Life is Messy

[Edwina's Secretary]

In today's paper....Columnist John Stossel...who is somewhere to the right of Bill O'Riley....writes his column in defense of an LA manufacturer who is being sued for sexual harassment. The owner of the factory admits to engaging in sexual relationships with his employees....only "truly consensual loving relationships" and working in his underwear....when he is designing underwear to be manufactured.

I do not entirely disagree with his point....if you don't like the guy...go work elsewhere....

but to think I"d see a far right-wing columnist defending such workplace conduct!

[lizbud]

I wonder if this is a new practice the guy is exhibiting(the underwear,etc)
or the people sueing knew he was wierd and took the job anyway ? Maybe
if they knew about the guy's habits and took the job anyway, then I think
it's silly to be sueing now. Either way, they do have a case.

[Grace]

but to think I"d see a far right-wing columnist defending such workplace conduct!

I think John Stossel is a Libertarian.

in a talk at the Heartland Institute in Chicago, Illinois, Stossel said, "I'm a libertarian. But I don't often say that except to an audience like this because the term libertarian is confused with libertine or even worse, liberal." (Chicago Sun Times, February 15, 2004.) And in a speech at the Independent Institute in Oakland, California, he said, "Libertarian? I'm reluctant to identify myself that way because people don't know what it means... I wish we had a better name." (January 30, 2004)

[Edwina's Secretary]

I would agree that he has Libertarian ideas but he also has some that really cross the line....and as he says....NOT to the Liberal side!

I would like to think of myself as Libertarian but it is a tough standard to meet all the time.

The question here is...does the government have a legitimate interest in the conduct of a business owner toward his employees?

Stossel thinks not.

But if you continue that logic....why worry about employee safety? If the job is dangerous...go work elsewhere. Minimum wage....let the market take care of it. If you don't like the wages, leave.

How do you balance freedom with the needs for protection?

It is a difficult question. I just found it amusing that someone would be defending an employer who brags about doing the help and works in his underwear.

[zoey]

boxers or briefs?

[lizbud]

boxers or briefs?

Good one zoey

[sasvermont]

It was on either 60 Minutes or 20/20...something like that.

I believe this employer manufactures clothing, including underwear. He pays his workers highly, and is one of the few clothing maufacturers doing it 100% in the USA. Many others go to China etc. for the cutting and assembly. He seemed pretty ordinary to me. And yes, he slept with some of his employees. He is single and "looking".... Not much different from where I work....dating that is....not the underwear thang!
I have forgotten all the circumstances around the underwear part of the program, but I cannot think of any reason, off hand, that would justify strutting around the office in my / your/ one's undies! I don't want to even think about seeing some of my co-workers in their undies.




Stossel has never been a fav of mine.