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Editor, The North Country Gazette:
The McMasters thesis reminds me of how important the First Amendment is and how corporate and government policy has eroded it by threatening people with reprisals for the darndest reasons. http://www.northcountrygazette.org/articles/012606NoPlaceToHide.html
Political correctness in the work place does the greatest damage, in my opinion. A person can lose their job for saying the wrong thing to the wrong person. One example is written below.
If you are a conservative working for a PC corporation, you cannot express your ideological beliefs in general conversation for fear of being labeled a bigot or worse. Home Depot is one of those businesses. For instance, recently, I happened to over-hear a conversation between two Home Depot employees, an elderly gentleman and a young female. They were discussing a recent issue in the news about religion and government, and the Ten Commandments. The young lady believed the Ten Commandments should not be displayed on government property, and the elderly man disagreed, saying, the Ten Commandments did not promote or establish religion, therefore, what was the harm? Because it offends people of other faiths, said the young lady.
I casually pretended to be looking for a certain type of light switch as I meandered along, listening out of one ear. I almost jumped in the exchange, but thought better not to. A week or so later, I saw the old man, and I asked him how the argument went with the young lady employee. After jogging his memory a bit, he told me she reported him to the store manager and the store manager advised him in so many words that he should not be discussing religion and politics on the job.
A verbal warning, huh!
Can you imagine that? Sure I can, because it happens thousands of times each day in the corporate world, and it does not require a PhD to know this.
0z Forbes
Tampa, Fla.
1-28-06
© 2005 North
Country Gazette
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