Just had a scary encounter with my boss in re: Obama

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

He told me that Obama was a Muslim, wouldn't say the pledge, wouldn't put his hand on the Bible-all the rwing garbage. When I tried to tell him the truth, he shouted over me that he'd heard it on Glenn Beck and then went into a rwing Christian tirade about how Obama wouldn't support Israel and that we had to because the Bible said so and that he wouldn't ever have a Muslim work for him, that he hated them.....

Just a heads up that the rwing hate machine is already working overtime. I think it will be a tough row to hoe for any of our candidates. How do we counter this garbage? Telling him Glenn Beck is a shill didn't go over at all. I'm thinking the best thing to do is to hit him hard with why he shouldn't vote McCain-he has a high school age boy who is the apple of his eye, and I can ask if he wants the kid to become cannon fodder. Hopefully there will be a third party candidate he'll vote for. Don't know what else to do.


But hearing this hatred spew out of his mouth made me ill. He doesn't know my religious affiliation, and I don't plan to tell him because I know that means the end of my job (a little company like this can get away with discrimination, I think). Frankly, I'd rather hang out with the techs, both of which hate religion in all forms. They are less scary.

[FrenchieCat]

1. So did you educate him, or did you shit in your pants instead?

Just askin'?

[Deep13]

6. My advice, say, "That's nice," and tell DU about it.

There is no way to educate someone who refuses to listen.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

15. Basically, I just listened

and that is why I came here--I want ideas to present him with when he has calmed down. I know what to say about McCain that might get his attention. What I'm thinking the next step is is to find out about third party candidates to steer him to.

[sandnsea]

28. All these ideas didn't help you

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4195044

[griffi94]

40. here's an idea

if you need the job....leave yer politics at home.....when i had the cabinet shop...the radio was ok as long as it wasn't rush....about half my employees were ditto heads the other half were old hippies....they got to take turn picking the music....but no fuckin politics at work....we were there to build cabinets...not fix the countrys problems....i encouraged them to vote and protest and all the rest....but not at work

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

43. I don't talk politics at work with the boss

I was doing business--billing, working up contracts--and I had just asked him for measurements on a job he'd done-we bill by square footage--when all of a sudden he bursts out with this tirade! I don't even have a radio on in the office, and I'm the only one here most of the time anyway. I was shocked because he started shouting, ranting, and raving. Couldn't get a word in edgewise, and he started looking a bit crazed. He's very large and very strong, and the office is isolated. I was unnerved, both by him starting up on politics and then being so verbally violent about it.

[griffi94]

49. sorry i wasn't clear

i got that you didn't start it...but you asked how you could educate him about the truth....don't even try....if he goes off on another rant...just tell him you don't follow politics very closely....
i did that alot when i would be competing for a contract and get the old....what do you think about the great job bush is doing....i'd just respond that i didn't really follow politics....and didn't know anything about it....in my experience people that pull shit like that...are really just trying to get you to disagree with them....if you don't have a reaction....all the better

[haroldgiowa]

79. Politics, religion or flirting don't belong at work. NT

[jenmito]

48. "What I'm thinking the next step is is to find out about third party candidates to steer him to"?

That doesn't sound like you really want to correct the record about Obama...

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

53. In this case, it is a lost cause, I fear

you had to be there. The preacher and Glenn Beck know more than some woman.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

Hard to educate someone

when they are yelling and screaming in your face.

There is a time to talk, but not when someone is as worked up as he was.

As for your crude remark, I'll let that pass. You weren't here, you don't know the size or the temper of this person.

[OzarkDem]

21. Nice

:sarcasm: Surely you don't expect him to compromise his job for the sake of promoting Obama, do you?

[FrenchieCat]

37. There's a way of finessing anything....Like, " that's not what I heard,

and I can email you the facts on all of that".

It really is not brain surgery.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

39. thanks for the suggestion

You've got to realize that he blind-sided me with this tirade. I wasn't talking anything but business with him, asking about billing a contractor and getting measurements on a house, when all of a sudden he blew up talking about this. I hadn't mentioned politics at all. Perhaps you are better at coming back with things at the spur of the moment than I am, but thanks for what to say next time.

