Xref: utzoo soc.women:8515 soc.singles:12194 alt.flame:1060
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From: ooblick@eddie.MIT.EDU (Mikki Barry)
Newsgroups: soc.women,soc.singles,alt.flame
Subject: Re: Christmas Celebration
Keywords: Religious intolerance
Message-ID: <7730@eddie.MIT.EDU>
Date: 23 Dec 87 13:17:20 GMT
References: <3445@ihlpl.ATT.COM> <7706@eddie.MIT.EDU> <5409@sol.ARPA> <7709@eddie.MIT.EDU> <22254@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <7712@eddie.MIT.EDU> <9554@tekecs.TEK.COM>
Reply-To: ooblick@eddie.MIT.EDU (Mikki Barry)
Organization: MIT, EE/CS Computer Facilities, Cambridge, MA
Lines: 36

In article <9554@tekecs.TEK.COM> snoopy@doghouse.gwd.tek.com (Snoopy) writes:

>>If 90% of my employees don't want blacks on the staff and would be offended
>>if I hired one, should I be *forced* to accomodate the 9% who don't
>>give a damn, or the 1% who are going to make a big stink about it?

>No, you shouldn't.  You should be allowed to hire who you want.
>If 90% of your staff will be offended, then your office is not going
>to run very smoothly if you hire one.  Especially if they are offended
>enough to leave.  Assuming that talents and skill sets are evenly
>distributed among the three groups, you will need to consider the 90%
>a bit more than the 1%. (That's *consider*, not grant their every wish!)
>[Of course these days you have to consider the government and it's wishes!]

Or the law, and its *wishes*?  I am the owner of a corporation.  
Therefore I can do what the hell I please?  Well, that's a surprise to
me and to the state and federal laws that regulate what I do.  One of
the criteria I am not allowed to discriminate on the basis of is
religion.  Having a party in which one religion is "featured", i.e.
christmas is discriminatory if there are any other religions or lack
of religions represented on my staff.  Deciding not to hire someone
because she is black is ILLEGAL.  Deciding not to hire someone because
he is christian is also ILLEGAL.  Dancing around Jews in the office 
chanting "christ killer" is also also illegal.  There is still a question
about christians dancing around the office chanting "happy birthday
dear Jesus".  I consider it rude at the very least.

Why all the goddamn uproar about changing the name of an office party?
Why are some people so bent upon throwing the name of christ into it?
I don't think he would approve (if he existed) given his legendary tolerance
of other religions.  It was only later that people decided to attempt
to wipe out or convert everyone else.  

Mikki Barry

"Kill a tree for Jesus"