How free do you feel to express your political opinions at work?

[elfwitch]

Poll question: How free do you feel to express your political opinions at work?

Do you feel free to express your true political opinions at work? Or do you feel you have to be guarded or silent?

[notadmblnd]

1. we've been told by management not to discuss politics or religion.

but when they open their mouths, you can bet I do too.

[eyesroll]

2. I have a workplace reputation as the Loony Lefty

...even though I'm not the furthest-left person at work. I'm just the biggest blabbermouth.

It suits me just fine -- I find I can get away with saying pretty much whatever I feel like (sometimes, I get the dismissive, "oh, yeah, you're the loony lefty, so of course you'd say that"-type remarks, but I think I get a built-in pass because of it).

[demnan]

3. It depends on the person

some I feel safe with, others I don't.

[funkybutt]

8. same here

i know which people i can discuss politics with and which ones I can't. The majority are clueless right-wingers who don't really pay much attention. They make ignorant remarks from time to time...i usually just keep to myself.

[ET Awful]

4. Depends on who I'm talking to. . . .

The controller of the company is a liberal and despises Bush, so when speaking with him it's pretty cool. The president/CEO is a Bushbot.

The rest of the company is split pretty evenly, oddly more across age lines than anything else. Most of the older people are Bushies, and most of the younger are not. There are exceptions, but that's the general rule around here.

[in_cog_ni_to]

5. Free to be me!

I work from home. ;)

[Suziq]

6. My Cube at Work . . .

is plastered with Kerry bumper stickers, Kerry pictures, anti-Shrub buttons and cartoons, and of course, a DU bumper sticker! I am also quite vocal. There is no doubt what my political persuasion is!

:hippie:

[BiggJawn]

25. Same here.

I have Kerry bumper stickers, all manners of photo-shopped "art" (my favourite is a re-do of that Norman Rockwell "4 Freedoms" poster that says "Save Freedom of Speech-Defy Ashcroft!")
and a photo of bush holding his hands out with a big shiner penciled in and a caption balloon that says "All Ah said was 'Damn, Pickles, yer gittin' an pretty big ass on ya...'..."

Guess you could say I'm "free to be me"...Nobody asked me if i was tore up over Ronaldus Rex going to his dirt nap...

[NV Whino]

7. Sort of out of the "work place" loop, but

I work independently as an estate manager. Most of my clients have boo coo bucks and have mixed political views. Mostly I avoid discussing politics even with those clients who agree with me. However, I arrive at their houses with my Delete Bush Cheney 04 bumper stickers proudly displayed on car and truck.

[elfwitch]

9. I am pretty lucky...

My office is mostly liberal. And that is quite rare for Dallas. But there are only 9 people who work in my office so it would be hard for a conservative to get the job. The owner is very liberal and can spot a FUNDIE from a mile away. In this small of a place it would be too disruptive to have an odd man out like that.

[fudge stripe cookays]

16. Are they hiring?

;-)

[elfwitch]

20. Not unless you are a...

.NET developer with C# programming skills.
Tech company. We have 2 positions open but they are heavy web and application development jobs.

[fudge stripe cookays]

22. Nah. Unfortunately.

But let me know if they start looking into someone to document .NET development and C#.

I could become your VERY best friend!

Sorry we couldn't hang out Saturday. Next meetup I can try to arrange for a Sunday afternoon or something not to conflict w/the Sabbath. We had a lot of fun!

FSC

[elfwitch]

24. It wasn't a Sabbath conflict

I have a three year old. We try to limit the opportunities where he might be a little too rowdy in places. We try to make sure his three-ness doesn't irritate other people. He is a really good kid and is normally very well mannered in public but we try not to run the risk in any case.

[AntiCoup2K4]

10. Thank God I'm surrounded by a bunch of aging hippies!

Many of whom were even at the 2002-03 anti war marches :hippie:
And a lot of them are looking forward to a certain movie debut on the 25th too.

[leftofthedial]

11. i FEEL completely free

I'm basically self-employed these days, so no problemo.

