Was ambushed at work today

[Bounty Hunter]

I was not sure where to put this, so here it is.

I went in to work today, and the first 45 min was a normal day. One of my co workers in my department, turns and asked me if I watched any of the events over the school shooting this weekend. He knows me pretty well, and knows I am a hunter, and a second amendment supporter.
I start to tell him what a tragedy this is, and did not get two whole sentences out, and two other co-workers,(One a lead, and the other a Supervisor), start drilling me.
One asks "What I thought of having semi automatic weapons now"? The other one implies the same.
I was a caught a little off guard with the tone and attitude. They know I carry, and has never been an issue, but it was almost like they were pissed at me.

I let them spew for a few minutes, and I told them I thought this was a horrible tragedy, and I felt so bad for the families who were involved. They just kept drilling me with attitude, and questions.
The one finally asks me where I stood with this, and if it has changed my outlook on firearms.
I said "Yes it has,I feel that if the teachers, and faculty in the schools, had a firearm and were trained to use it, this may have not have happened, or at least could have been stopped at some point.
I told them these things just re-enforce my beliefs in carrying and having the freedom to protect my life, and family.
I asked the one, "If they had a child, or a loved one in that situation, and someone there had a firearm to defend that person, would they want them to use it and possibly save a life, or stand there and do nothing?"

The only answer I got was a quick turn around, which was my answer.

I was slightly aggravated afterwords with the way this played out. They could not really truthfully answer that because it would have gone against their arguement.

Just a little put off on this one.

 

[Denny347]

Thankfully everyone I work with are pro gun, pro carry.

 

[phylodog]

Hostile work environment lawsuit.

 

[Vilage.Idiot]

I have had a similar issue although it has been on social media websites like Facebook. Friend and acquaintances all know my stance on firearms so they intentionally attack me as though I were the on who personally provided this jughead with the guns he used in this massacre. I ended one argument with several anti-gunners with the question " If you had the choice between watching a person execute your 5 yr-old child or taking action with a firearm how many of you would choose to watch?" Funny not a single response from the anti-gunners. I guess firearms are ok when it comes to protecting only your own child.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Bounty Hunter, by your account, you did good. Well done.

 

[eldirector]

I assume you have an HR department?

I don't normally advocate "making a report", but you might want to at least document the indecent. At least before one of your coworkers does the same (especially shift leads and supervisors).

Other than that, keep fighting the good fight!

 

[Que]

Great job, BH. I would say to just let it pass and don't report anything. What benefit would you get out of a report?

 

[Ted]

Hostile work environment lawsuit.

A hostile work environment does not automatically go to a lawsuit. Its up to the employer to intervene first.

I assume you have an HR department?

I don't normally advocate "making a report", but you might want to at least document the indecent. At least before one of your coworkers does the same (especially shift leads and supervisors).

^ This.

 

[printcraft]

Great job, BH. I would say to just let it pass and don't report anything. What benefit would you get out of a report?

Supervisor having a problem with the OP. Supervisor is obviously upset and emotional.

Supervisor could use OP gun history as justification in his mind to F with the OP.

OP needs documentation when something comes up a month later when he loses his job.

/\ OP needs to cover his butt.








I am not a lawyer, but I did sleep with one last night.

 

[Que]

Supervisor having a problem with the OP. Supervisor is obviously upset and emotional.

Supervisor could use OP gun history as justification in his mind to F with the OP.

OP needs documentation when something comes up a month later when he loses his job.

/\ OP needs to cover his butt.

I am not a lawyer, but I did sleep with one last night.

In this situation, they were asking questions and he gave them answers. What was their intent? Was there any form of threat of injury? Reporting someone for asking questions is not a good move. If they wanted to have a reason to get rid of him, they didn't need to ask questions, since they already knew his stand. He could possibly be starting something that is not necessary, but it's his call.

 

[Leo]

This tragety and the fear that it sends has people acting with uncontrolled emotion. Be very aware of the herd instinct where poor logic, motivated by base fear, influences the emotional response by others who are not dealing well with the fear. People can be stired up even to the point of gang beating some person who is not even involved to death as a final climax of the runaway fear. This is out of Psych textbooks.

