Concerned about right-wing wacko Google footprint Forum

[alwayssunnyinfl]

If someone doesn't want to hire you because of your political beliefs, well then they are as ignorant as people with racist/homophobic etc views. When did political views become a "right" and "wrong" debate? If there was a right and wrong we wouldn't have different views, everybody would just pick the right one.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[rinkrat19]

Gay marriage is not a good vs. Bad or right vs. Wrong debate. Not supporting gay marriage doesn't mean you are intolerant or against diversity or anything like that. So Im not sure why it would be an issue at all if you previously didn't support it, but now do.

"I think you are disgusting and perverse and sinful and I don't believe your committed relationship with another human being is worthy of the same respect and legal rights that result from my elopement with my fourth trophy wife, because supposedly someone wrote something down once a zillion years ago. But I'm totally not intolerant or against diversity or anything; I just want everyone to be just like me."

[abc12345675]

Gay marriage is not a good vs. Bad or right vs. Wrong debate. Not supporting gay marriage doesn't mean you are intolerant or against diversity or anything like that. So Im not sure why it would be an issue at all if you previously didn't support it, but now do.

"I think you are disgusting and perverse and sinful and I don't believe your committed relationship with another human being is worthy of the same respect and legal rights that result from my elopement with my fourth trophy wife, because supposedly someone wrote something down once a zillion years ago. But I'm totally not intolerant or against diversity or anything; I just want everyone to be just like me."

You, sir, are an idiot. You've managed to mock religion and call someone a bigot in 2 sentences. Congrats.

[wiseowl]

It's maybe 10% about "behavior in the office" and 90% about clients. Corporate clients these days are very diversity-focused; some firms even don't get hired at all if they aren't diverse enough. What if the OP is put on a matter where the client contact is gay? Awkward at the least.

Chances of this realistically mattering are low. But I think the OP is right to be concerned. Not sure how I would proceed.

I don't have a dog in this fight, but I'm a bit confused:
(1) Why does not supporting gay marriage = not supporting diversity? My understanding is that many people believe that marriage is a religious term meaning a male/female relationship. This doesn't necessarily make them "anti-gay" or homophobic.

(2) And if we say you shouldn't hire someone who has stated in the past that they don't support gay marriage, does that mean you also shouldn't hire someone who has said they don't support AA? How about abortion? I just don't think these beliefs are an appropriate basis for hiring decisions.

I really, really don't want this thread to derail. But really, #1? You're at a summer associate lunch with a gay partner or associate. You're at a client meeting or a trade show, and the contact you've just made is gay. Important: you may not know this upon first meeting them.

Would you say to that person, to their face, "ya know, I don't think you should get married. If you should happen to get sick, I don't think your partner should get to visit you in the hospital in some states. If you should die without a will, I think your long term partner should get nothing and your estate should go to your parents, who lets face it, haven't been very supportive. I'm not so sure you should get to adopt kids at all, but in case you manage to pull that off, if you should die, I think your kid should be put into foster care instead of staying with your partner - their other parent. But don't get me wrong bro, I am all for gays! Now, how much business were we gonna do today?"

One of the things you have to find out before you leave law school is no clients, no job. Whether your personal beliefs are well-founded, well-meaning, or based in religion is pretty much 100% irrelevant.

It's the saying it to their face that would be the problem, not the belief itself. I think most people have certain beliefs that would offend other people if they are expressed in certain situations, but a reasonable person wouldn't talk about that stuff at work.

For example, I'm religious (not anti-gay marriage for the record ). I have tons of friends who are atheist. I don't care if a person is an atheist. I don't even care if a person thinks people who believe in God are irrational and has written articles "refuting" my religious beliefs. So long as when I'm interacting with that person they are polite and don't go out of their way to shit on my beliefs and start inane arguments with me, we'll get along fine. Similarly, I'm not going to make a big deal about my faith and I'm not going to say that "you're going to Hell" or stupid crap like that.

So in application to OP's situation:

1. OP says his opinion has changed, that doesn't really matter. Be anti-gay marriage or homophobic if you want, just keep your opinions to yourself.

2. It sounds like everything OP wrote was reasonable and statistics based. He wasn't writing "OMG gayz are evil!!!!" he was saying that public opinion is against gay marriage, etc. People have a right to disagree about things, if what OP wrote was reasonably professional it won't matter. Since his writing is published by another group that obviously has an agenda, OP could plausibly just be a writer hired to write an article that doesn't even particularly reflect his beliefs.

