The Union League in Philly...Jesus.

[PCIntern]

https://nbcphiladelphia.app.link/K1w76v5rSwb

I have posted here in the past about this institution which dates back hundreds of years here. It was until very recently a bastion of white, Protestant, racist, Republican, rich men who control enormous portions of the business of the city. They worked hard to keep Jews, blacks, and other “riffraff“ out of city politics, commerce, and places of Importance. Somewhat recently however, they fell on hard times, and absorbed a center city institution , (which was known as the Jewish club) called the Locust Club and were “forced“ to take Jews in. Many members of the Locust club declined to join due to the virulent right wing political nature of the Union League.

They honored Ron DeSantis last night, and they have to my knowledge not promulgated any rationale for doing so other than the usual gibberish that you read on some certificate that the Podunk city council gives to any given individual. The leadership in the city was decidedly less than pleased with this occurrence, and it is just typical of this organization to not give a single shit what anyone else thinks.

To give you an idea of how insane this place is, and was, about 40 years ago, I was invited to an organizational formal dinner which was held there (as a +1), and when the maître d’ or whatever you wanted to call him, took one look at me he took my coat and would not let me proceed to the check room, but ushered me into the dining room and brought me my coat check. Actually, kind of tossed it to me. I was singularly chosen due to my beard, mustache, and general ethnic appearance to be “honored” in this fashion. Fuck them sideways.

[Ferrets are Cool]

1. Sounds like an organization that Augusta National would be proud to be associated with.

[Diamond_Dog]

2. When I was younger

My dad took us to a Pirates game once and after that he took us to the Union League club there for dinner. Trying to impress my mom, I guess.

I remember wandering around looking at things with my ten year old eyes and as I got closer to the door to the bar, my dad scooped me up and said they did not allow women in the bar. Not at all! This really puzzled me and I asked, why not? And he said that’s just the rule. I said something like, “Well, that’s a stupid rule!” And I remember some sourpuss man glaring down at me after I said that.

I see the mindset there hasn’t changed much in all that time. It’s unbelievable to me the hatred of women, Jews, non whites that still pervades the privileged class even in this day and age.

[PCIntern]

3. All men's clubs in Philly excluded women

In certain parts of the club. The Vesper Club did not permit women to check their coats on the first floor. They had to be taken to the basement. Don’t ask…

[Diamond_Dog]

4. The basement!

[PCIntern]

9. Yep

I was a member and it wasn’t easy. And yes…there were reasons I was a member which were quite valid.

[BlueTsunami2018]

5. When I was a kid in the 70's all the local bars had a women's entrance.

Which was at the rear of the establishment where tables were set up. It was considered unladylike to be at the bar. That’s the entrance we used to buy beer underage, the old guys didn’t care who they sold to.

[PennRalphie]

10. Where was the Union Leage?

Long time Pittsburgher here. Never knew there was a Union League here. Where was it?

[PCIntern]

11. In Philly

It’s on South Broad just south of City Hall.

[PennRalphie]

13. Oh ok

Poster said she went to a pirates game. Maybe they meant a Pirates Phillies game in Philadelphia.

[Diamond_Dog]

24. I'm sorry this was a long time ago and my memory isn't what it used to be.

It may have been in Cleveland after an Indians game. I DO remember going to a very similar place in Pittsburgh because my dad told me he saw Bob Prince, the long time Pirates TV announcer, in there at the bar quite often. The Duquesne Club?

[PennRalphie]

28. Probably was the Duquesne Club

No worries. We Pittsburghers often get annoyed when we are confused with Philadelphia. The geography of PA has us closer to Cleveland than Philadelphia.

[jaxexpat]

6. Based on the ideas that cream rises and sludge sinks,

I think this is a "sludge thinks it's cream" situation.

[Pepsidog]

7. My female neurosurgeon neighbow whose sends her teenage kids to the teen Nazi convention is a

member of the Union League and is full blown Trumper. I also gave her a ton of shit when she was first in line to get a PPP loan.

[AllaN01Bear]

8. ireally wonder how many of these cretins got a ppp loan under false

pretenses and spent the monies on themselves .





i aint smart , but i aint stupid either . milton the monster.

[Rabrrrrrr]

14. Probably a hell of a lot. And I'm sure that's why they think all people on welfare are cheating,

because they themselves will cheat the system every time they can. They assume everyone else will/does, too.

[housecat]

22. Projection. Hadn't thought of that one.

[FakeNoose]

12. The Duquesne Club (in Pittsburgh) could be a mirror for Philly's Union League

It's just as old and revered, same type of membership and WASP-y to the core. Same type of business lunches where everyone goes to impress their clients. I don't know if the Duquesne Club has Jewish members, but it was taken to court some time ago (it's been at least 10 years) and required to allow women members. I'm sure they're very choosy about the women they invite, but I'll never know because I refuse to go there. The initiation fee is quite high, as are the regular dues. The whole point is to exclude anyone who isn't in "their" class. If you have to ask "how much?" you can't afford it.

This type of clubby behavior is dying out though. It seems the younger generations have no interest in keeping it going.

[Diamond_Dog]

25. I think that's the place I remembered.

Thanks, FakeNoose.

[bronxiteforever]

15. Interesting that a hater of Americans is honored

by the “Union League”. Deathsantis is more of a pro confederate and pro slavery kinda guy.
Hell he even wants to eradicate Black History. The Confederate flag should fly over the Union League as an outward symbol of its surrender to the South.

[GoneOffShore]

16. I concur with your analysis and conclusion.

My Philadelphia FB feed is seething at the Union League troglydytes.

