Like a growing number of conservatives trying to function in an environment dominated by intolerant liberals, my friend, John Koster, finds himself in the familiar position these days of having his livelihood taken away from him for nothing more than expressing his opinions.
Koster, you may remember, served three terms as a Republican on the Snohomish County Council and ran unsuccessfully in 2012 for Congress.
As a public figure, his views are no secret now, nor were they when he was appointed by the county as its first-ever ombudsman.
In this position, his job is to serve as a liaison between the public and the county and, by all accounts, he’s performed his duties flawlessly.
In October, however, he signed on to a Freedom Foundation fundraising letter that read, “For too long, labor leaders have ripped off our hard-working teachers and state employees, forcing them to pay dues whether they want to be part of the union or not, then funneling that money to politicians at election time.”
Even worse, he described me as his “brother-in-arms of mine in the fight against union control of Washington.”
For his trouble, the unions saw to it he wasn’t reappointed to another two-year term.
“He clearly stepped out of bounds and he should not continue in this position,” said Chris Dugovich, president of the AFSCME affiliate that represents most county employees.
By doing what, exactly? Thinking? Exercising his First Amendment right to free speech?
“As long as he’s county ombudsman, I think he should refrain from taking strong political positions that could affect his job performance,” said Council Chairman Dave Somers.
Hogwash.
Anyone who knows John Koster as I do, knows his political opinions would never adversely affect his job performance. By the same token, anyone who thinks he’s going to renounce his core beliefs just to keep his government job has another think coming, too.
The point is, can you honestly imagine a liberal in the same position being trashed for taking a position consistent with his views on, say, the environment or same-sex marriage?
Of course not. To the Left, what they believe isn’t opinion at all. It’s the revealed word.
But let a conservative state his views unapologetically, and he deserves to be fired, tarred and feathered and run out of town.
It’s incidents like these that make me proud to stand on the right side of the issues and the right side of history — alongside patriots like John Koster.
Tom McCabe is the chief executive of the Freedom Foundation, an Olympia-based conservative think tank.
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