[Secret__Police]

DAILY Photo by Clyde Stancil
Lynne Gobbell said her boss fired her last week because of the Kerry-Edwards campaign sticker on the back of her car.

The story sounds kinda fishy, but read it anyways.

[TETENAL]

That was probably just an excuse. In reality she was fired for wearing off her office chair too quickly.

[Secret__Police]

Originally posted by TETENAL:
That was probably just an excuse. In reality she was fired for wearing off her office chair too quickly.

Good read of the article.

[macvillage.net]

She prolly worked for Atkins...

and got fired for her big butt... and driving to work when she lives down the block and could walk.

[chris v]

Originally posted by macvillage.net:
She prolly worked for Atkins...

and got fired for her big butt... and driving to work when she lives down the block and could walk.

You're a real jewel.

[OldManMac]

If Bush gets reelected, it'll become commonplace to get fired for your political views, and you'll face an uphill battle trying to get your job back, with Bashcroft in charge of "Justice."

[Zimphire]

Originally posted by KarlG:
If Bush gets reelected, it'll become commonplace to get fired for your political views, and you'll face an uphill battle trying to get your job back, with Bashcroft in charge of "Justice."

[UNTeMac]

Just sounds like a typical example of the level of political debate in this country. Why don't we ever hear about firings for people who support King George?

My mother told me about a colleague of hers who had a John Kerry bumper sticker on her car in the Walmart parking lot. As she was getting in her car, a man came up pushing a shopping cart and placed it right behind her rear bumper and started to walk away. She got out and asked him why he would do that. He glared back at her and pointed a finger at the sticker. She asked why her opinion offended him enough to be that rude and he walked up to her in a very menacing way and said "You shut up or get out of my country."

Nice.

[placebo1969]

Originally posted by UNTiMac:
Just sounds like a typical example of the level of political debate in this country. Why don't we ever hear about firings for people who support King George?

My mother told me about a colleague of hers who had a John Kerry bumper sticker on her car in the Walmart parking lot. As she was getting in her car, a man came up pushing a shopping cart and placed it right behind her rear bumper and started to walk away. She got out and asked him why he would do that. He glared back at her and pointed a finger at the sticker. She asked why her opinion offended him enough to be that rude and he walked up to her in a very menacing way and said "You shut up or get out of my country."

Nice.

I guess there will be stories like this on both sides. On the local (Seattle) news, a Kerry supporter sucker punched a Bush supporter. But without any actual studies or whatnot, it's all anecdotal evidence.

[Millennium]

She'll get her justice; no worries. The boss is going to receive a smackdown on a scale seldom seen in this nation (or any other, for that matter).

What makes people think this is commonplace, though? There are people who behave inappropriately in all walks of life, but something like this is exceedingly rare.

[Millennium]

Originally posted by KarlG:
If Bush gets reelected, it'll become commonplace to get fired for your political views, and you'll face an uphill battle trying to get your job back, with Bashcroft in charge of "Justice."

Evidence? Ashcroft is a traitor to everything this country stands for, but even he can't make these things happen (or not happen, as the case may be).

[Spoogepieces]

Why should he get a smackdown? I think we aren't hearing "the rest of the story."

This might be an example of that "liberal media" myth we keep hearing about.

[Millennium]

Originally posted by Spoogepieces:
Why should he get a smackdown? I think we aren't hearing "the rest of the story."

There seems to be very little to tell. The guy outright said that he was firing her because she had a Kerry sticker on her car.

[Spoogepieces]

Originally posted by Millennium:
The guy outright said that he was firing her because she had a Kerry sticker on her car.

We don't know what he said. She claims that's what he said. Huge difference.

[Mac Guru]

I don't doubt for a minute she got fired for that. I'm not allowed to park in the lot at work if I have any political (Dem or Rep) symbols on my car.

It's used to keep people focused on their work. If you have a politicaly charged employee, and they see a co-worker get out of a car with a symbol that represents ideas opposing thier politcal beliefs, they're more likely to focus on the political beliefs of their co-worker than they are work.

This isn't some wacko censorship conspriacy like most of you seem to think, it IS fairly commonplace in the workplace.

Mac Guru

[DeathToWindows]

Off with his head.

[djohnson]

Maybe the owner thought he was obligated to Bush?

Gobbell provided a copy of the flier. It says:

"Just so you will know, because of the Bush tax (cut):
# I was able to buy the new Hammer Mill
# I was able to finance our receivables
# I was able to get the new CAT skid steer
# I was able to get the wire cutter
# I was able to give you a job"

It further says:

"You got the benefit of the Bush tax cut. Everyone did."

Oh and since this was a private employer, he can do whatever he wants with his employees.

[chris v]

If it was previously stated somewhere in company policy that no political stickers were allowed in the parking lot, and she violated that policy, then they'd have a case. It'd better be written, and acknowledged with a signature by her, though, or they're screwed. Take it from an employer.