[peggysue2]

17. Presumably, there was pushback from a number of members

Some even threatened to withdraw membership. Yet the Union's leadership plowed forward with the DeSantis invite and award.

Outrageous on all fronts when you consider the League's origins were in support of Abraham Lincoln and the preservation of the Union itself. However, The Union League has traditionally represented Philadelphia's gentry, the money class, many of whom now feel their 'station' is being threatened by . . . too much Democracy, aka the wrong people getting ahead, made to feel cozy and (gasp) equal.

At the moment, DeSantis is perceived as a reasonable alternative to Trump's crass, crazy authoritarian approach while able to exert necessary control over the undesirable elements, those who have reached too far, aspired too much and created (according to True Believers) the political chaos we're now witnessing.

LOL. The victims of bigotry and hate are always to blame.

In this scenario, the monied class are true visionaries, the rest of us the rabble, the unwashed.

Important to remember too that these are people who believe in the Golden Age myth, the time of yore when all things were right and true, when the 'right, appropriate' people were in charge, when the 'others'--Jews, Catholics, women, people of color, etc.--knew their place and were happy (or at least quiet) about being tossed the crumbs off the table.

The Union League has outlived whatever usefulness it might have had. And no, giving to worthwhile charities doesn't remove the stink.

[rootin tootin]

18. Che

I wore a Che inspired Pre Lives shirt to a private meeting there 20 years back and was asked to cover up or they wouldn't let me in.

I did (temporarily), but being a rebellious youth (now and then) I took the cover off while attending the (private) meeting.

And yes, they came to check on me during the day and kicked me out cold.

We never had another meeting there.

I've since moved from Philly and am not surprised that they haven't changed.

[PCIntern]

21. Omg

I’m surprised they didn’t throw you out a window a la Putin.

[GusBob]

19. Question

If they have, have they honored any other people in the past?

[PCIntern]

20. Oh yes:

Many Presidents (Rethug) including W and many other captains of industry.

[BumRushDaShow]

23. The irony of the Union League and celebrating DeSatan

was that the club's founding was based on being in support of the (northern) Union states during the Civil War. But rather than keep with the original ideology of the Republican party, they chose to descend into the gutter of that which they originally battled against, as the southern Dixiecrats brought their racism and bigotry into the party, and this is mirrored with the honoring the ilk of the Confederacy from Florida.

Thankfully there were protests out there yesterday and over 100 members sent to club a letter of protest as well.

From earlier -

Protest set for Union League event honoring Florida's DeSantis

Alec Larson TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER Jan 23, 2023



(snip)

Back in September 2022, when news first came to light that the Union League was planning on extending its highest honor to DeSantis, a number of the group’s members made public and private pleas for the award to be rescinded. The protesting members pointed out the lack of a vote involving the full membership of the club, the seemingly political timing of the award, and the socio-political history of DeSantis’ regime in Florida.

When initial protests were dismissed by then-president Craig Mills, over 100 members of the club came together to sign a five-page letter to leadership outlining their issues with the award recipient and the potential after-effects that such an award could lead to within the club’s membership. The Union League reportedly responded negatively, actively discouraging protesting members from speaking out publicly regarding the event.

(snip)

https://www.phillytrib.com/news/local_news/protest-set-for-union-league-event-honoring-floridas-desantis/article_c70c0f92-b955-57b9-a626-2605ead90be9.html

And yesterday -

Union League event honoring DeSantis draws protest

Alec Larson TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER 20 hrs ago




A large crowd of community members and activists gathered at the headquarters of the Union League of Philadelphia’s headquarters Tuesday evening to protest the club’s event honoring Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

As club members and guests arrived at the club’s 140 S. Broad St. location, protesters convened at multiple entrances to denounce the event, waving flags carrying the banners of Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ+ rights and chanting “We matter!” As members walked into the club, they were greeted with cries of “Shame!” and “Racist!” from protesters at both sides of the entrance.

The Philadelphia Police Department set up barriers between the protesters and the arriving guests, standing en masse across from the protestors and waving in the club’s guests as helicopters could be heard buzzing overhead.

For aspiring City Council member Terrill Haigler, known across the city as “Ya Fav Trashman,” the Union League’s decision to honor DeSantis is like “a pretty big slap in the face” coming on the heels of the politician’s move to ban Advanced Placement African-American studies in Florida. Haigler said he hopes that the club will see the demonstration and the passion of Philadelphia’s community members and will be moved to reconsider their decision.

(snip)

https://www.phillytrib.com/news/local_news/union-league-event-honoring-desantis-draws-protest/article_f7b34428-9c7b-5bbd-8812-51f3b6f9de16.html

It's like their last hurrah...

[Mr.Bill]

26. Most of the time when organization like this

give out an award, it's purely for the purpose of getting the big name person recieving the award to show up so they can sell tickets to a banquet and make money. That's all it is. And DeSantis will probably be stupid enough to fall for it.

[PCIntern]

27. I understand your viewpoint but

In Philly, this is a very big deal in the business community. The thing to remember about Philadelphia is that there’s untold billions living on the Main Line in the trust of families whose names are utterly meaningless even in Philadelphia. They keep a real low profile 100% of the time. I have lived here, essentially all my life, and if I had not somehow gotten a copy of the Philadelphia Phillies media guide, I never would have known the owners of the team. They were all mainline millionaire/billionaire families. The only incredibly rich individual who was ever publicly known was the relative of the DuPont family of Delaware, Ruly Carpenter. And virtually nobody knew that he was a Dupont.

[Xavier Breath]

29. If I'm not mistaken

the "Heritage Club" in the movie Trading Places is based somewhat on the Union League. Though exaggerated for dramatic and comedic purposes, it sounds like it may have been a fairly accurate portrayal in the film.