To make a long story short, the company I used to work for suddenly closed its doors about a year ago. After much wailing, worrying, and gnashing of teeth, I was fortunate enough to land a job with another international corporation which (or whom? hmmm) is involved in some rather nasty bio and agro shit that people here do not like. Neither do I. I bite my tongue, and hold my nose, because I have people to take care of, and someone else would do this job if I didn't (though not nearly as well - ha.ha.).
I do not like this company, generally known by a three-letter logo; I do not like their operations, their organization, their hierarchy, their quality of personnel, their general sloppiness, their shitty IT resources, or even their confusing, bullshit pay stubs. But, I need the income, and the insurance, and I do what a man's gotta do.
But that's not what's bugging me.
What's bugging me grows wings beyond the orange chrysalis...
Wednesday morning, November 5th, 2014, our morning rack-up was an orgy of wingnut euphoria. I'm the new guy, you see, so I try to keep my politics to myself, at least until I've established some clout. You know how it is -- the right person can make life hell for you if they find you out. So, I bite my lip, and listen to the bullshit.
There is one - ONE! - man, of about sixty, who's long here been known as a Democrat. He was tortured mercilessly. He was taunted, teased, harassed, and belittled. He's maybe used it, having obviously been subjected to it for many years, but I would have probably stuck a fork in someone's eye, under the circumstances. So, I try to lay low, for now.
I know that same-sex partners are allowed on our insurance plan, but, beyond that, I don't see much evidence of progressive thinking around here. Our shift supers stream Fox "news" constantly on their computers. Perhaps corporate does not know this. Perhaps this corporation is better than the local branch. Perhaps corporate headquarters is more reasonable than the locals on other issues. Too early to tell. I promise to find out, as soon as I gain the clout.
In my entire department (E&I, Maint, Process Automation, Mechanical, for those in the secret club), there is exactly one black person, and he is not even an official employee. He's treated like a "real" employee, but he's considered part-time, like at WalMart, and he spends all day chipping concrete with a jackhammer. He gets no corporate benefits, no vacation pay, no nothing. He works ten times as hard as I do, for about one third the pay, and they use him like a house nigga. He's not alone, though; there are two white guys in the same situation, but, considering where I came from, it's just bizarre to look out on a sea of faces, and see only one "Token". And that's not meant to be cute.
I was also blessed with an image of President Obama french-kissing the "president of France", while Michelle looked on, in obvious shock that her husband was "queer". This image came from the cell phone gods, whom endow the wingnuts with chain mail genius and prophesy. I said to the carrier of this news, that is bullshit, man; that is photoshopped, there is no fucking way Obama kissed this guy this way. Use your fucking head. This is bullshit.
He said, there it is, bro, you can't fake that.
I said, yes, oh, yes, you can, you stupid asshole.
And now, I have been found out.
8:29 AM PT: Corrected typos and facts