I had an employee totally lose it and scream "F*CK YOU!! F*CK YOU!!" over and over at the top of his lungs, until I escorted him out of the building and told him not to come back. Guess what? He got unemployment. Why? Because I had no written, signed policy wherein it was stated that an employee could be dismissed for screaming obscenities at management.

[Shaddim]

Originally posted by Mac Guru:
I don't doubt for a minute she got fired for that. I'm not allowed to park in the lot at work if I have any political (Dem or Rep) symbols on my car.

It's used to keep people focused on their work. If you have a politicaly charged employee, and they see a co-worker get out of a car with a symbol that represents ideas opposing thier politcal beliefs, they're more likely to focus on the political beliefs of their co-worker than they are work.

This isn't some wacko censorship conspriacy like most of you seem to think, it IS fairly commonplace in the workplace.

Mac Guru

Same thing here. They don't allow any faculty or staff to have political stickers or signs of any kind on their cars, on pain of having your parking sticker revoked. A professor here (Kerry supporter) raised hell with them over it and screamed about discrimination, fascism, etc. refusing to remove her Kerry/Edwards bumper sticker. So, they revoked her parking permit and towed her car. I think she's actually going to file a suit over it, but since the regulation covers everyone, regardless of political stripe, she really doesn't have a leg to stand on.

[Ratm]

Originally posted by Mac Guru:
I don't doubt for a minute she got fired for that. I'm not allowed to park in the lot at work if I have any political (Dem or Rep) symbols on my car.

It's used to keep people focused on their work. If you have a politicaly charged employee, and they see a co-worker get out of a car with a symbol that represents ideas opposing thier politcal beliefs, they're more likely to focus on the political beliefs of their co-worker than they are work.

This isn't some wacko censorship conspriacy like most of you seem to think, it IS fairly commonplace in the workplace.

Mac Guru

The same goes at both mine and my fathers workplace but it has limits.

[UNTeMac]

The point is, the company must have a written policy prohibiting political displays. Given the content of that memo attached to employee paychecks, it doesn't sound like this was an innocent act. She can and should sue if they don't have the policy. This is her income/livelihood we're talking about.

[PacHead]

Originally posted by UNTiMac:
She can and should sue if they don't have the policy.

from the article
Gobbell said she consulted a lawyer, but then changed her mind about going to see him.

[macvillage.net]

Originally posted by Millennium:
She'll get her justice; no worries. The boss is going to receive a smackdown on a scale seldom seen in this nation (or any other, for that matter).

What makes people think this is commonplace, though? There are people who behave inappropriately in all walks of life, but something like this is exceedingly rare.

I highly doubt there will be any repremand other than this article. No judge wants this high profile thing in their courtroom. Remember the justice system is still a political wing. Especially during an election year. No way. This will never enter a courtroom. At best this will be settled in arbitration. But I'd bet the company has enough brains to know that's unnecessary.

I don't really think this is uncommon though. There quite a few cases like this on either side (politically) being reported. And not just this election. I've heard this on state, and municiple levels as well.

Nobody wants to deal with stuff like this... because your damned if you do, damned if you don't. So why make the effort?

[Spliffdaddy]

She shouldn't have been fired for having that sticker.

I would have fired her the day after the election - so I could rub her nose in Kerry's humiliating defeat before telling her to clean out her desk. But that's just me. I'm compassionate.

[dcmacdaddy]

Originally posted by Spliffdaddy:
She shouldn't have been fired for having that sticker.

I would have fired her the day after the election - so I could rub her nose in Kerry's humiliating defeat before telling her to clean out her desk. But that's just me. I'm compassionate.

That's hilarious. So totally wrong but devilishly hilarious.

[Zimphire]

If what the lady said happened, happened I would take the guy to court and sue him. Her boss sounds like a moron.

While it's ok to have the feelings he does, he should leave personal issues out of it.

[SimeyTheLimey]

Originally posted by UNTiMac:
The point is, the company must have a written policy prohibiting political displays. Given the content of that memo attached to employee paychecks, it doesn't sound like this was an innocent act. She can and should sue if they don't have the policy. This is her income/livelihood we're talking about.

What makes you think they must have a written policy?

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
What makes you think they must have a written policy?

Chris V's post, for starters.

[SimeyTheLimey]

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
Chris V's post, for starters.

You mean this one?

Originally posted by chris v:
If it was previously stated somewhere in company policy that no political stickers were allowed in the parking lot, and she violated that policy, then they'd have a case.

He also seems to assume that a written policy (or any kind of policy) is needed. I'm asking what makes them think that?

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
You mean this one? He also seems to assume that a written policy (or any kind of policy) is needed. I'm asking what makes them think that?

Yes, that post exactly. Except your internet or something seems to be broken, because the relevant portion of the post appears to not show up for you:

originally posted by chris_v:
I had an employee totally lose it and scream "F*CK YOU!! F*CK YOU!!" over and over at the top of his lungs, until I escorted him out of the building and told him not to come back. Guess what? He got unemployment. Why? Because I had no written, signed policy wherein it was stated that an employee could be dismissed for screaming obscenities at management.

