Political Harassment
A friend works for a DC-area medical non-profit, and feels political harassment creates a hostile work environment:
I was filing in the hallway while some managers talked about the VP debate. One complained about Palin’s wink, and said she would not be a good president. I chimed in saying I only watched the second half but thought the winking was cute and that I like capable women in leadership. One said "You can’t vote, right?" I said I was a green card holder. "Oh good, we wouldn’t want you to vote." Shortly after, my peers and managers at the weekly work social were told that I am a supporter of Republicans and that they are glad I cannot vote as I would vote for a stupid, uneducated woman because she is cute and winks.
Once upon a time most any work harassment was fair game – if you didn’t like it you were supposed to find another job. Then we made rules against harassing people for a few things, like gender, race or religion. But apparently harassing people at work for their politics is still fair game. Compared to the current regime, I can better appreciate either the previous anything-goes regime, or an always-nice regime where no one may be harassed at work for any non-work-related issue. But what is the point allowing some but not other kinds of non-work-related harassment at work?
Palin was had the modern version of the KKK lynch mob out to defame her because she was off the plantation. Democrats think they own women, just like they championed slavery and Jim Crow in the past. People who believe the anti Palin BS are dupes of the same kind of mob whose history goes back to before the Civil War.
While I too think Palin is stupid. You shouldn't be harassed at work. Document everything and then go to the HR dept, or your supervisor. If that doesn't work, talk to an attorney.