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Even when people spout out political talk in my office that I don't agree with, I don't comment because it shouldn't have been brought up in the first place. I usually just let it fizzle. It's one of my pet peeves, too. I think it's always best to say, "Well, everyone has an opinion when it comes to politics, and it's best we keep it to ourselves so that we can respect everyone's right to their perspective."
Then again, I'm also not super passionate about politics in general, except for hot-button issues that affect me directly, so I don't usually have emotional reactions to conversations.
I'm sorry, though. I can't believe a coworker would bring stuff like that up.
Miss Chapstick, you are so good to just let it go. I feel that I should have too, I have a hard time not engaging in political conversation. I think your comment about personal opinions is excellent. I think I will do that the next time it comes up. It seems like a more mature way to handle such a situation :)
Yeah, that's annoying. I try to be pretty non-political about figureheads though sometimes I'll talk policy with people on both sides of the spectrum, it usually provides some commonalities and also shows where you have no idea what you're talking about and need to learn more. I absolutely detest generic sentences that sound like they are pulled off a headline, I always ask why do you say that? and then it gets interesting, not for the worse though usually, but when you ask details, it's interesting to see what people actually believe.
It happened a lot more at my office, but i think that the offenders got chewed out for it by management. it's not appropriate. And from my perspective, it's just a pointless road to go down. Someone that gets all their information from Fox News and Glenn Beck really isn't going to be able to reason with you. I'm sorry, but I have never met a Glenn Beck viewer that could argue their way out of a paper bag. It's all emotion based. Give me a balanced arguement and i'm a happy girl - I like considering other points of view, b/c it helps me strengthen my own beliefs or give me more perspective. But if those folks are too busy yelling Baby Killer to really discuss, then what's the point? I think it's terrible though that people that were around students would go down that road. it's unprofessional, and ignorant, and in my opinion, dangerous! Schools should foster discussion and reason and critical thinking.
I just stay quiet...usually one of the guys will say something about "hey EJS, aren't you kinda liberal?" and I'll just say something like, "eh, i'm all over the place. Don't ask unless you want a crapstorm to come your way". I try to stay vague so nobody REALLY knows how I feel.
But Miss Chapstick's comment is really the ideal way to handle it. If they're going to have that discussion between the two of them, they should have it over lunch in the teachers' room or something, OUT of earshot of children.
Miss Chapstick, I'm so with you. I take the commuter train into work every day, and there are people on the train who I work with. They are all extremely conservative, and they're constantly bashing Obama. I keep my mouth shut for the most part. There was a time where one of the women said, "Sorry to bore you with this...you never seem to want to participate when we talk politics." I simply said, "I just happen to disagree with you, but I value our friendship enough to not get into an argument about it." They don't usually talk about politics anymore :o)
Miss Chapstick, I have been wondering how to handle this same thing in my office and your idea is perfect! I am very liberal as is most of my office, so typically people say things that I do agree with. However even that makes me uncomfortable because I just don't think it belongs in the office. I am going to take your advice next time and "let it fizzle."
I work in a very small office (only 4 of us) and occassionally politics gets brought up. I know for a fact that we didn't all vote for the same person in the last election, so obviously there's some political diversity going on in the office. I guess I'm super lucky because even though we don't share the same political beliefs, we can all chat about it civily. I think we can bring up politics because we all know where to draw the line and stop talking about certain heated issues. It also gives the opportunity for some very interesting conversations and another way to look at things.
On a side note...I've heard it several times lately on the boards lately that people who read/watch/listen to foxnews "parrot" what they have heard. I'm not trying to be snarky at all, but that comes across as being a bit snarky to the conservative brides out there. I watch fox news...I like fox news...and sometimes (along with sometimes not) agree with what fox news says. And by no means do I consider myself a parrot. Just because I have an opinion that tends to be a bit more conservative, it doesn't mean that I just sit there like a zombie and soak in all the fox news goodness without deciding for myself if I believe it or not...it's just a thought.