[MadBadger]

2. How bout writing those people off as a lost cause?

[Mz Pip]

13. Exactly

No chance this guy can be educated and it's unlikely he would even vote for Hillary if she were the candidate. Don't bother trying to extracate his head from his ass. It would be entirely too messy and might leave you unemployed.

It's unfortunate that we can't outlaw stupidity.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

19. That's the truth

My thought, though, is to steer him from voting GOP. Anyone know if there are any religious third parties starting? I know about the Libertarians, and will be checking out things about them to tell him about as well.

[Mz Pip]

29. If he buys into the

Muslim stuff about Obama he'll probably buy into the Swiftboating that will certainly occur for John McCain.

Maybe no one will be good enough for him and he will just stay home.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[Maddy McCall]

3. Toughen up...there's more of that to come.

Obama supporters are going to have to have a thick skin in the coming months.

This is the tip of the iceberg in what you're going to hear in the coming months.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

25. Funny thing is I'm not an Obama supporter

I'm a Kucinich supporter. Didn't vote for Obama or Clinton in the primary, and will hold my nose and vote for whoever gets the nomination in the GE. So, you see, I didn't have a dog in this fight. And the boss just started yelling about it out of the blue to me.

But I agree that it will get ugly, no matter who is nominated. And it is starting now with Obama-I've heard the anti-Clinton stuff for months.

[coalition_unwilling]

65. Obama really scares some people like your boss. What they're

really scared of, imho, is the empowerment of the previously disenfranchised, i.e., minorities, women and LGBT community, set in motion by the various civil rights movements of the 60s.

Obama represents the apotheosis of the 60s. If he wins the GE in November (and I think he will do resoundingly), this means on a subliminal level that those once on the fringes have moved more to the middle of our society. I see that as a great social advance (and hence view the 60s favorably).

Your boss probably sees the 60s differently, I'm guessing. One way you could test this theory is by asking him why he thinks the U.S. lost the Vietnam War. If he says the U.S. lost because the media stabbed the military in the back, you will have confirmation of my theory. Attitudes toward our involvement in Vietnam track fairly closely to attitudes toward Obama, I would wager.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

67. good idea

He's too young to remember Viet Nam, but I am sure he has an opinion about it.

[coalition_unwilling]

80. It is so weird that 35 years after the last soldiers left Vietnam, we are

still fighting that war via proxies. Bush 41 said we had licked the "Vietnam syndrome" after Operation Desert Storm. But Bush 43 and Iraq-nam demonstrates that the ghosts of Vietnam linger on.

I re-read most of the secondary histories of the Vietnam war written by Westerners in the run-up to and aftermath of Iraq-nam. Am constantly struck by the many obvious and many not-so-obvious parallels between our involvement in Southeast Asia and our involvement in Iraq.

[John Q. Citizen]

38. We've heard it all before. Talk is cheap. Most of us Obama supporters voted for Bill in the 90's.

I imagine Obama won't be quite so wide a target as Bill was, for a number of reasons.

[Deep13]

4. If Jesus Christ was the Democratic nominee, that guy would not vote for him.

Anyone who takes that blow-hard Beck at face value has a very loose grip on reality.

[mkultra]

9. amen to that

Jesus would probably run as a dem.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. Complain to his superior about racial and religious harassment.

:shrug:

[Kittycat]

11. That's good too.

Also, why were you discussing politics with your boss? That's a sure fire way to be shit on down the road.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

32. I wasn't

I was doing my job, billing folks and doing paperwork. The last question I asked him had to do with measurements on a contract (we use them to figure out billing). He just started talking about it out of the blue. I was shocked, because I DON'T talk politics or religion with him.

[ristruck]

12. I agree

I am a Christian who is embarrassed by these kind of buffoons. They should be reported. It is the only way to hold them accountable.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

36. Can't report

he owns the company, which is very small, and he can hire and fire at will.

