By Brad Locke
December 21, 2004

(AgapePress) - Players unions: Havens for the wretched and wicked, liberators from loyalty, warriors for blind injustice.

I can hear the Major League Baseball Players Association in a hastily called meeting: "Hey, guys, Denny Neagle got caught for solicitation, thereby blatantly violating the morals clause in his contract. The Rockies terminated said contract, so let's file a grievance! Whoa, watch my leg there. My knee jerks every time something like this happens."

Neagle's indiscretion, and the MLBPA's subsequent (and predictable) reaction to his punishment, is further evidence that players unions and their members are -- largely -- as principled as an abortion doctor who pimps on the side (is that what they call a circular business model?). Any punishment for a player's offense is automatically deemed too harsh by the union, as when the NBA's goonies decried Ron Artest's 73-suspension for slugging fans in the stands. Shoot, I thought he got off light. How about 72 years?

Ever since Curt Flood whined his way into the history books (I guess he knew it was his only shot at getting famous) and ushered in free agency, players unions have been practicing the kind of partisanship that would make even Capitol Hill lifers blush. I realize the presence of players unions is a necessary evil, as owners in pre-union days often treated their employees like circus workers. Unions and owners are a lot like Republicans and Democrats, in that both are usually wrong, but for different reasons.

It's gotten so bad in the National Hockey League that it appears the whole operation may collapse under the weight of all those egos. I'm totally indifferent to hockey's fate. Still, I'd like to see both sides lay aside their greed, hold hands around the Christmas tree, and sing "I'm My Own Grandpa." A little humility and humor would help everyone involved.

Seriously, the basic concept of unions is good, but there is ample room for abuse, as we've seen with auto workers and the Hoffas and that whole mess. The NHL shows us what can happen when a union gets out of control by believing it is in complete control, refusing to make worthwhile concessions, refusing to compromise on issues with no moral implications. Privilege becomes expected.

Unions also tend to cultivate mean-spiritedness and an almost cult-like mentality. If a member runs afoul of union policy, or -- gasp! -- crosses the picket line during a strike, he is ostracized until he repents and falls back into lockstep. Is this how Scripture teaches us to act toward someone? If a church member is caught in sin -- and let's pause to emphasize that defying the union is not sinful, but I'm making an analogy here -- do we condemn that person and ban them from all church-related activity and curse them every time we see them?

No, we take disciplinary steps, which certainly could lead to expulsion from the church, but it should be done with a tender, biblically motivated heart. Unions are not so gentle in their rebukes, and regaining membership is nearly impossible (ask Damian Miller about that).

There may be a bit of stereotyping going on here, and my apologies if so. But stereotypes only become more ensconced in my consciousness when the MLBPA turns its head to the steroid epidemic. They're like the kid who won't confess to cheating or lying until he's caught, and even then says things like, "I didn't know it was steroids. I thought it was flaxseed oil." Points for creativity, but low marks for thinking we're all dumber than pine tar.

By denying -- hiding? -- the obvious for so long, the union has lost what little credibility it gained by avoiding a strike in 2002. I don't think the union should be broken up, but it needs an overhaul, beginning with the firing of Don Fehr. Other players unions could stand similar change.

Instead of automatically assuming a player is always in the right, unions should actually think things through and be objective in their decisions. And owners should strive for fairness above profit margins. Both tasks seem impossible under current conditions and with the current parties involved, but it's the only solution. Until then, unions will continue to be moral wastelands.