"Never understimate the power of stupid people in large numbers" This is from a bumper sticker.

Both are true.

 

[Hiker1911]

Discussing the news, politics, or the constitution at work opens all kinds of doors.

It's brings forth all kinds of responses...

 

[eldirector]

Someone in a management position, obviously very emotional, drilling the OP with "attitude and questions" about a hot topic that is absolutely not work-related is what caught my attention. If the OP is uncomfortable with how management is prying into personal beliefs, then HR needs to know. That is why the exist (well, other than handling "benefits").

If the OP is not uncomfortable, and this was all just common workplace banter, then ignore me! I'm not offended.

 

[spec4]

eldirector is right on. I would be sure this is noted by HR. It's a CYA world out there. Best to never get into a controversial discussion at work. For one thing, you won't likely change anyone's viewpoint so why bother..

 

[JetGirl]

would they want them to use it and possibly save a life, or stand there and do nothing?"

The only answer I got was a quick turn around, which was my answer.


They could not really truthfully answer that because it would have gone against their arguement.

Yeah, I've got some staunch "anti" family and I've sort of had similar conversations. Right down to the fact that I was not the one who brought any of it up.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Just get it on record yourself first, in case someone tries to cause an issue later. We don't live in the society we grew up in.

 

[teddy12b]

I had a similar episode with a friend of my wife on social media. I "shared" the ingo poster that read "I can't wait to be lectured about my gun rights by an Administration responsible for giving guns to Mexican drug cartel members", because I thought it made an excellent case for people to consider their source for this new found hatred of guns. My wifes friend got on and immediately started in about it calling it "BS". I chose the route of chosing not to offend her and just unfriended her. You can use posters and the items you share on these websites to thin some of the dumb out of the herd.

I don't think I'd go too hard on the boss & superviser over this. Let things cool down, then people can talk reasonably and rationally again. I've usually been able to make people think by this statement "I can prove that the unarmed people didn't have a chance, but you can't prove that if a couple of them were armed that some of them wouldn't still be alive". If that doesn't make the point I would follow it up with "I promise I'll never use a gun to protect you or your children since you don't want me to".

 

[schafe]

This tragety and the fear that it sends has people acting with uncontrolled emotion. Be very aware of the herd instinct where poor logic, motivated by base fear, influences the emotional response by others who are not dealing well with the fear. People can be stired up even to the point of gang beating someone person who is not even involved to death as a final climax of the runaway fear. This is out of Psych textbooks.

"Never understimate the power of stupid people in large numbers" This is from a bumper sticker.

Both are true.

Ahhh... The connection between psych texts and bumper stickers looms large indeed !! Rep sent

 

[Ted]

Just get it on record yourself first, in case someone tries to cause an issue later. We don't live in the society we grew up in.

Its much like a 911 call in this respect, where "The first liar to call 911 is telling the truth."

This is not to state that the OP is a liar.

 

[88GT]

In this situation, they were asking questions and he gave them answers. What was their intent? Was there any form of threat of injury? Reporting someone for asking questions is not a good move. If they wanted to have a reason to get rid of him, they didn't need to ask questions, since they already knew his stand. He could possibly be starting something that is not necessary, but it's his call.

"So, Susie, what do you think of that manager over in production that got fired for threatening to axe his secretary if she didn't sleep with him? Would you report me if I did that to you? I mean, it was just probably a harmless joke, and she took it out of context, doncha think? At any rate, he should have been a little smarter about it if he was going to do that. I don't know, I don't really see the problem, but HR sure got their panties in a bunch. I'm just glad you're too smart to for that kind of trouble. By the way, I need you to stay late tonight to help me with some things. That won't be a problem, will it?"

He's just asking questions, right?

This could easily be a conversation with no more meaning than the words written here. Could be the unfortunate soul in production was making a complete joke and it was taken completely out of context for the offended woman. It could also be a threat and a statement of expectation that Susie should be careful not to repeat the "mistakes" of the other woman.

There's more to a situation than the transcript.