[hamsterjill]

66. I hear ya!

I'm in the same situation. Work for two die hard Repukes, and occasionally, without any provocation from me, they just start a tirade - as if what THEY think is going to influence me!!! ha ha Personally, I think it's part of the Republican belief that they have superiority and they feel it is their "duty" to enlighten those of us who don't see things the way that THEY see things. Truthfully, I could care less what either of these two people think, and actually take solace in the fact that *I* am different than them.

Unfortunately, I need my job...

It took me a while, but I've learned to just sit there, act like I'm listening, and when they finally realize that I'm not going to engage in the debate and they finally shut up -I remark "well, that's not quite how I feel about that subject"...and then, with lightning speed, change the subject to something business related.

Doing this repeatedly has, at least, lessened the number of times that they decide to try to "enlighten" me!!!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

27. He's the owner of the company

no one to complain to. Perhaps it is past time to get out the resume.....

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

30. That's a shame.

Is there some sort of EOE office you could file a complaint with?

[nxylas]

57. EEO laws don't apply to companies with fewer than 15 employees

I work for a state EEO agency, so I know that for a fact.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

58. That's what I thought

and since there are 3 employees, he can basically do what he wants.

[Kittycat]

7. Just email him the Snopes link.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

41. He doesn't do computers

which is the main reason I have this job. He distrusts them and never gets online. Don't know if he'd know what snopes is.

[babylonsister]

8. You could check this out and consider sending it to him:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=4032401

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

44. Thanks

I'll check that out

[RoadRage]

71. I was just going to post this.. i wrote it over a month ago. Thanks for linking..

no wonder you have so many hearts - you're a sweetheart! ;)

[babylonsister]

87. No, you're the sweetheart for posting that to begin with. I bookmarked

it and have yanked it out many times to aid my fellow DUers. :hi:

[BeyondGeography]

10. He won't vote for Hillary either

Move on.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

45. I figured that out

what I'm trying to do now is find a way to convince him to vote third party.

[Adelante]

14. In case you need this, ayeshahaqqiqa

Political Smears and the Internet
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/401/political-smears.html


Be careful working for the creep :hi:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

46. thanks for the link

and the good wishes. Resume time, I guess.

[sellitman]

16. Politics & Bosses don't mix.

Better to stay silent at work.

It's a loosing proposition for sure.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

23. Correct!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

47. Problem was, I wasn't talking

I was working. He came in with paperwork relating to a job, and then suddenly this rant started. I basically asked where he'd gotten his information, and then said it was wrong--and realized my mistake. He wasn't going to listen, so I just let him blather on.

[JimGinPA]

17. Print This Out & Show It To Him

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp

You're probably never going to enlighten someone with their head that far up their ass, but you can always look for another place to work.

[backscatter712]

18. I had a waitress repeat all the Obama/Osama rumors on Super Tuesday.

A friend and I had just finished with the caucuses here in Colorado, and decided to celebrate at a local watering hole afterwards. We went in, ordered beers, and as it was one of those sports bars with 20 TVs all over the room, we asked the bartender to change one of them to MSNBC so we could watch the results.

We were drinking, celebrating, watching our candidate Obama totally school Clinton here in Colorado, when one of the waitresses came up to us. She told me that her boyfriend told her that Obama wouldn't put his hand over the heart during the pledge, and wasn't sure she'd support him.

I told her as firmly as possible, while remaining casual and celebratory that that was a big crock of baloney - Obama's a good man, a patriot, a Christian, etc. and that was all right-wing lies. She did feel better, even suggesting she'd vote for him - she told me she worked three jobs, and wanted someone in the White House who'd stand up and fight for working people.

I'd like to think I made a difference that night.

[FrenchieCat]

20. That's how it is done.........

cause remaining silent is the same as being complicit!

[TexasObserver]

You can thank Hillary for that line of crap. They launched it last year as soon as Obama announced

[DemGa]

22. These are minor rumblings of what's to come

And Obama undercut himself severely when he validated the right-wing attacks against Hillary.

