Losing your freedom of speech at work?

well i cant even criticize illegal's at work, and i cant talk about blacks, asians or mexicans, all my coworkers say im a racist because i use my freedom of speech rights...ya know just cause im against illegaLS breaking the law(being here) doesnt mean im a racist.. im againts murderers also does that make me a racist

I don't know of any place of employment that has free speech. If someone walked into an office and started telling their co-workers that they hate (insert minority here) I would guess they would be instantly reprimanded or fired. There are rules and regulations at every job. This ranks the same as someone posting on ATS that they can't post whatever they want so ATS has taken away their freedom of speech.

Originally posted by Oncewascool
doesn't mean I'm a racist.. I'm against murderers also does that make me a racist

No it doesn't mean your are racist, but when it comes to ethnic issues people seems to be touchy on the subject because you may have a co-worker that is or have links to a specific background.

That is not problem were my husband work, ethnic related jokes seems no to be a problem.

Mahree

I imagine that the difference between my city is that compare to Jacksonville is just a rural town so people are more free on the way their talk.

I even notice how different people act and behave.

I love that city.

Dg the same you experience back home I do too here.

It's everywhere!!!!!! Even schools and most kid are encourage to not talk about Politics for real!!!!!! Crazy I tell you!!!!!! Crazy!!

That's why we gather here, to tell it like it is. If i could unload outside maybe i wouldnt be here quite so often.

I personally have been on a personal mission to steer clear of politics, for one it is my belief that it isnt polite conversation and really isnt that interesting anyhow. I used to be very gung ho when it came to politics but looking back it was just a phase. Its not that I dont care but I am more concerned with my own present situation at school, work, and in my social life that someone else's political beliefs. If they are steering clear of political talk at work, I say good for them, its an emotional topic and brings with it emotional stress with certain topics. I think its good to have political beliefs or have something to believe in, but there is a time and a place and work isnt a place to discuss them anyhow. I'm not saying you shouldnt be able to, but I am saying if you want friends at work stay off touchy political subjects. This is just my personal belief on the subject.

Ludachris,

That is all good. I agree with you there. Unless you're provoked. I worked sitting in front of an older lady who dressed in Red, White and Blue daily. She wore R/W/B ribbons on her hair kept a picture of Bush on her desk along with her bible.
This is no joke. Needless to say, she was provoking me...she'd look at me and smirk..... She had my email address and constantly sent me propaganda. One day i asked her not to send me those emails and BTW, I asked her, is Bush your God? She smirked and feebly she responded "yes"



I saw her in the kitchen area one day and let her have it. She laughed and said i wasnt well informed. Bush is our savior.
Its a good thing i dont carry a weapon. That's all i have to say.

She's lucky i let her live.

ludachris,

yeah , well
I kinda went thru 2 stages
stage one was the watching
listening to the talking heads
and getting into the dog n pony
show that is set-up for us.
making guesses based on
the lies etc.
and the other was coming to
realize the lies and obfuscations,
and piercing the veils .

you can figger out where
someone is at just by the
comments they make. sometimes it
is worth throwing out a monkey wrench
2 c the fur fly. and sometimes ,
mum is the better choice...

but we should NEVER EVER BE
AFRAID of speaking our mind.
if we do , then THAT is a RED FLAG
of DANGER !

OUR FREEDOM IS IN JEOPARDY !!!!!!!!!!!


toasted

[edit on 5-9-2006 by toasted]

There have been cases where employees were not allowed to have political bumper stickers on their cars because the company did not want to appear to be endorsing any particular candidate.

Let me remind everyone, that all we are talking about at this time re marg's post is unfounded rumors. Until I see a copy of an official document, I'll reserve judgement.

DG, I'm not sure where in Mass you are, but I'm typically in Boston once a week and have never seen the problem you speak of. I've heard open conversation critical of all things political and have even been handed flyers on the street encouraging impeachment. I also have seen no freedom of speech problems in Worcester, Wrentham, Amherst, or Attleboro. Certainly none in Rhode Island where I reside. I think you were right about bad timing I got your back though; you say the word and I'll be there to jump in on an information campaign of some sorts! Much respect to you.

Originally posted by jsobecky

Let me remind everyone, that all we are talking about at this time re marg's post is unfounded rumors. Until I see a copy of an official document, I'll reserve judgement.

Yes you are right but as you see is also experience outside military installation, and is not problem with anybody going aside the base with any kind of bumper sticker as I am aware right now.

And people can have the photo of anybody in their desk as I know until now.

But today I will ask my husband if anything new has come from Friday.

Dg you got yourself a Radical fundamentalist and if you make any complain you may be seen as the insurgency against the powers of God.

My husband use to have a co-worker like that he would come on Mondays and recite Bush Sunday speeches at work.