3. People might not even find those articles. They will probably drop off the front page of your Google results as time goes by, especially if you continue to manage your "internet profile." Don't acknowledge them or bring attention to them. If you are hosting a website just to make a statement that your opinions have changed, don't do that. Use your website as a virtual resume or something like that. The point should be to promote yourself and push the junk you wrote down in the results, not to draw attention to it and admit that you are the person who wrote the stuff.

I do agree with this. But having an article about it with inflammatory wingnut types bumping it like a Lounge thread gets closer to the "saying it out loud" side of the ledger.

Again, some of you seem to be too young to grasp this. There is no "right and wrong" debate in the real life corporate world. The client may not care about any sort of politics at all. Or their employees, board, and shareholders may make them care very much. That's the right and wrong, not whatever your morals told you.

[Nova]

Gay marriage is not a good vs. Bad or right vs. Wrong debate. Not supporting gay marriage doesn't mean you are intolerant or against diversity or anything like that. So Im not sure why it would be an issue at all if you previously didn't support it, but now do.

"I think you are disgusting and perverse and sinful and I don't believe your committed relationship with another human being is worthy of the same respect and legal rights that result from my elopement with my fourth trophy wife, because supposedly someone wrote something down once a zillion years ago. But I'm totally not intolerant or against diversity or anything; I just want everyone to be just like me."

You, sir, are an idiot. You've managed to mock religion and call someone a bigot in 2 sentences. Congrats.

She is a lady.

[jdhonest]

Gay marriage is not a good vs. Bad or right vs. Wrong debate. Not supporting gay marriage doesn't mean you are intolerant or against diversity or anything like that. So Im not sure why it would be an issue at all if you previously didn't support it, but now do.

"I think you are disgusting and perverse and sinful and I don't believe your committed relationship with another human being is worthy of the same respect and legal rights that result from my elopement with my fourth trophy wife, because supposedly someone wrote something down once a zillion years ago. But I'm totally not intolerant or against diversity or anything; I just want everyone to be just like me."

You, sir, are an idiot. You've managed to mock religion and call someone a bigot in 2 sentences. Congrats.

She is a lady.

Uh oh.

[abc12345675]

Gay marriage is not a good vs. Bad or right vs. Wrong debate. Not supporting gay marriage doesn't mean you are intolerant or against diversity or anything like that. So Im not sure why it would be an issue at all if you previously didn't support it, but now do.

"I think you are disgusting and perverse and sinful and I don't believe your committed relationship with another human being is worthy of the same respect and legal rights that result from my elopement with my fourth trophy wife, because supposedly someone wrote something down once a zillion years ago. But I'm totally not intolerant or against diversity or anything; I just want everyone to be just like me."

You, sir, are an idiot. You've managed to mock religion and call someone a bigot in 2 sentences. Congrats.

She is a lady.

well let me amend then: You, ma'am, are an IDIOT.

[dudeimsocool]

If someone doesn't want to hire you because of your political beliefs, well then they are as ignorant as people with racist/homophobic etc views. When did political views become a "right" and "wrong" debate? If there was a right and wrong we wouldn't have different views, everybody would just pick the right one.

+1

[rinkrat19]

Gay marriage is not a good vs. Bad or right vs. Wrong debate. Not supporting gay marriage doesn't mean you are intolerant or against diversity or anything like that. So Im not sure why it would be an issue at all if you previously didn't support it, but now do.

"I think you are disgusting and perverse and sinful and I don't believe your committed relationship with another human being is worthy of the same respect and legal rights that result from my elopement with my fourth trophy wife, because supposedly someone wrote something down once a zillion years ago. But I'm totally not intolerant or against diversity or anything; I just want everyone to be just like me."

You, sir, are an idiot. You've managed to mock religion and call someone a bigot in 2 sentences. Congrats.

It's idiotic to claim to be 100% tolerant and be against gay marriage. Period. If someone is homophobic, they should just own it. They'll still be a bigoted asshole, but at least they'll be logically consistent.

[concurrent fork]

.

[fatduck]

Gay marriage is not a good vs. Bad or right vs. Wrong debate. Not supporting gay marriage doesn't mean you are intolerant or against diversity or anything like that. So Im not sure why it would be an issue at all if you previously didn't support it, but now do.

you're right, it's not an issue at all and no employer would ever care if they found out you were associated with an opinion one way or another on gay marriage. this must be why you posted anonymously.

