Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Something To Yell About: Campaign Debates Making Workplaces Dangerous
Boston Herald ^ | September 25, 2008 | Michael Graham

Posted on 09/25/2008 4:02:21 AM PDT by suspects

I was talking politics with an attorney recently who, pondering the possible outcomes of the Obama-McCain election, sighed “I can’t wait ’til this is over.”

“Are you kidding?” I replied. “I haven’t had this much fun doing talk radio since Bill met Monica under a White House desk!”

“Yeah, well, your job is different,” he answered.

And he’s right.

Partisan politics is a talk show host’s bread and butter. But for my attorney friend, workplace debates about the presidential race had become so common - and so heated - that a recent conference meeting he attended began with a warning that all political discussion was banned.

At least nobody got hurt. Sean Falkner of Mansfield took his mother-in-law to the local grocery store and “a near-brawl broke out” between her and the teenager behind the checkout counter.

“She had a tabloid with Gov. Palin’s picture on it and the 16-year-old kid ringing us up has the nerve to pipe up and say that Palin was a jerk,” Falkner said. “For my mother-in-law, it was World War II all over again! Both sides threw down slinging the most outrageous stuff about the other candidates.”

For the first time, the University of Illinois is considering enforcing a long-neglected rule against its employees brandishing partisan buttons or bumper stickers on campus. More and more private businesses are issuing “No political talk” rules to employees.

As a general trend this is nothing new, according to employment law professor Paul Secunda of Marquette University Law School. “It happens every four years. Employers have to balance political speech and ‘productivity issues,’ if you will.”

And a recent survey by the staffing firm Office Team found that 67 percent of American workers think political talk on the job is acceptable “as long as...

(Excerpt) Read more at bostonherald.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: 2008; debate; mccain; mccainpalin; obama; work; workplace
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

1 posted on 09/25/2008 4:02:21 AM PDT by suspects
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: suspects
It's all the Rock'em sock'em republicans fault.......NOT.

When you teach people to be disrespectful to those who don't share your ideals .....it bleeds down from there.

2 posted on 09/25/2008 4:06:09 AM PDT by thingumbob (McGenius-Palin beats O'bomber-Hide'n (Remember, dead terrorists don't make more terrorists!))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: thingumbob

My husband owns a small service company.

He told the guys to just “smile” when the customer starts talking politics, unless its clear they agree with you.


3 posted on 09/25/2008 4:08:30 AM PDT by Mrs.Z ("...you're a Democrat. You're expected to complain and offer no solutions." Denny Crane)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: suspects

I work alone and get into political arguments with myself all the time. This madness has to stop.


4 posted on 09/25/2008 4:09:53 AM PDT by Rebelbase
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rebelbase

Sometimes, talking to yourself is the only way to get any intellegent conversation.


5 posted on 09/25/2008 4:13:24 AM PDT by tbpiper (Obama/Biden: Instead of Ebony and Ivory, we have Arrogance and Insolence.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: suspects
“She had a tabloid with Gov. Palin’s picture on it and the 16-year-old kid ringing us up has the nerve to pipe up and say that Palin was a jerk,” Falkner said. “For my mother-in-law, it was World War II all over again! Both sides threw down slinging the most outrageous stuff about the other candidates.”

That 16-year-old kid needs to be fired. You DO NOT argue, especially heatedly, with a customer. You just don't. And it wouldn't matter if politically their views were the opposite; if the kid supported Palin and the older customer hated her. I would have let the kid go in a minute.

6 posted on 09/25/2008 4:16:28 AM PDT by Alas Babylon!
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rebelbase

When it gets to fisticuffs, let us know. We’ll send someone.


7 posted on 09/25/2008 4:16:28 AM PDT by MARTIAL MONK (I'm waiting for the POP! It's gonna be a BIG one.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: suspects
I've got this down to a science. I can talk politics without talking politics. I had someone tell me how much they despised Palin. And I said yeah, it's pretty despicable her making a decision to have her down's-syndrome child isn't it?

You could hear a pin drop! Liberals are such clowns!

8 posted on 09/25/2008 4:16:35 AM PDT by sirchtruth (Vote Conservative Repuplican!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: thingumbob

I am surrounded by Obamaites at work. They are so incredibly stupid about even the most basic economic/government principles and are still whining about the “no weapons of mass destruction” thing. I’ve been biting my tongue so far because our cubes are just too close and they would probably put poo in my headset if they found out I was a Republican! I pray that I can spit it in their faces on Nov 5! I’m preparing a diatribe so vicious they won’t know what hit them.