Ugh. I hate when people do that. This isn't political, but still along the same lines of annoyance. I was out for fish & chips with my FILs last weekend and they were talking about how one of their friends had just came out. I mentioned that one of the boys FI grew up with just came out as well. FMIL's reply?? "OH NO!!!!!!" I was shocked! I hate when people are like "I'm not anti-gay, whatever..." But then they say stuff like that. All I said was "I was happy for him. I view it as a good thing." She shut up and didn't say another word but know she was thinking crap in her head. It is always just annoying when something like that or political happens.
I don't work in an office with a bunch of people so its not an issue for me (just me and my boss, and he's a dem). We did have one incident with my brother's FI's family though. My family was helping my brother/his fi move into their new house and her family was there too. Her mom (described by her daughter as a Crazy Racist B*tch or "CRB"... and after we met her a few times we found this title is accurate) is a cop in our town and a VERY outspoken conservative.
Well, we were all taking a break and me, FI, mom and dad, bro and bro's FI were all sitting in one room eating while CRB, her two other daughters, and her husband were in another room getting their food together. Then CRB starts ranting. LOUDLY. On and on about how terrible Obama is and how he's not HER president. How no one she knows voted for him and he wouldn't have even got elected if it weren't for all those "west-siders" (west side of cbus is more heavily black area) and how she knows three people who work in the secret service and she's talked to them and NONE of them would take a bullet for THAT MAN etc etc on and on and on.... so we're all exchanging looks and getting uncomfortable (i should also mention its about 12 noon and she's about 4 drinks in).... so my mother (who is one of the least confrontational people i know) finally got up and walked into the kitchen and says to her "You're entitled to her opinion but I want you to know that I voted for Obama, I like him, I think he's doing a good job, and for the sake of peace I think it would be best if you kept your opinions to yourself." CRB got pissed and stormed off at which point her husband tried to apologize for her and say she just gets carried away or something... to which my mom responds "I just can't stand to listen to ignorant people." and walks away. hahahaha. I have maybe never been prouder of her. FI actually started clapping from the dining room. Sometimes you have to stand up for yourself, as you did.
I live in a super conservative area, so basically all I ever hear is political bashing of Obama and basically everything liberal. It's literally like I live around 30,000 Glenn Becks, but more racist. I hate it here (in my city) and usually just keep my mouth shut because they will all gang up on you and start name-calling. It's lovely. When Obama got elected, my 11 year old brother got his ass beat by a group of kids because he told someone that my parents voted for him.
My parents are planning on moving away in the near future because it can really get out of hand here.
Luckily, my work place isn't too bad. There is one girl that has very similar feelings to mine and we just stick together. I have asked everyone to stop forwarding me political (and/or racist) jokes, though, because I think it is 100% inappropriate. I don't know why everyone thinks just because I live here means I think the way they do. Ugh..sorry it's just so frustrating!
I never discuss politics at work. Part of my office is really conservative, part of it is really liberal, and I have to work with both.
@ JsDragonfly: I think you are right to point out that not everyone is one certain way, and it is unfair to make too broad of statements. From a more liberal perspective (mine) though, there is no liberal version of Fox, the kind of entertainment + opinion + news approach. There is no liberal talk radio system. There are very few famous liberal talking heads, and I can honestly tell you I have never watched an episode of Olbermann or Maddow in my life. So it may be really unfair, but from the outside it looks like a giant echo chamber, and then when the same ideas seem to be on everyone's tongue all of a sudden, it seems like parroting.
Not that I think you should watch MSNBC of CNN. Cable news, IMO, is just terrible, shallow news.
I am an extreme right wing conservative and I also HATE it when people (I guess, especially left wings) express their views in the workplace, without being willing to hear the other side.
I took one of my brokers (client) to lunch last week and she was ripping into conservatives, saying they were 'hiding' positive facts about socialized Healthcare. Now, first of all, I would never talk about this in the workplace. Second, she wasn't discussing it - she was bashing conservatives. I actually tried to chime in and make some points from teh other side and she wouldn' thear it. Meanwhile, I am sitting there trying to listen to her point of view (which I agreed with somewhat) but holding my tongue since she obviously didn't know I'm so conservative and it would have been awkward.
It's just better if people don't talk about it at all or at least be open to a real discussion, not just soapboxing their point of view.
