimidation, or undue or illegal
power :

Note carefully here the word "undue".  It doesn't have to be illegal
power.


> > "Do what we want or we'll hurt your business" is pure extortion.



> So, when a customer says "support Linux or I'll shop somewhere else" 
> that's extortion?


No, it isn't.  It's related, but not the same.  In this case you're
saying "if you want me to take an action positive to you, you will
provide me what I want".  In the case of a strike you're saying "provide
me what I want or I will take action directly injurious to you".  (Worse
is hostage-taking which many public service employees do when striking.
Teachers, for example.  "Give us what we want or we'll directly harm the
future of these children who are in no way involved in our dispute.")

Strikes may or may not be legal when they occur.  They are, however,
extortion.  As are the intimidation tactics used by strikers against
"scabs".

--
Michael T. Richter
Email: ttmrichter at gmail.com, mtr1966 at hotpop.com
MSN: ttmrichter at hotmail.com, mtr1966 at hotmail.com; YIM:
michael_richter_1966; AIM: YanJiahua1966; ICQ: 241960658; Jabber:
mtr1966 at jabber.cn

"Sexual organs were created for reproduction between the male element
and the female element -- and everything that deviates from that is not
acceptable from a Buddhist point of view. Between a man and man, a woman
and another woman, in the mouth, the anus, or even using a hand." --The
Dalai Lama
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