I Slammed my Republican Boss At Work Today

[Tsiyu]

Do any of you have that one Republican friend/co-worker/relative with whom you knew you would get into an intense debate over politics? Have you had that knockdown dragout yet?

I had mine tonight at work. The owner of the business where I work is a staunch Republican. She is basically a decent person, one I've known a while in the small community where we live. She is a strong woman, an Alpha female if you will. I can be the Alpha female, but a business only needs one so I back off on work-related matters and try to follow her wishes and build the business.

I did tell her the Bush/Cheney sign out front was driving away customers (after a comment was made to her by another town staunch Democrat who is also her friend and respects her greatly). She said she would not compromise her beliefs for money. I respect that. I will proudly bear my Kerry bumper sticker ( if it ever gets here) and what can she say?

We have danced around the discussion we both knew would come - because she knows I'm a Yella Dawg. Tonight she told my son he'd "better be a Republican." That caught my ear and I tried to end it by saying we didn't ever need to discuss politics because it could get ugly and I would beat her down. She said no, she would beat me down.
There were about seven of us there. She didn't let up, trying to push Reagan in my face. It was all over for me there. And i didn't even scratch the surface. But I had her at pretty much a loss for anything to say but "terrorists' "Reagan" and "I support our military."

I was surprised at my vehemence, and so were the three young adults in our company. One guy started slamming Reagan, too, but Gal and I were doing a "Fight Club" with words we both knew would come.

I have worried about this moment, but I thought about DU the whole time, and how some of you would throw eggs at me if i didn't give her hell. And I gave her plenty. We ended up shaking hands and agreeing never to discuss politics again. I held her grasp and her gaze and said, "I don't have to like Bush to love my country. And I LOVE my country." She said, "Okay." Like she didn't question that one bit...

The last time I tried that with a Staunch Repug, they blasted me. Not any more. Thanks, DU for giving me the support to be assertive and to give no quarter to The Dark Side. I won't compromise my beliefs for money, either, and one more Republican is catching a clue as to how pissed off many of us are.....

[Bronco69]

1. Tell her I said to go

cheney herself! :-)

[Tsiyu]

2. Nah

It's much more fun to throw the facts at people and watch them squirm....

[murielm99]

3. I'm glad you could do that! Congrats!

My last Republican boss and I liked each other enough that we agreed not to discuss politics.

My brother has a very different situation, though. If he brings up his politics to his repuke boss, it always comes back to him. He ends up with crappy work assignments, nitpicky comments, and that sort of thing.

The guy can't mess with his evaluations, though, because my brother is union, and he would bring the steward in on anything like that.

You are fortunate that you had a good outcome.

[loudsue]

4. Way to go bhghost!!

:yourock: You did what I wish every supposed "leader" of our country would do right now...all those elected officials who get jelly-legs every time a repuke alpha wannabe starts striking their bully pose!!:yourock:

Buddyhollysghost for CONGRESS!!!!

:kick::kick:

[Tsiyu]

7. Thanks guys.

yeah, loudsue, I felt almost like I was back in the talk show days. Boy, would I love to get behind a mic now....
And Congress? Wow! Have to think about that!

[murielm99]

5. If I saw a bush* sign in front of a small business,

I would take my money elsewhere if at all possible.

[Tsiyu]

8. Me, too,

she just doesn't get how pissed people are at * and Cheney. The lack of business doesn't seem to be related in her head.

[jean]

14. any business idiotic enough to display bush/cheney signage

isn't savvy enough to handle my business or my money. The same thing goes for any biz showing their religious bent.

You're right - her sign is a total turn off. What are the stats in your city? Can you produce any numbers to prove she's wrong?

[redstateblues]

17. I have stopped doing bidness at any place with a Bush/Cheney sign

[4morewars]

6. Way to go BHG !!!!

Good for you !!! I am So sick of these willfully ignorant cowards. Here is an article for you that shines some light on that murderous old fool reagan:

http://www.soaw.org/new/newswire_detail.php?id=471

Do you think your boss will have the courage to educate herself by reading it?
Here is a snip about reagan appointee Negroponte:

"During Negroponte’s stay in Honduras, human rights violations peaked. The infamous US trained death squad, Batallion 3-16, was notorious for the torture, rape, kidnapping and killing of Honduran dissidents. Hundreds of people disappeared. By the end of the 1980s at least 10,000 were dead, not to mention the conservative estimate of 200,000 deaths in Central America as a result of US intervention. Negroponte, however, claims no knowledge of the human rights abuses the US carried out and funded despite being ambassador at the time."

-----snip----

"Interestingly, none of this came up in the US and British mainstream media when career journalists heaped praise on Reagan shortly after his death. Somehow, amidst the fawning in mainstream and elite circles it was forgotten that the Reagan administration carried out in Central America one of the worst campaigns of state terrorism of the late 20th century. All of this in the context of the present situation in Iraq – one might expect that the media would pick up on the fact that many of the present incumbents in Washington are those who were responsible for the terror in Central America in the 1980s. John Negroponte’s appointment as ambassador, as if it was not clear enough by now, tells something about what Bush et al have in store for Iraq."
-----snip------

I applaud your actions BHG, I know it's not always easy to stand up to people that believe god wants us to kill for money!!!

