The Diversity Corner
| Publication year | 2010 |
| Pages | 14 |
Political Discussions or Heated Debates
By Kelly Lynn Anders
Dear Kelly,
This question is tangentially related to diversity. It concerns politics. I was sitting with a few colleagues at lunch the other day, and someone raised a topic that made me feel uncomfortable. I'm a Republican, and everyone else around the table began to bash my party. They went as far as accusing all Republicans of being racist, sexist, and homophobic. I am none of those things, but I am fiscally conservative, which is why I have retained this affiliation. I have purposely not disclosed my gender or nationality in this question because I am concerned that it could expose my identity; none of my colleagues knows my affiliation because I feel that it is personal. I was always advised not to discuss politics in the workplace, and I did not expect to have to deal with this during lunch. While they were talking, I didn't know how to handle it, so I kept quiet. Was this the right thing to do? How could I have addressed this issue without getting mired in a political discussion or revealing my personal political position?
Closet Republican
Dear Republican,
It sounds like you were placed in a very awkward position, and your colleagues probably felt they could speak freely because they assumed you were all in agreement. Regardless, this provides an excellent example of why politics and work don't mix — unless one works in the state Capitol. Political discussions can easily become heated debates, which can lead to hurt feelings that take a very long time to dissipate. Even if all of you shared the same party affiliation, this would not prevent such disagreements. It's also disheartening to hear that they expressed such harsh, stereotypical views of what "all" Republicans are like. It must have been difficult to hear such criticisms and fear retribution for defending yourself. Your decision to remain quiet is one way to handle it, but you might also consider providing examples that would encourage them to rethink their assumptions without giving away your personal views. As an example, you might have chimed in to say, "C'mon, guys, let's be fair. Everyone respects Gen. Colin Powell, and he's a Republican who is progressive and open-minded. Would we want Republicans to say Democrats are all a bunch of...
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