[abc12345675]

Gay marriage is not a good vs. Bad or right vs. Wrong debate. Not supporting gay marriage doesn't mean you are intolerant or against diversity or anything like that. So Im not sure why it would be an issue at all if you previously didn't support it, but now do.

"I think you are disgusting and perverse and sinful and I don't believe your committed relationship with another human being is worthy of the same respect and legal rights that result from my elopement with my fourth trophy wife, because supposedly someone wrote something down once a zillion years ago. But I'm totally not intolerant or against diversity or anything; I just want everyone to be just like me."

You, sir, are an idiot. You've managed to mock religion and call someone a bigot in 2 sentences. Congrats.

It's idiotic to claim to be 100% tolerant and be against gay marriage. Period. If someone is homophobic, they should just own it. They'll still be a bigoted asshole, but at least they'll be logically consistent.

Incorrect and logically flawed.

[jdhonest]

I really, really don't want this thread to derail. But really, #1? You're at a summer associate lunch with a gay partner or associate. You're at a client meeting or a trade show, and the contact you've just made is gay. Important: you may not know this upon first meeting them.

Would you say to that person, to their face, "ya know, I don't think you should get married. If you should happen to get sick, I don't think your partner should get to visit you in the hospital in some states. If you should die without a will, I think your long term partner should get nothing and your estate should go to your parents, who lets face it, haven't been very supportive. I'm not so sure you should get to adopt kids at all, but in case you manage to pull that off, if you should die, I think your kid should be put into foster care instead of staying with your partner - their other parent. But don't get me wrong bro, I am all for gays! Now, how much business were we gonna do today?"

One of the things you have to find out before you leave law school is no clients, no job. Whether your personal beliefs are well-founded, well-meaning, or based in religion is pretty much 100% irrelevant.

It's the saying it to their face that would be the problem, not the belief itself. I think most people have certain beliefs that would offend other people if they are expressed in certain situations, but a reasonable person wouldn't talk about that stuff at work.

Exactly. That's a completely different situation.

No one in their right mind is "100% tolerant." Are you a MANBLA member?

[alwayssunnyinfl]

I really, really don't want this thread to derail. But really, #1? You're at a summer associate lunch with a gay partner or associate. You're at a client meeting or a trade show, and the contact you've just made is gay. Important: you may not know this upon first meeting them.

Would you say to that person, to their face, "ya know, I don't think you should get married. If you should happen to get sick, I don't think your partner should get to visit you in the hospital in some states. If you should die without a will, I think your long term partner should get nothing and your estate should go to your parents, who lets face it, haven't been very supportive. I'm not so sure you should get to adopt kids at all, but in case you manage to pull that off, if you should die, I think your kid should be put into foster care instead of staying with your partner - their other parent. But don't get me wrong bro, I am all for gays! Now, how much business were we gonna do today?"

One of the things you have to find out before you leave law school is no clients, no job. Whether your personal beliefs are well-founded, well-meaning, or based in religion is pretty much 100% irrelevant.

It's the saying it to their face that would be the problem, not the belief itself. I think most people have certain beliefs that would offend other people if they are expressed in certain situations, but a reasonable person wouldn't talk about that stuff at work.

Exactly. That's a completely different situation.

No one in their right mind is "100% tolerant." Are you a MANBLA member?

It's NAMBLA

[rinkrat19]

I really, really don't want this thread to derail. But really, #1? You're at a summer associate lunch with a gay partner or associate. You're at a client meeting or a trade show, and the contact you've just made is gay. Important: you may not know this upon first meeting them.

Would you say to that person, to their face, "ya know, I don't think you should get married. If you should happen to get sick, I don't think your partner should get to visit you in the hospital in some states. If you should die without a will, I think your long term partner should get nothing and your estate should go to your parents, who lets face it, haven't been very supportive. I'm not so sure you should get to adopt kids at all, but in case you manage to pull that off, if you should die, I think your kid should be put into foster care instead of staying with your partner - their other parent. But don't get me wrong bro, I am all for gays! Now, how much business were we gonna do today?"

One of the things you have to find out before you leave law school is no clients, no job. Whether your personal beliefs are well-founded, well-meaning, or based in religion is pretty much 100% irrelevant.

It's the saying it to their face that would be the problem, not the belief itself. I think most people have certain beliefs that would offend other people if they are expressed in certain situations, but a reasonable person wouldn't talk about that stuff at work.

Exactly. That's a completely different situation.

No one in their right mind is "100% tolerant." Are you a MANBLA member?

I think you meant to reply to me.