[Tsiyu]

9. Thanks

I really got frothing about the Geneva Conventions. A fellow bandmate ( and National Guardsman) just sat there nodding his head slackjawed and wide-eyed as I pointed to him and said, "I don't want this man - or any soldier - to be tortured because WE didn't follow the Geneva Conventions." I think he was so glad I said that...

[radfringe]

10. the RBS at my workplace

RBS-Resident Bush Supporter

He often tries to debate with me and just as often fails to present any facts, more often than not he just parrots campaign ads or dittos-Limbaugh

well, that may change very soon - there are cracks showing. Last week a major employer in our area laid off 700 workers, the manufacturing plant is moving to Japan

Our RBS's wife and son were among those laid off. RBS no longer thinks 'outsourcing is good for America'

[loudsue]

11. That's a BIG problem w/ repukes....until it happens to THEM

they think it's whatever-bush-tells-them-it-is.

They JUST DON'T BOTHER TO THINK!!!!

:kick:

[Tsiyu]

12. It's really sad

how uninformed people are. But it does make it easy to win an argument these days.

[Blue Gardener]

13. You should be proud

I'm glad you stood up for yourself. Many of us have been too silent for too long, and look where we wound up. It's time to fight back. And, if I saw a Bush/Cheney sign in front a business, I wouldn't step foot in the place.

[PatriotGames]

15. Good for you! That's a great story...

DU has given me the strength to stand up to the repub attack machine as well. Thanks DU.

[mopaul]

16. good for you

i've been reading a lot of similar stories here, and i've had similar experiences. like you, i took the polite road usually, and dodged political discussions after learning the other person was a staunch repub. but no more. if they wish to discuss politics, they must understand that there is an opposition to the repub ideals.

and we are that opposition party. we need to be assertive in political discussions from now on. when someone want to delve in, i always warn them, buckle up and we'll talk politics. then, let it rip.

[tuvor]

18. That's okay. George isn't a Christian, either.

Matthew 7:21-23

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

Heh. "Evildoers".

EDIT: WHOOPS, WRONG THREAD, AND NOW I CAN'T FIND IT.

[DebinTx]

19. Just a reminder after reading the posts

if you happen on a business with a Shrub sticker, sign, what have you, posted - tell them the reason you're taking your business elsewhere. If they aren't made aware, then they'll never know how much business it's costing them.

[0007]

20. Find out where your Democratic party is located in your area

they'll gladly finish you with bumper stickers. At least I hope so!!

[MARALE]

21. good job!

I had a dream about doing the same thing. We don't talk politics much around here since the war went badly. My boss is a Repub but knows from what I have said I don't like the killing of people for political gain. We silently agree to disagree.

[CaTeacher]

22. I am really proud of you!

And I bet your boss has more respect for you too! Just shows that we should always speak up--who knows--you may have put some doubts in her head about *. You never know what a person will do in the privacy of the voting booth!

Keep up the good work!

[ProfLefty]

23. Fine Work!

It is about time that these aggressive rw reactionaries who for the most part seem to lack any ability to tolerate or even listen to alternative viewpoints learn that all Progressives are not lilly livered, spineless wimps incapable of standing firm and showing strength in support of what we believe is right. If nothing else I am certain that you earned your boss's respect and who knows? You may well have stimulated some real thought about her stance on important issues by responding to her in the calm, rational and logical way that you describe. I certainly hope so...many of these conservatives are good but misguided people who equate the views of the far right with patriotism because that is what they have heard all of their lives. When confronted by the absolute logic of the truth those who are thoughtful and honest persons can often be convinced to become more progressive in their political philosophies or, at the very least to consider doing so. Again, Congratulations! And thank you for the encouraging and uplifting story.

[kaitykaity]

24. Great work bhg.

Then again, just in case she turns out to be a true
cooward, you have this post for documentation at your
unemployment hearing.

[Tsiyu]

25. Thanks to all

tho I wasn't very calm. I was rational, but pretty rough on her. I almost felt bad afterward because I don't think she or most Repubs know how disgusted we are. THEY NEED TO KNOW.

Mostly Democrats around here. They hated * before the invasion of Iraq. Gore came to this mountain after * stole the election to thank the people here, and we are a mountain with very tiny communities scatterred about so that is a BIG thing. The fact that she doesn't think the sign matters ( or doesn't care) IS hurting her business. I worked for the Democrat guy ( who first mentioned her signs) and he didn't politicize his biz. When I wanted to put up some funny * pictures he said, "No, let's keep politics out of the business." We Dems have ALWAYS had more grace and sense, I believe!

I guess I was just so trashed by Repubs before I am really on the offensive now. But I also was a "liberal" talk host for a few years so I know how to cut to the chase and not get sidetracked by BS.

Yeah, the kids said I might get fired, but I think this woman is not that kind of person. She has gays working for her and is friends with all sorts - a very inclusive person. Just misguided in my opinion.