9 posted on 09/25/2008 4:20:48 AM PDT by sandpit
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: suspects
Two points:

1. The woman should have complained to the manager and tried to get the little brat fired.

2. This is the fault of the left. The incivility of their political attacks is an overflow from 60’s radicalism and part of the Saul Alinsky school of “get in their faces” as Obama put it.

Me, personally, I'm sick of the vile dialog. It's a wasted effort to combat their vicious lies. I'd rather take it outside at this point. The only thing that is going to teach them some manners is if they begin to fear the consequences of their antagonistic attacks.

And don't forget, folks. In the work place, people can spew all their leftist crap as much as they want. If you argue back with conservative points, you'll probably be called down to HR. The best thing to do at work is to constantly say, in perhaps a heated tone, “I don't think we should be discussing politics in the work place.” If you just keep repeating that every time someone makes a leftist statement, it does in fact make them so awkward they drop it after a while. And you've said what HR can only approve.

10 posted on 09/25/2008 4:23:06 AM PDT by Ghost of Philip Marlowe (If Hillary is elected, her legacy will be telling the American people: Better put some ice on that.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ghost of Philip Marlowe

I don’t let them get in my face. They start up, and I become very verbally agressive. I simply won’t take any flack from any leftists any more. They’re all unhinged and are creating a hostile work environment. Fortunately, my instinct is to fight fire with fire and I do.


11 posted on 09/25/2008 4:26:20 AM PDT by meyer (Go, Sarah, Go!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: sandpit
I too am surrounded by Obamalites, but when they state their opinion, I state mine too. As for the no weapons of mass destruction, I kindly remind them of the mustard and Sarine (not sure of spelling)gas that was found. It does get heated at times.
12 posted on 09/25/2008 4:28:03 AM PDT by navygal (retired navy and proud of it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: meyer

I understand your perspective, and I fight back to if I’m not in the workplace. And I do get aggressive. I can’t afford to lose my job though, so at work, I just keep repeating my mantra, staring through their eyes.


13 posted on 09/25/2008 4:38:53 AM PDT by Ghost of Philip Marlowe (If Hillary is elected, her legacy will be telling the American people: Better put some ice on that.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: suspects

Meanwhile Dumbo just told his supporters to get in people’s faces.


14 posted on 09/25/2008 4:45:17 AM PDT by enough_idiocy (http://politicallydrunk.blogspot.com/2008/05/in-their-own-words-carter-reagan-and.html)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sandpit

I worked with the same garbage, and for spite they would put on CNN all the time....(or rap on vh1), dogging Bush and praising 0moron. I’m so glad I’m not there anymore, don’t have to listen to that trash.


15 posted on 09/25/2008 4:45:24 AM PDT by geege
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: suspects

The secretaries in my husband’s office corridor came to him over a year ago for help about this issue because he’s the only conservative “boss”. Some of the doctors are “Alinsky” in their style of conversation and go into political rants unprovoked. He told the staff there should be no political discussions because people were feeling harassed. The secretaries came to him for help again late last week because things are getting nasty. If they cross the line, after they have been warned, he says he’s going to file a complaint with Human Resources.


16 posted on 09/25/2008 4:52:27 AM PDT by stayathomemom ( nowanemptynester)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: suspects
google “vandals Obama McCain signs”

good grief, people have gone crazy - on both sides.

17 posted on 09/25/2008 4:53:30 AM PDT by TornadoAlley3 (Lipstick wearing Okie Moosehead!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: meyer

“I don’t let them get in my face. They start up, and I become very verbally agressive. I simply won’t take any flack from any leftists any more.”

I’m the same way. Fight the good fight!


18 posted on 09/25/2008 4:54:46 AM PDT by Canedawg (Show me an old liberal and I'll show you a man without a brain. -Winston Churchill)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: sandpit
"I pray that I can spit it in their faces on Nov 5! I’m preparing a diatribe so vicious they won’t know what hit them." how would you like me to word your obit on Nov 5th?
19 posted on 09/25/2008 4:56:02 AM PDT by LurkingSince'98 (Catholics=John 6:53-58 Everyone else=John 6:60-66)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Mrs.Z
.....Yes, smile and separate them from as much of their money as possible.......

It's what makes it bearable......tee hee hee hee!

20 posted on 09/25/2008 5:03:33 AM PDT by thingumbob (McGenius-Palin beats O'bomber-Hide'n (Remember, dead terrorists don't make more terrorists!))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson