I was getting one of my three vehicles serviced at this location. The service was fine, simple oil change, it was the atmosphere that was offensive.
They had FOX TV on the TV in the waiting area. I won't call it news, as even Fox admitted in court that they provide entertainment, not news. It was obnoxious, and I asked the manager to change it to something else. He asked if I did not want the news on, and I expressed the fact above about it not being news.
He accommodated and while doing so, commented that when he puts CNN on, he gets objections, and that he thinks they all are biased, and I told him that I could not agree more.
Then unprompted, he said something to the effect of "one thing he completely believes in is the deportation of violent illegal aliens". Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and he is not wrong for having a different opinion from mine, but I do think he is wrong, as a manager in a business that serves the public, to be espousing and promoting political views, in a proactive manner.
I did engaged in the conversation, pointing out that the vast, overwhelming majority of illegal aliens are not that, and the current approach was reckless and heartless, and we both agreed that the entire processing of immigrants into the country needs an overhaul. We agreed that a large majority of immigrants are hardworking, not taking jobs away from American workers, and I thought this chapter would close.
When I thought the conversation was over, he then made a point of reiterating that violent illegal aliens need to be dealt with harshly. I then told him I agreed, much like I think the violent offenders of Jan 6th should have been. He stopped cold in his tracks and just gave me a blank look. I asked him if he thought they all should have been pardoned, and without hesitation, he said yes, and defended it by saying the press manipulated the perception, and you see officers ushering people into the capital. I pointed out that people died that day, and were egregiously injured and property damaged, and his counter was "only one person died". I was flabbergasted by the raw look I was getting at his skewed perception that there was nothing done wrong on that day. At the same time, I was amazed at the double standard, that the media he claimed had blown it out of proportion, in fact had hoodwinked him into believing what he did, and he was none the wiser, even today.
Thankfully the phone rang and another customer came in, and the conversation ended.
So why do I tell this story, and why a one star review? I think it is offensive to have a business and its manager promoting and spewing a deranged and dangerous political view. I think it is inappropriate and offensive and I will not support a business that creates this type of atmosphere. I will take the service of my three vehicles to a different business.
He is more than welcome to his opinion, no matter how ignorant or uninformed I might think it is, but I don't think it acceptable that, as a management representative for the company, that he be promoting his beliefs to the company's customer base. He is not speaking as an individual at that point, he is in a position of authority and speaking for the company.
I am sure if you espouse the same beliefs that Firestone in Harrisburg does, then you might take issue with what I say here, and you are well within your rights to do so. Just like I am well within my rights to voice this opinion and take my business to a company that supports the ideals, standards, morals and ethics that I am more comfortable with. read more