Who's Politically Correct Now?

[prodigal_green]

My brother (whose politics are the same as mine) just e-mailed me this:

"so someone here at work complained that a few of us are too loud about our
politics and it was creating a hostile work environment."

Um, I think hostile work environment is specifically when someone is making degrading comments/jokes about race/gender/religion.

Anybody out there know if it would apply to opinion as well?

BTW: My brother is BELOVED by his employees (got that from an independent source who didn't know that he was my brother when she said it) because he goes to bat for them when higher-ups are trying to screw them out of commissions (he works in sales).

[sui generis]

1. yeah, you're either with them or against them

"conservatives" tend to think they are under attack and feel as if they are in a hostile situation. I have one thing to say to them: DAMN STRAIGHT! MAN THE BATTLE STATIONS!

Seriously though, if a lot of talk is about how stupid and selfish they are (an obvious fact), then anyone who identifies themselves with being a "republican" or a "conservative" is naturally going to take it personally. After all, they are incapable of thinking for themselves or arguing a point on merit of issues without name calling, OF COURSE they're going to think you're personally attacking them.

[VolcanoJen]

2. How many of his coworkers have screensavers of Bush...

... and waving American flags, and what-not?

As usual, it's a one-way street for these people.

[porphyrian]

5. In my last job...

...I changed my wallpaper to that portrait of G.W. made up of pics of the soldiers who had died in Iraq (around 400 at that time, I believe). They had no problem with it when they thought it was just a portrait of Bush, but they didn't like me loudly exclaiming what it was once one of them got around to asking. They couldn't wait to get rid of me after that (I was temping). Fucking self-righteous hypocrites.

[checks-n-balances]

3. Another question could be, "And who exactly is getting hostile?"

I strongly believe that RWers/freepers are great at psychological PROJECTION. The ones who complained are probably feeling a lot of hostility toward "the libruls" (i.e., anyone who dares question this administration), so they assume those OTHER people are the hostile ones. In other words, the RWers are projecting their own hostility onto the outspoken ones, therefore not taking responsibility for their own feelings.

Besides prevarication, RWers are very skilled experts at projection. And speaking of hostility, the RW certainly holds the record for just being "angry" all these years. But let Howard Dean or Al Gore express their justifiable anger at this administration, and they're the "crazy" people, the "haters" (RW: "I've never seen such hatred before...").

Oh, really? Look in the mirror, people.

Just projecting. Again.

[porphyrian]

6. Dead on!

You've nailed it! And they usually project pre-emptively, so that busting them on the same thing seems lame ("oh yeah, well you are, too!").

[VolcanoJen]

7. Spot ON!!

You're exactly right, demo, and that was very, very well-said.

Projection... it reminds me of that FR "protestor" who was complaining that the DC Police towed his truck away because they hate his freedom, when he couldn't even remember his license plate number to provide them any assistance in helping him locate it. :eyes:

Ever notice how when you get into a discussion about the current administration's policies with a Freeper-type, that they back down, or change the subject, at the precise moment you begin to hit them with facts?

Whenever I'm having a "discussion" with one of their kind, I always enjoy slipping in the "Why did Cheney have to hold Dear Leader's hand, behind closed doors, in front of the 9/11 Commission" when they begin to talk about Bush's "awesome leadership." It's usually at that moment that they begin screaming "CLINTON'S COCK!! CLINTON'S COCK!!" at me. :D

[Bandit]

4. Discussing politics at work could most definitely make for a hostile

work environment. Imagine if you were the lone liberal in a workforce of twelve and they all attacked your beliefs on a daily basis and if they knew of your beliefs held you back for promotion for some made up reason. It does work both ways. A conservative could feel the same way if they were badly outnumbered. Work is no place for politics.

[VolcanoJen]

8. Work is also no place to discuss Janet Jackson's boob, but...

... common sense didn't stop that from happening around Doritos Machines and Watercoolers throughout American workplaces. :+

There is nothing wrong with having an intelligent discussion about the nature of current events in the workplace. The problem is more about the polarity that exists today, and the heated division it causes, more than the discussion itself, I think.

[prodigal_green]

9. Not in his department, just sits in a cube nearby

They haven't had any political discussions/arguments with her specifically. He says thinks he knows who it is--new woman who is very conservative, etc. who sits in the vicinity. Of course this begs the question, how does he know that she is conservative unless she has expressed her beliefs publicly as well.

No, I know exactly the kinds of discussions, because we have them in my workplace, the "Oh my god! did you hear what Paul Wolfowitz just said?!" kind of stuff.

Again, I am more interested in the legal parameters for "hostile work environment."

[GiovanniC]

10. That's How it Is

Where I work. My boss is obviously a frequent viewer of Fox News. He is constantly parroting their talking points here at work, and since he seems to be under the impression that I'm his best friend, it's a constant barrage daily. I can't say too much for fear of retribution, but I often ask questions to draw out his stupidity (to play with him) or I make statements that agree sarcastically with his dumb points.

For example:

HIM: Those liberals in Massachussetts are letting gay people get married.

ME: Yeah, I heard.

HIM: These liberal activist judges are screwing up the country.

ME: (sounding genuinely ignorant and curious) How?

HIM: Marriage is a religious institution, and this is against God. God made marriage for man and woman so that they could have children.

ME: Oh... so you mean that if people started doing this everywhere, that pretty soon people who weren't religious and who didn't want children could legally get married?

HIM: (long, empty silence as the hamster running the wheel in his brain has a stroke and flies off the wheel)

He still hasn't figured out what a tree-hugging, bleeding-heart, liberal hippie commie I am. One of these days, though, he's going to see my Kerry bumper sticker and hit the roof.

:evilgrin: :hippie:

[VolcanoJen]

11. Nice tactic, GiovanniC!!

Very cool story... I think I might steal your response to the straw man "Gay Marriage" issue. :D