Employees (and others) in fear

Should employees of an organization have to fear retaliation or retribution, if they choose to align themselves with a candidate for public office who is running against their boss?

no, No, and NO!

The elected office of Sheriff of McHenry County, Ill. is not contested very often. Nygren was appointed as Sheriff by the McHenry County Board; that's how he got the keys to the office the first time. Then there was one election cycle when a MCSD sergeant ran against Nygren. And since then?

No competition. No challenger. And look where that office is now!

For several years I said that NO major elected office should be unchallenged. And so in 2009 I decided to run for Sheriff. In the previous two election cycles (2006 and 2002) I had said, "Man, I ought to run for Sheriff." My disagreement with how the office was being run goes back that far.

Last Saturday I gave a short presentation at the Green Party State Convention. The title of my talk was, "Why would a 71-year-old man want to run for Sheriff?"

The answer? "Because in 10-15 years I might be too old!"

The USA is supposed to be a free country. Employees of elected officials should be able to back the person of their free choice and not have to hide when doing it. And the same with employees of friends of the elected official. But it's not that way today. The fear is too great.