Closet Democrats

This is an interesting post to write, sparked by a conversation with a friend..... Several months ago I applied for a job at an organization that was predominantly Republican. It was in the home building industry which definitely leans right. While doing so, I wondered if some of my more political statements online might prevent me from landing the job, if I had an "online trail". Though my beliefs wouldn't affect my ability to do the job, they could impact how effective I could be if people responded by being less willing to work with me. Make no mistake, my politics shouldn't interfere, but they could if people weren't willing to look beyond them...

In the past, anytime I meandered into politics on the job, I was always disappointed, it was so right dominant. There was so little regard for others who may have lived or been born in "less fortunate" circumstances. No doubt, this might have been related to my choice of professions, but Republicans have always felt the freedom to be "out" in their corporate work lives, while Democrats seem to hide in the closet. We are afraid of losing our jobs, particularly in this economy where jobs are a bit scarce. When liberal became a dirty word, liberals in the corporate world retreated to their closets. What can be said of a society where liberal is a dirty word, but greed is not -- greed that almost brought this nation to its knees?

I've obviously made a decision to be "out". Will I go broke doing it? Maybe, but how can there be a progressive movement when half of the progressives are hiding in the closet? The answer -- there can't be. There is little strength in silence. We have to shift the dynamic in this country so that people can be "out" and still feed their families. Again, I am reminded of this much quoted Ben Franklin line...."They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." Over the past years, I gave gained an added appreciation, of just how difficult, yet how important, this is to live up to.