[edit on 5-9-2006 by marg6043]

Originally posted by JIMC5499
It has been upheld by the Supreme Court that an employer has the right to limit an employee's freedom of speech on company time or property. The Federal Government in this case is just another employer. Marg, your husband agreed to certain rules and policies when he accepted his security clearance. This may include monitoring and certain restrictions on his rights. If it is that big of an issue, he is perfectly free to quit working with classified information at any time.

I thought that was about right:
A list of things I'm not supposed to say/talk about at work:
1. Wop, Dago, Coon Ass (down here, this is not a derogatory remark, :lol, Nigger, or any other derogatory name for an ethnicity/sexual preference/religous belief.
2. Curse words, or anthing close to it.
3. The phrase "No Problem"
4. Attitude related words, like: whatever, so?, etc
5. Anything you get pulled into a meeting about over behavior, attitudes, for saying any of the above, you're not supposed to talk about, even when you are "fired" as you can protest that further up. If you go around arguing about it all over the place, you're less likely to be re-hired.

Most of the time they are laxed, but some of these can get you fired automatically.

Damn! I consider myself lucky! We talk politics almost everyday at my workplace and it's a free-for-all.

In fact, just last week I was considering getting a bunch of T-shirts printed in Arabic that would translate to English as " If I were a Muslim, I'd kill myself too!"

My co-workers thought it was a riot!

Hey! I can't help I live in a free part of the nation.

God bless America!

Rumors seem to seldom be true. An example I've seen many times in management is when someone is let go. A competent administrator would never discuss or disclose the reason for the firing but within a day or so everyone is convinced they know the truth based on a rumor started by some busybody. These fabricated stories always lead back to somehow the person(s) in charge are wrong somehow and they are being wronged. I'm not in the military but I doubt there is much difference. People are people.

I'm an employer. I have 7 people besides myself working in my office. Political arguments caused so much trouble in the office during the last presidential election I had to make it a forbidden topic with the threat of firing if it continued. Normal rational people were turning into ranting raving jerks right in front of my eyes. While I was at it I made racial or sexual jokes and comments a firing offense also. I have the full weight of the law behind me on this I assure you. You are mischaracterizing what is meant by freedom of speech. When it interferes with work or with others right to work in place free from ridicule or verbal attacks you do not have that right. Personal attacks also fall into this category. For a military person to engage in a personal attack on their superior (President Bush) while on a military base or while on duty would fall under the same category. It would inevitably interfere with work and would make the workplace uncomfortable for those that don't agree. Yes you have the right to free speech until it interferes with another persons rights or with your work.

Originally posted by Oncewascool
i cant talk about blacks, asians or mexicans,

Discussing people catagorized by race should not be allowed in the workplace ever.
The fact that you have to mention peoples race would indicate you may have a problem your not even aware of. I have diversity in my office and anytime I've heard someone mentioning others race or religion in normal conversation it has been due to an underlying judgement that they are different somehow. Inferior is usually the implication and I'm amazed how the person does not seem to be aware that they are indeed a racist. I had to come to grips with the same problem myself many years ago. Once I faced it I was able to overcome it.

Originally posted by dgtempe
Ludachris,

That is all good. I agree with you there. Unless you're provoked. I worked sitting in front of an older lady who dressed in Red, White and Blue daily. She wore R/W/B ribbons on her hair

kept a picture of Bush on her desk along with her bible.
This is no joke. Needless to say, she was provoking me...she'd look at me and smirk.....

She had my email address and constantly sent me propaganda. One day i asked her not to send me those emails and BTW, I asked her, is Bush your God? She smirked and feebly she responded "yes"

I saw her in the kitchen area one day and let her have it. She laughed and said i wasnt well informed. Bush is our savior.
Its a good thing i dont carry a weapon. That's all i have to say.

She's lucky i let her live.

I understand how you feel because you may feel the opposite of how this woman does. I dont think she should be bringing that kind of stuff to work because it can cause problems like this. Conflict has no home in the work place. Most of us have jobs and most of them do not involve politics. I wait tables, and I have served some people who obviously are on the opposite end of the political spectrum as I am, but I still have to be polite, give them the best service I can and do it with a smile whether I like it or not. Its not about freedom of speech at work, its about not letting things like that make you angry or upset, which in turn will affect your work. At work its about doing my job to make ends meet, thats all there is to it.

The woman does sound a bit batty though, and DG you should have some idea where I stand politically, and I could be very provocative on this site if I wanted to. And there are things said on this site that at times upset me and get me riled up, but keeping your cool is what you have to do at work, as I said there is a time and a place and work is the worst place to talk about stuff like this, whether you agree or disagree with whoever it is.

Hell, I'd vote for Bush again, and that woman gives me the creeps.