I never claimed I wasn't intolerant. I'm intolerant of plenty of people (stupid people, people who think Twilight is excellent, child molesters, and right wing bigots, to name a few examples).

I wasn't the one saying "that doesn't mean I'm intolerant" while being aganist gay marriage.

[jdhonest]

I wasn't the one saying "that doesn't mean I'm intolerant" while being aganist gay marriage.

I think the fairest explanation of what the poster meant was that he was not unreasonably intolerant, not 100% intolerant. Now, whether someone's level on intolerance is reasonable or not is highly subjective. You two seem to disagree on that, but I don't think it's really fair or accurate to paint the poster as claiming to be 100% tolerant. Fair enough?

[rinkrat19]

I wasn't the one saying "that doesn't mean I'm intolerant" while being aganist gay marriage.

I think the fairest explanation of what the poster meant was that he was not unreasonably intolerant, not 100% intolerant. Now, whether someone's level on intolerance is reasonable or not is highly subjective. You two seem to disagree on that, but I don't think it's really fair or accurate to paint the poster as claiming to be 100% tolerant. Fair enough?

I don't think someone gets to claim tolerance at all while offering a specific example of their intolerance on the topic under discussion. He's saying "being against gay marriage doesn't make me intolerant." I'm saying yeah, it does, just own it. (And if he's human, it's likely not even the only way he's intolerant, but that's beside the point.)

[Band A Long]

Nobody is completely intolerant, nobody said they were completely intolerant, nobody has final authority over personal morality, only the ability to advance arguments (unless you are a deity, I suppose).

Anyway, as has been said, there is going to be variability in how different individuals in charge of the hiring process will react. This variability simply isn't up for debate — you're not going to see that you got dinged from the resume pile, call up the hiring officers and argue with them on the phone about moral theory. To minimize variability, it is not too too difficult to provide a self-controlled online portrait of oneself using cross-linking and a simple static website (or even one with a fairly neutral blog).

I don't understand how you guys/gals can compartmentalize this advice so hard. You'll take advice about fashion (dress conservatively) but then think you're going to argue with someone about gay marriage in order to get a law job.

He's saying "being against gay marriage doesn't make me intolerant." I'm saying yeah, it does, just own it.

Intolerant is a word with negative connotations. Nobody that believes what they are saying/writing would self-label themselves as intolerant, just like they wouldn't say "I'm narrow-minded and bigoted, but I own it!"

[laxbrah420]

What a stupid (and ironic) fucking way to argue.

[abc12345675]

I for one am strongly intolerant of rinkrat19

[jdhonest]

I wasn't the one saying "that doesn't mean I'm intolerant" while being aganist gay marriage.

I think the fairest explanation of what the poster meant was that he was not unreasonably intolerant, not 100% intolerant. Now, whether someone's level on intolerance is reasonable or not is highly subjective. You two seem to disagree on that, but I don't think it's really fair or accurate to paint the poster as claiming to be 100% tolerant. Fair enough?

I don't think someone gets to claim tolerance at all while offering a specific example of their intolerance on the topic under discussion. He's saying "being against gay marriage doesn't make me intolerant." I'm saying yeah, it does, just own it. (And if he's human, it's likely not even the only way he's intolerant, but that's beside the point.)

I see your point, but I think that he gets to do just that, and you get to disagree. Example: I'm pretty tolerant, but I think eating meat is wrong.

Obviously, I'm intolerant of something, but I still hold that my intolerance is within reason. The poster may be suggesting that tolerance isn't an all or nothing thing. You can not tolerate certain views while still being reasonably tolerant enough to be considered "a tolerant person." If any modicum of intolerance renders one intolerant, then the word has no practical meaning. What's more, I'm sure anyone who doesn't tolerate gay marriage does not consider it to be so important as to render that person intolerant. To someone who believes or advocates for gay marriage, however, it's likely the opposite case.

[alwayssunnyinfl]

I love when people parse semantics and get all philosophical when deciding on how I should live my life. Carry on.

edit: sorry, didn't mean to derail. I just get touchy about this subject. My 0L was showing

[jdhonest]

I love when people parse semantics and get all philosophical when deciding on how I should live my life. Carry on.

I love passive aggressive posters who reduce any semi-intelligent idea that doesn't cohere with their point to be "philosophical." Carrying on...

[laxbrah420]

I love when people parse semantics and get all philosophical when deciding on how I should live my life. Carry on.

I like you brah but I think it's a bit disingenuous to reduce the argument to that.
(scooped)

[Band A Long]

Also, I'm amazed nobody has posted this yet