Post by Tannaidhe on Jan 14, 2006 21:45:37 GMT -5
I don't know how many of you know this, but there is a man running for Governor of Minnesota at the head of the 'Vampires, Witches and Pagans' party, Jonathon Sharkey. I happen to know him, and his wife Julie, online; I have for some time, before this running for office thing came to his head (before they knew each other, for that matter. lol) Now, he has publicly admitted to being a satanic priest, and a vampire. The media of course is having a heyday with this. While I agree with some of his stances, I think he goes WAY too far (he intends to IMPALE terrorists and child molestors on the Capitol lawn, for example.) And, of course, much of the bad PR is because of the media's penchant for sensationalism and picking out only the words that sound the WORST.
However.
Friday afternoon, barely a few hours after he announced his campaign, his wife was fired from her job as a bus driver. On the letter it stated, very clearly, that the reason she was being fired was because 'her husband/friend [is] a vampire and running for public office' and that she was a self-proclaimed Pagan (they used the term 'witch'.) She had had no previous work problems; she was among the best drivers they had. But they felt she was 'unsuitable to perform transportation services'.
This is exactly the sort of reason that he started this campaign in the first place, and why he is being so open about *everything* about himself. It wasn't because he just 'wants to be governor'. It was because there are thousands of people in this country who are afraid to be who they are, because of this very sort of thing. What happened to freedom of religion in this country? What happened to discrimination being against the law?
Now, as I said, I don't agree (by a long shot) with him on many things; I think he has some good ideas, but takes them WAY too far. However, this sort of discrimination should have been long ago stamped out of this country. To say it makes me furious would be a gross understatement.
However.
Friday afternoon, barely a few hours after he announced his campaign, his wife was fired from her job as a bus driver. On the letter it stated, very clearly, that the reason she was being fired was because 'her husband/friend [is] a vampire and running for public office' and that she was a self-proclaimed Pagan (they used the term 'witch'.) She had had no previous work problems; she was among the best drivers they had. But they felt she was 'unsuitable to perform transportation services'.
This is exactly the sort of reason that he started this campaign in the first place, and why he is being so open about *everything* about himself. It wasn't because he just 'wants to be governor'. It was because there are thousands of people in this country who are afraid to be who they are, because of this very sort of thing. What happened to freedom of religion in this country? What happened to discrimination being against the law?
Now, as I said, I don't agree (by a long shot) with him on many things; I think he has some good ideas, but takes them WAY too far. However, this sort of discrimination should have been long ago stamped out of this country. To say it makes me furious would be a gross understatement.