@moderndaisy - i agree about having a real discussion w/ no soapbox! From either side. I would love to hear a really well reasoned conservative argument against health care that doesn't bring in stuff that's not really in the bill (abortion arguments, lets say) or the emotional stuff, to learn more about the overall issues. I feel like republican arguments are going that way because they really engage a giant chunk of Americans and bring in dollars and votes before elections. But that's not doing anybody any good, in the end.
I tend to go all left wing, voting wise, b/c my stance is that everybody should be able to make their own choices (i'm pro choice, not pro-abortion, ya know?). That seems like something conservatives are on board with. It's when you bring in religious stuff (etc) that really throws a wrench in the works.
Definately agree wtih everyone about having a real discussion.
I don't have a TV so I hear parroting from both sides. It's fine if you have the same opinion, that's going to happen, but when I hear the exact same phrase from multiple people and not much else, I know someone on some pundit show said it. And I hear it on both sides, I may tend to agree with one side more, but still even if I agree with the phrase it sounds ridiculous to hear ten people say the same thing with nothing extra added.
I'm a bit obsessive sometimes about looking up actual bills and multiple news stories and really getting as many views as possible from the internet so it annoys me to a big extent when I just hear mimicry. I know not everyone is going to be as obsessive but if they're going to bring up politics and say it with assertiveness I would hope there's some personal thought to what they're saying and openness to hear what others have to say.
Oh, I know just what you are talking about. I used to work for a company (one of the financial companies that was bailed out) and I had to sit and listen to Obama bashing all day long. Now, mind you, these are the same people that shouldn't even have a job (and really should be in jail) because of the selfish acts they (the VPs I assisted) imposed on the average American. (This department was especially evil, they sold insurance for loans with terribly high interest rates and unemployment insurance they weren't paying out because of the high unemployment rate). They would bitch and moan about his spending of tax money to bail these companies out!! Do they not see the irony or hypocrisy of what they are saying?!!?
Is it bad that I get my news from John Stewart and Steven Colbert first? LOL...then i go look things up online that interest me. The regular news is soooooo boring, lol. At least those guys are funny =]
@ejs - haha!! It's OK. I get most of my news from them too. But, I listen to NPR in the car, too.
@ejs - haha! We watch the Daily Show too :-P But by the time we see it, we've already heard about the stories from other news networks, NPR, the web, the papers. Sometimes I have to take a break from it all, but I worry that if I'm not keeping myself informed, the crazies will take over.
I totally agree! From both sides. I'm sick of feeling bashed by liberals, and I'm sure there are liberals who feel the same way. And I'm not even really conservative. I describe myself as moderate...but anything left of a right person and anything right of a left person just won't do for either party. I guess I feel more bashed by liberals just because in college they are everywhere and I just want to clarify that I am by no means saying that all liberals are crazy or mean or whatever. Can't we all agree that we want what's best for our country? I'm so over the parties claiming that "the Democrats this" and "the Republicans that" and fill in the blank of why they are bad people or stupid people or whatever!
I think if we stuck to arguments rather than calling out people's character we'd have much more productive discussions. And the other thing- people should be allowed to change their minds without feeling embarassed or like they were wrong and the other person right. It's not always wrong or right, it's sometimes just okay and better, and even when it is wrong and right, if people didn't have to feel so defensive about their political views, feel so attacked, maybe they wouldn't act so defensive and maybe we could come to more agreement...
[And about the Fox news thing too...I watch Fox News (along with other stations) and sometimes I agree with Glenn Beck, sometimes I think he's making an idiot out of himself. But I don't think you can discount emotions from politics anyways- many political issues stem from people's emotions about things- gay marriage, abortion, the military.. It can't be everything, but it is something important.]
I can totally relate, although my situation is a little different: I'm an aid at a nursing home, and our residents are hugely skewed towards the Fox News crowd. They are also of a generation where it was okay, and accepted, to be racist and homophobic. So they go around calling Obama terrible names and talking about how they hope he's assassinated already. now, I stick up for what I believe in, and urge them to be respectful. But there is no arguing with old people. They're set in their ways, so all day I have to listen about how everything in our world is going wrong because of black people, Mexicans, health care, gays, liberals, and non-Christians. Blah!