[aquarius dawning]

24. I guess that's one Republican not planning on "crossing over" in november. probably an anomaly.

Just ignore it.

[sandnsea]

26. You sure work with a lot of strange people

"just a talk with a co-worker"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4195044

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

56. I do, don't I?

That post was about one of the techs. He's more approachable than the boss, so I can talk politics with him. I've got to go back and look at the replies, see if there is advice there I can use--thanks for reminding me and giving me the link.

[LisaM]

31. I've had to deflect that garbage, too

I've sent the link to several Obama supporters to help refute the vitriole (and I'm a former Edwards, now Hillary supporter!)

I can't believe it hasn't been squelched yet. It's been disproved so many times.

[TooBigaTent]

33. Start looking for another job because the harassment will only get worse as

November gets closer.

Once you get one, leave without notice and do everything you can to sabotage the asshole and the company he owns.

[OzarkDem]

34. No candidate is worth risking your livelihood

In the heat of passion for a favorite candidate, no one should expect someone to risk their job to make an argument. Decent jobs are becoming more and more scarce these days.

Glad to see you knew how far to push with your boss and when to leave it alone.

[no name no slogan]

35. I have a coworker who said just about the same thing to me

He said he could never support Obama because he was a Muslim, and America wasn't ready for a Muslim president.

I informed him that Obama WAS NOT Muslim, and he countered by saying that "once you're born a Muslim, you're always a Muslim." He also said that leaving the faith is punishable by death, so therefore Obama must still "secretly" be a Muslim. :wtf:

The scary part is, this is in a major metropolitan area in one of the bluest states in the union. And people STILL believe this crapola!

BTW, he's a Ron Paul supporter. So I guess it kind of makes sense. :crazy:

[LSK]

42. Keith Ellison was sworn in on the Koran

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=keith+ellison+koran&btnG=Google+Search

If they cant even get that basic fact right, why believe anything else?

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

52. Also I believe that particular copy of the Khoran was Thomas Jefferson's. n/t

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

61. Yes,

it was Jefferson's Qur'an, including his handwritten notes in the margin.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

88. Excuse the spelling. It should have read Koran or Qur'an (as you showed it). n/t

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

59. I tried to tell him this

but he told me Glenn Beck said otherwise, and showed footage and everything. That's when I shut up and let him spew. Guess one black man looks like another to him.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

50. One of my die-hard Dem friends was saying the same thing a while back.

She wouldn't believe me when I told her it wasn't true.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

51. I know the rethugs in my woods of the neck are spouting that and more..talking about his going to a

Madres school and that he is an Al Qeada Plant in the US Gov't.....I swear they are friggen batshit over Obama.

They still believe that Iraq did the 9/11 attacks...god it would be funny if not so scary.

it's disgusting

[intaglio]

54. A friend said that certain locals think BHO is an "Iraqistanian"

There's no accounting for ignorance

[iconoclastic cat]

55. No offense, but he's a loon. Ignore him. nt

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

63. I'm remembering your reply

this will help me in my work! I'm SOOOOO glad that he hardly ever even drops by the office-he lets me and the techs run things--so most of the time I don't have to worry about him. And when he ticks me off, I get online and go to DU.

[iconoclastic cat]

69. Arguing with him is like trying to talk sense into the guy under the aquaduct.

You won't get anywhere.

[apnu]

60. Can you find another job?

I would, seriously, look for other work. Someone who's that unhinged, ignorant, and religious probably isn't a good manager to work under. At least by my rules.

[ieoeja]

62. Look up that stupid email on Snopes.

Print out the page debunking it. Tell him you were interested in what he said, so you decided to spend ten seconds verifying it was true. Then hand him the printout to show him what you found.

Oh, and photocopy it for everyone else in the office.

[DS1]

64. Write a new email saying that you need a 200% raise or the terrorists will win

Hey, if he'll believe anything...

