I learned something rather disturbing today…my boss attended and graduated from Bob Jones Univeristy some 35 years ago…
this would not be such a big deal if it weren’t for the other things I know and have learned about this man…
(more below the flip)
I have known since I began working for him that he was a Baptist minister, but I never knew the extent of his wing-nuttery.
The Bob Jones thing shocked me to say the least, but I was floored to learn that, in his home town in rural Georgia, he has relatives who are active members of the KKK. I also learned that he was destined for a spot there as well, until he moved north to Pennsylvania.
I probably shouldn’t be shocked by this, this is a man who worships Rick Santorum, a man who prevented a number of his employees from using their lunch hour to protest Bush when he was in PA yesterday.
What really strikes me as odd is that the vast majority of his employees are liberals, and we are quite vocal about it. Politics are actively discussed in our workplace. Many of us have openly anti-Bush comics hanging in our offices.
So, now I am faced with the decision. Do I keep working for him, staying in a job that I have had for almost 10 years?
At this point, I really have no choice, as my wife is just weeks away from delivering a baby and will be out of work for months…
does anyone else here face these types of situations at work?
that extreme. But I have had my share of ditto head bosses. Don’t give up you job. Just keep haning the good stuff in your office or cubicle and hope he reads at least a little of it.
You could be his road to change.
But it wouldn’t hurt to keep your ears open for another opportunity. Your boss wouldn’t happen to have a competitor who was, say, a liberal, would he?
I would definately keep your options open. At this point, you obviously need to think of your partner, but also of the little rugrat to come and your current rugrat. So, don’t do anything rash, but you might start looking around. Here’s why. I used to live in Lancaster, PA. I worked for two places there and both were miserable. I was surrounded by wingnuts and KKK supporters. I escaped and moved to San Francisco. I then found employment with very liberal attorneys for the last 15 years. I cannot tell you the difference it has made. I don’t make as much money as I would if I worked for the big conservative firms, but the quality of my life from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. is so much better. I can be myself at my job, my political and leftist self. What’s more, liberal bosses respect my family and my obligations to the same. If I need to take time off to take my kid to the doctor or stay home when she is sick, no problem. At conservative places, every hour/day is logged and counted against you.
I don’t know what field you are in, or even where you live, but sometimes, money is not everything and being comfortable and happy where you spend so much time is more important. Also, staying at one job is not always the best thing anymore. You may well find that you can do better and get a liberal boss at the same time!
Good luck!
What’s the problem, he’s apparently not harassing you so why consider leaving? Everybody has a past and one is not accountable for the activities of relatives. So if the atmosphere is not oppressive why go now? He’s your boss not your buddy. (I honestly do not know the political leaning of my boss, he wisely lets us employees go at each other without his intervention.)
I agree. Your boss seems to know how to keep his personal and political life separate from his work life and that’s a pretty healthy (and rare)attitude.
HHG don’t leave your job. Your family needs financial stability right now. As long as the boss doesn’t retaliate against you for your political beliefs, stay there. At least their are others with your same political world view. Safety in numbers. Bosses come and go. Try to tolerate/ignore him and his far right beliefs. All the best of luck.
Your boss has the right to be wrong, when it comes to political views. So long as he’s not making it an issue, why should you? Why give up a job you’ve built up seniority and experience in, that I presume you enjoy otherwise, unless there’s a real problem?
I’ve had too many jobs where either co-workers or boss were actually so nasty and made my work environment so miserable that risking unemployment and the variable income from temping looked like an improvement. This doesn’t sound like that kind of situation. In the current economic climate, don’t take chances you don’t need to. Not with a baby on the way. Not unless your boss makes your work environment uncomfortable or worse due to your different political stance — and it sounds like in that case, you’d have a lot of company.
Focus on what’s important. And you know what that is.
were you coming here
http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2005/06/15/shippensburg/news/news02.txt
or headed straight to State College?
uggh. My current home – 10 minutes from the Brooksian red state prototype of Franklin Co.
I have to agree with those who have gone before – keep the job. A steady income isn’t something to give up, and you just might teach him something in the process.
Hmm. I guess my take would be to start casting your eyes over the ‘situations vacant’ column — it’s much easier to leave a job when you’re walking straight into another one.
Just some gratuitous words of caution — be careful to keep your work setting etc., anonymous when blogging too. I’m not sure over there, but here it’s not unheard of for people to lose jobs because they accurately identified their boss as a Dilbert-style ‘pointy-headed idiot’
First, you must do what is best for you and your family – and only you can decide.
The fact that you brought this up for discussion in a diary indicates that you are troubled by it all.
The unpleasant reality for every single right wingnut is that they are responsible for what those they have helped put in power have done. There are no innocents here – and there is no avoiding responsibility.
As an American I am responsible and answerable for the things which have been done in my name, even though I actively and vociferously protested those actions. And I deeply resent those who choose to be ignorant of those crimes, blithely pledging their fealty to the group of fascist incompetents currently in power.
The problem is that those who can speak out without fear of economic retribution aren’t doing so in sufficient numbers. For a variety of reasons (including the current state of the media) the clueless remain happily unaware of their responsibility for what they have enabled.
I’m in the position to speak out and I will continue to do so. It has cost me a great deal economically and socially. But then again, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I can no longer accept the old saw “people are entitled to their own opinions” without adding “and they need to accept full responsibilty for the consequences of those opinions”.
qui tacet consentire videtur
I currently live in one of the most liberal counties in CA AND I work for a formerly Catholic university.
My boss says he is ‘apolitical’ but tends conservative without wingnuttery. Several people that work for me are extremely conservative. There are some very religious and conservative people that work here. I’m a vocal activist outside of the office.
Policy – as long as we do not discuss politics in the office, no one cares. As long as there are no overt statements / posters / flyers or other stuff, no one cares.
I love my job and it’s 3 miles from home, I’m not going anywhere.
As long as no one pushes their politics and it doesn’t impact promotions and work….stay where you are. Be the quiet, voice of reason if any one asks a question. Better to be inside and know what’s happening than on the outside fighting the unknown.
Keep your job and options open. As long as he keeps his political leanings to himself and isn’t trying to sway you or get rid of you for yours.
On a personal noteHoly…it sure is great to see you over here. I have always loved your diaries over at Kos. Happy Daddyhood!!
People have two kinds of beliefs–those they SAY they believe, and those that actually drive their behavior.
If you were to ask your boss “What is the most important teaching of Christianity?” how do you think he would answer?
How ethical are his business practices?
How much religion does he bring into the workplace?
Can you pray for him? You might even pray for him to find Jesus. Jesus has some pretty amazing parables.
Here’s one worth thinking about in your situation:
Jesus was talking with some Righties…
“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
“‘I will not,’ [the first son] answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing.
[This one] answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.
Matthew 21:28-31b
(http://www.godonthe.net/evidence/paramatt.htm )
HHG – happy daddy’s day!
Keep the job, unless he is just one of those micromanaging, exasperating kind of bosses that can drive you slap crazy.
I always heard no major changes the first year of sobriety, so what did I do? Changed jobs, got in a relationship that led to marriage (child) and divorce…I never did take direction all that well…but I stayed sober…soo
I don’t know if you have ever read any Carlos Castaneda (SIC?), but in one of his books he talks a lot about the term “petty tormentor”…petty tormentors are a gift from the gods to help you grow…by tormenting you….
It is important to keep your friends close but it can be very beneficial to keep your enemies closer, who knows from a spiritual perspective how being where you are right now won’t be beneficial to the greater good!