I think the problem with discussing the emotional response is there's going to be the emotional opposite response. Like I feel tense when I hear Glenn Beck's name, even if once in awhile he says something I agree with, the vitriol he spews on a regular basis makes me not be able to take him as reasonable or trust anything that follows Glenn Beck says . . . . .
The most recent was when he said leave churches that preach the social gospel - yeah my husband is Catholic and I go to a church where this social gospel is big - and I understand the context he was saying it in and still finding it to be utterly reprehensible to attempt to break apart churches like that.
That's why I have a problem discussing mimicry from punditry because their job is to be offensive and to get crap stirred. (I don't include Jon Stewart and Colbert in this, they're on a comedy channel, not a news channel)
@JsDragonfly, yeah, that was snarky of me and I truly do appologize. I'm sorry that I made the "parroting" comment. Not cool of me.
Fox news is an opinion based news company (as is MSNBC, to be fair) and I feel frustrated that public opinion is becoming a replacement for straight, evidence based, scientifically sound Fact in our news sources. There is a great deal of fear mongering from all sides of the political specrtum and I do not feel that it is benefiting our society in any way. I tend to get my news from NPR, as I have found it to be the most reliable news source for straight information, thought I do love the Daily Show...I see that as political entertainment :)
I love love LOVE political debate, but it is getting increasingly difficult to debate facts when our news sources are giving us public polls and commentary! I guess it is all to fill the 24 hour news cycle... Of course, it is easy to bring emotion into politics, its something some of us care deeply about! This is a really great discussion, I appreciate all of your input!
I've never worked/lived somewhere where there was an openly super-conservative person, just liberals and moderates. I do agree that politics shouldn't be brought up in the workplace though, but inevitable does especially during the "gray area" times, like going out for lunch or happy hours with the work crowd. I had a co-worker who was moderate, and we were discussing how unfathomable it was that Bush got re-elected (this was in 2004 in SF) and I could tell that she was uncomfortable... it's hard though when you become friends with people you work with!
I find it hard to take FOX news seriously. In my opinion they should be classified as entertainment, not journalism; their "reports" have been shown time and time again to be based on illogical conclusions and false assumptions; the fact that I disagree with them politically just makes it worse. I actually don't think that a true journalist should have a political affiliation; I get most of my news from NPR, which I have found is fairly unbiased (they have been accused of both liberal and conservative bias, so I feel like it balances out!)
I don’t talk politics hardly at all, except maybe family and my fiancé, and even then I don’t go into diatribes or rant and rave. If I do rant and rave, it’s usually about extremists, whatever side they’re on. They give everyone a bad name. I personally think the two-party system is flawed anyway but you gotta pick the lesser of the two evils, right? As far as I’m concerned, politics, sexual orientation, and religion are the three major things that should never be topics at work. It’s just dumb to bring it up, you’re bound to offend/annoy someone eventually.
Interestingly enough, I work in HR so you better believe that I’ve heard my share of opinions about the HCR bill. Sometimes it is tear-my-hair-out frustrating to hear people just mimic whatever soundbites they hear. The bill itself is controversial enough so it merits real discussion instead of knee-jerk sensationalism.
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I am a super raving leftist liberal and I am ok with that. I recognize that not all people share my political ideals, thats fine. Our diverse political opinions are part of who we are as a species and I appreciate that. HOWEVER, I DESPISE people who bring up politics in the workplace without being willing to hear another perspective. I work on the MA South Shore and there is a fairly large number of conservatives in this area considering the voting record of Massachusetts. A former employee visiting the school started talking about President Obama with another teacher. They both agreed that "That guy" had "really messed up" and that "he won't be getting in again". Thats fine, except that they were talking in front of the students and were just making broad generalizations that had no fact-based evidence (they watch Fox News, so I know they were just parroting what they have heard). I chimed in that I was happy with some of the bills Obama has passed lately and how they has really impacted my life for the positive (which is very true). They shut down and changed the topic.
OK...yeah, it was not my conversation...but if you are discussing politics and bad mouthing our president in front of 7 children with intellectual disabilities, you better be ready to hear another perspective. Its really not an appropriate conversation for our workplace unless you can make it a balenced one.
Sorry, I just needed to get that off me as it was a very frustrating expereince for me. Anyone else ever experience this? How do you deal?