IN the past though, I've been censored dozens of times, always for criticizing a repuke. Yet others put up Clinton or Kennedy jokes and cartoons with impunity. There was a clear double standard at nearly every company where I worked.

It never really slowed me down though. I'm a guerilla.

[Q3JR4]

12. Working

for a physics researcher at a college in one of Idaho's more liberal parts (Boise) does have its perks.

Everyone at the department but the resource guy is part of the "loony left."

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

13. I keep my mouth shut

As a matter of principle. I'm 99.999999% sure I'd have no problems at my current place of employment, but you never know if, some boss levels upstream, there's somebody who dedicates his life to Political Employment Cleansing™.

And keep in mind I live in Brazil! Imagine if I was in, say, Dallas. :tinfoilhat:

[Seemann For Congress]

14. I feel VERY free

Expressing my political opinion in my office is VERY easy.

Of course, I must tell you that I work in the campaign headquarters of Jeff Seemann For Congress. He's formerly known as AWD around these parts, so expressing a liberal point of view is actually encouraged here!

[Heddi]

15. I pretty much keep politics out of work

because I think it's disrespectful when people assume that EVERYONE thinks the same about EVERYTHING in the same way that they do.

I don't like it when hard-core repubs bring up Clinton every time the sun goes down, or how great BUSH is or how terrible OSAMA is---I can't stand it.

Equally, I know that everyone in the world doesn't agree with me politically. I happen to think I'm more correct in my thinking than a Republican is, but I'm not going to jepoardize my job, or cause unnecessary work-place stress just because I happen to view the War in Iraq differently than my co-workers do.

HOWEVER---that being said---if politics are brought up to ME, I will politely express my views---hate bush, hate the war, total liberal, etc, and leave it at that. If the party I'm conversing with continues, I will continue to talk about my beliefs but in a non-threatning manner.

Most of us here are lucky to have a job, have a paycheck, have SOME semblance of a normal life. I'm not going to put that on the line because I can't keep my yap shut about Michael Moore and how Bush wasn't elected to begin with. I'm not going to go on and on and on and on about things that I would assume most people in my office 1) either don't believe or 2) don't feel like hearing.

And believe it or not, but I work in an office where literally all but one person is a total leftie---however, I still don't think that politics are appropriate at work in all situations. Just like religion and other 'hot topics'---I don't want to be seen as one of those 'pushy prostelytizers'. Trying to convert minds and hearts hasn't worked for Jerry Falwell and it's not going to work should I try to convert Republicans in my 9-5.

Although, I should mention that this is currently the mousepad at my desk: :evilgrin:

[Misunderestimator]

17. I feel free to express my political opinions wherever I am. n/t

[1monster]

18. I teach. I've been told not to express an opinion on politics of any kind

even when asked a direct question...

[RebelOne]

19. Everyone I work with knows my political opinions and

I didn't have to say a word. There are anti-bush and anti-war signs posted in my cubicle.
Out of about 30 people here, only about four of us are Democrats. But you have to expect that, I'm in the Atlanta, GA area.

On edit: I also have my DU bumper sticker on the wall.

[Aunt Anti-bush]

21. I say whatever I want to.

Everyone that I work with knows that I am very opinionated and that I don't care if they agree with me or not, I will speak my mind. I am careful never to offend anyone, but they all know what my views of * are and I am glad I have been able to share those views with them. They're all voting for Kerry this November! (A couple of them are republicans.)

:)

[OKNancy]

23. Other - I don't express myself because it would be stupid

Why alienate some of my clients. I'm not there to discuss politics, I'm there to teach dancing. On the other hand, when someone calls and asks, " is this a Christian dance school?", I say " No, I take everyone".

[blindpig]

26. I do as I please cause I'm the boss

of a retail shop with only 1 other employee on hand. Got DU & LCV bumper stickers over my desk in public view. I will happily share my views with customers at the drop of the hat. This has no doubt run off some customers as I am in Upstate SC but that's their lose as I generaly have the best prices in town.