NEA leader: 'Conservative b@$+@%&s picking on us'

Editor's Note: Some of the language in the following story may be offensive.

The retiring general counsel for the National Education Association has complained that conservative "ba----ds" are picking on his powerful union, which boasts more than 3 million members who contributed "hundreds of millions" of dollars annually to its causes.

The comments came from Bob Chanin, who gave a speech at last week's convention on the occasion of his retirement.

The comments have been posted on YouTube: (Some of the language in the video will be objectionable)

According to Linda Harvey of Mission America, "His prepared remarks were peppered with profanity and reflected an arrogant, in-your-face attitude about NEA's well-known political involvement. Just listen to the You Tube. Advance to 16:00 and begin listening there."

Among Chanin's observations: "Why are these conservative and right-wing ba----ds picking on NEA and its affiliates?"

He explains it is because NEA is "the most effective union in the United States" and boasts of its "power."

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Chanin said the organization was attacked under the Bush administration by the IRS and others. That will stop now under President Obama's tenure, he noted.

But, he said, "attacks by conservatives and right-wing troops will continue."

That's because the NEA has fashioned itself into "the nation's leading advocates for public education and the type of liberal social and economic agenda that these groups find unacceptable."

The speech was made at the same event at which the NEA decided to go on the record in support of laws legalizing civil unions and homosexual marriage.

According to a Baptist Press report, the union also seeks to repeal legislation that "discriminates" against same-sex couples, which presumably could target the Defense or Marriage Amendment.

The proposal states: "NEA will support its affiliates seeking to enact state legislation that guarantees to same-sex couples the right to enter into a legally recognized relationship pursuant to which they have the same rights and benefits as similarly-situated heterosexual couples, including, without limitation, rights and benefits with regard to medical decisions, taxes, inheritance, adoption and immigration."