Politics in Work
WARNING: This publication contains politics (focus is mainly on religion and LGBTQ) and the mention of the word “freaking”. If this is something you can not read without lashing out, I suggest not to read it. I apologize for the use of the word “freaking” and for any opposing political views, these are just my beliefs. No hate, please.
Last week on Thursday, we had Governor Matt Bevin’s Director of Communications, Amanda Stamper, to speak to our class. She is an empowering woman and an inspirational speaker. I commend to her all the obstacles and struggles she has to overcome.
One question I asked Stamper was, “How do you do your job, even though you might not agree with your boss’s work/moves?” And she replied saying, “I try to keep my political beliefs out of my work”. To an extent, I agree. For example, the Kim Davis story of a county clerk refusing to sign marriage licenses to gay couples because of her belief in Christianity wasn’t right. Davis not only refused a federal law, but brought her own religious beliefs into a government work field…where the government’s basis foundation is having a separation from the church and state. Davis should have left her religious beliefs at the door and just done her job.
Stamper, also, talked about how exciting her job and how she loves doing it every day. That’s a good job to have; we’re always told that ‘if you love what you do, you won’t have to work a day in your life’. But how do you work for a man that can directly affect your family. I’m not saying that Stamper is affected by Governor Bevin’s choices in any way (because she might be, who knows). All I’m saying is that if I was in her position, I wouldn’t be able to keep my political beliefs outside of work. Bevin has made some questionable (and some not questionable) choices recently. For example, there was a bill passed that starting July 2017 all vehicles will have to have headlights that are the color white. Drivers cannot have yellow-ish tinted headlights. This law was passed for the safety of drivers. I can understand this bill; its consistency. This is one of his unquestionable choices. However, Bevin has also passed a bill that allows organizations to have the choice to discriminate against the LGBTQ community under the farce of “religion” in public schools…all of because of a freaking Charlie Brown bible verse. Here is the link that can update you on the matter: http://www.towleroad.com/2017/03/kentucky-religious-freedom/
This I do not agree with. At all. Maybe I might be misinformed, and for that I apologize to any pro-Bevin supporter, but realistically, anything that deals with students and religion and LGBTQ is commonly not a good sign. Here is a link to the description of the bill: http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/17RS/SB17.htm
No student should have to fear someone because of their religion. Any student can shout “Gays and lesbians go to hell” and defend it based on religious freedom, and it is freaking legal to do that! People do not realize what goes on behind closed doors. I’m not saying I’m an expert, but I am a resident advisor, so I do see what students go through mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically, and that is just a fraction of what really goes on. I can’t speak for everyone, I can’t empathize to the full extent, but I can try. What I see is sad and depressing and horrible, on both sides. I just know that one day things will get better.
So how do you work in the government work field, how do you work for a man who does stuff like that, and be excited about the job you do? The LGBTQ matter aforementioned wasn’t even the topic that directly affects my family, believe it or not. That is just a matter of something I believe in; that matter is something Bevin is closed-minded in. But can you imagine if a matter did affect my family? What if someone in my family was part of the LGBTQ community?
The world is being split in two: conservatives and liberals. No one thinks with open minds any more; no one thinks in gray tones. I still have conservative beliefs, like sex and babies are for marriage, but my liberal beliefs, like whether that marriage is heterosexual or homosexual, is what people these days have difficult time adjusting to. Balance will be key here in living a changing society.