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

68. He doesn't do computers

in fact today I had to do an online register of his son in some sports tournament. He was going nuts as I "magically" typed in the stuff for him, and then had me call the sponsors to make sure they got the information!

I've got my resume ready to take to other businesses. Trouble is, this is a small town, and he'll get wind of it, and likely fire me for just looking for a job. Gotta figure out how to do it so it won't get back to him, and haven't figured that part out yet. Husband is disabled, getting worse, and with no health insurance, it is important that I keep bringing in some money.

[OutNow]

70. The Boss is the Enemy - Don't Talk Politics

Your boss can fire you for just about anything. You can't fire him for any reason. This makes the relationship very unequal. Don't ever discuss politics with him, he is the class enemy. Workers usually have more power if they belong to a union, but even there our power is greatly diminished compared to 50 years ago.

Talk to your co-workers, your non-management family members, even the folks at your volunteer fire company. But not the boss. Hopefully some day we will be on an equal footing with the ruling class and not have to live in fear about losing our job, our health insurance, our homes, our pension, etc. Until then we have to smile and eat s&$t at work.

BTW - yes I'm a socialist. And a member of a union.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

74. Hold the Fort, For We Are Coming

Union men be strong
Side by side we battle onward
Victory is won!

I like your style--only wish I could be in a union again. Was an officer when I was a teacher in the old days. Socialism is the way to go--only sane form of government, I think.

[Shine]

72. Sorry you had to deal with that ignoramus.

:hug: I agree, it's gonna be a tough battle dealing with all Repuke mindset.

[endarkenment]

73. Your boss is a rightwing nut!

I actually do not think that many rightwing nuts are going to vote for a Democratic candidate.

[Libby2]

75. I've heard it over and over

in this hick, redneck town I live in.
But I was called a liar, when I posted about it.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

82. I know better

because your town sounds very much like the town where I work.

[Aviation Pro]

76. The right-wing slime machine hasn't even begun yet....

...trust me, they will pull all the stops out after Senator Obama is nominated.

[Guava Jelly]

77. snopes is your friend

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp
it debunks the entire b.s. argument

[erebusman]

78. Dont send him the snopes article

I respect snopes .. its a great site. But the snopes article will send a guy like that batshit crazy and hell pick out some statements out of context and start using it as "proof". You can see how people would pick only the things the might want to see in it.

If he was a thinker - snopes could possibly make him think twice about the issue. He has demonstrated that is not where he is at.

I tend to concur with people using soft-techniques to deflect the conversation. "I dont follow that too closely sorry" "Oh I'm sorry I was focusing on this report!!! Sorry!!" "Huh what would I know about that??" "Oh crap not politics!!! PUH_LEASE!"

If you -have- to educate him a u-tube video of Obama talking about his faith or something might be most effective.

peace and good luck

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

83. thank you

and welcome to DU! :hi:

[elixir]

81. Helllloooowooo?! Just listen to C-Span in the morning and you'll hear all kinds of goodies like this

and it slices both ways. "The clintons killed people", "did anyone ever do a background check on Barack HUSSEIN Obama?", "I won't put anyone with a name like that in the WH", "Hillary doesn't have the intelligence or merit to win"....lots of gems.

Anyone who takes on the GOP has to be a real SOB.

[Arugula Latte]

84. People like that won't vote for a black person, nor will he vote for a woman.

He's the Republican Dream Voter -- a bigoted ignoramous happy to listen to the braindead blatherings of certified morons like Glenn Beck.

[beachmom]

85. I wouldn't mind hearing advice on how to talk about it, when someone

says something like this. Because, I think I would fly in a rage if I heard someone say that, and that is obviously not effective. I wonder if people have ideas on this.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

86. So Rightwing Fundie Xtian Supremacists don't back Obama?

I suppose that's a voting bloc that'll be tough for Obama to crack. I'm not sure Clinton would make much of a dent there either.

Ask the boss "whaddaya think of McCain?". He's probably not all that thrilled with the guy. I'm hoping all the disgusted xtians just stay home in Nov.