[SimeyTheLimey]

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
Yes, that post exactly. Except your internet or something seems to be broken, because the relevant portion of the post appears to not show up for you:

Whether or not she got unemployment benefits from the state is an entirely different issue from whether or not she has a cause of action against the employer.

That's what Chris v says: "guess what, he got unemployment." So again, with respect to any right to sue the employer, what makes anyone think that having or not having a written policy would make any difference?

[Spheric Harlot]

Ah, okay.

[UNTeMac]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
Whether or not she got unemployment benefits from the state is an entirely different issue from whether or not she has a cause of action against the employer.

That's what Chris v says: "guess what, he got unemployment." So again, with respect to any right to sue the employer, what makes anyone think that having or not having a written policy would make any difference?

I'm not a lawyer but I would guess she has a right to sue for wrongful termination since it certainly appears he got rid of her due to her political affiliation. If he has a policy restricting political speech in the parking lot, that's one thing, but his memo attached to employee paychecks makes me doubt his motives were innocent.

[SimeyTheLimey]

Originally posted by UNTiMac:
I'm not a lawyer but I would guess she has a right to sue for wrongful termination since it certainly appears he got rid of her due to her political affiliation. If he has a policy restricting political speech in the parking lot, that's one thing, but his memo attached to employee paychecks makes me doubt his motives were innocent.

We went through this in another thread a couple of weeks ago. It's interesting to me that so many people's instincts about employment are the exact reverse of reality. You seem to assume that the employer can't terminate unless the cause is reasonable and (I suppose) work related. Actually, the presumption is the opposite.

I am not a lawyer either, and I certainly haven't studied the law of the state concerned, but generally, employers can fire for any reason whatsoever unless there is a statutory protection -- for example, race, ethnicity, religion, etc. Political affiliation isn't generally protected. It might be a stupid or reprehensible reason to fire somebody (assuming her story is true), but that doesn't mean the employer wasn't fully within his rights to fire her.

This is probably why this individual decided not to sue when she went to see a lawyer. The lawyer probably told her she doesn't have a case.

[zigzag]

This subject was covered in another thread:

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...ght=california

Carry on with the discussion - I just wanted to point it out as a reference.

[Beewee]

Originally posted by UNTiMac:
Just sounds like a typical example of the level of political debate in this country. Why don't we ever hear about firings for people who support King George?

My mother told me about a colleague of hers who had a John Kerry bumper sticker on her car in the Walmart parking lot. As she was getting in her car, a man came up pushing a shopping cart and placed it right behind her rear bumper and started to walk away. She got out and asked him why he would do that. He glared back at her and pointed a finger at the sticker. She asked why her opinion offended him enough to be that rude and he walked up to her in a very menacing way and said "You shut up or get out of my country."

Nice.

Not enough people think for themselves in this country and just feel the way the government wants them to feel. But we are only 200 years old or so. It doesn't surprise me that America as well as Americans are still very immature.

Welcome to America, love Bush or GET OUT!

[Secret__Police]

Originally posted by zigzag:
This subject was covered in another thread:

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...ght=california

Carry on with the discussion - I just wanted to point it out as a reference.

Not really relevant to this topic. He went out of his way to embarrass his employer.
She only had a bumper sticker on her car.

[zigzag]

Originally posted by Secret__Police:
Not really relevant to this topic. He went out of his way to embarrass his employer.
She only had a bumper sticker on her car.

It's very relevant to this topic. People here have been speculating as to the political, ethical, and legal ramifications, and the previous thread attempts to address all of those. The mere fact that the factual situations are somewhat different doesn't make the other thread irrelevant.

[OldManMac]

Looks like she got a new job.
---

ClickOnDetroit.com


Woman Fired For Kerry Bumper Sticker Has New Job

John Kerry Campaign Hires Fired Worker

POSTED: 9:06 AM EDT September 15, 2004
DETROIT -- Democrat John Kerry has a new campaign worker helping him drum up support in Alabama after hiring a woman who was fired for displaying the presidential candidate's bumper sticker on her car.

Kerry called Lynne Gobbell on Tuesday after reading a newspaper story describing how she had been fired last Thursday from her job packing cellulose insulation at a Moulton, Ala., plant.

Gobbell said her former employer had told her she could either work for him or Kerry. She said Kerry told her, "Let him know that as of today, you're working for John Kerry."

"He was proud of me for standing up for what I believe in," the newly employed, 41-year-old said of her quick phone call with the candidate.

Gobbell said Kerry didn't offer too many details about her new position. She will be helping the campaign and may be traveling a little as it gets closer to the election.

She could receive help from another corner, as well. A liberal Web site, AMERICAblog.org, began raising money for Gobbell on Monday night after learning of her dismissal. John Aravosis, who runs the site, said he collected $1,800 over a 24-hour period.

[Zimphire]

Good move on Kerry's part.