Rantz: Sawant is misguided in asking for day off to protest

Seattle councilmember Kshama Sawant is asking the the city to give employees the day off to protest on May Day. Her position is misguided and driven purely by ideology, and would never be applied consistently.

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“I urge councilmembers to approve this May Day resolution, which explicitly recognizes the right of city workers to take the day off and provides protection to city workers who may otherwise worry about retaliation,” a statement from Sawant says.

City workers do not have the right to miss work for rallies Sawant supports. In fact, they don’t have the right to take any time off for personal political beliefs. The public shouldn’t suffer from a lack of critical services because they want to take the time to rally at a park.

The whole purpose of this kind of rally is to show that the issue you’re fighting for is bigger than yourself. That you’re so passionate about an issue you’re willing to skip work and suffer the consequences for your activism.

There’s something noble about that position. Even if I disagree with the cause or message, at the very least, you’re acting with passion and not whining about the consequences; the issue, thus, is bigger than you. Asking for special treatment to participate says you care more about yourself than the actual issue.

Moreover, Sawant isn’t taking a principled position on the right of workers to engage civically. She’s taking a position that workers should get a pass for participating in demonstrations she personally supports. Would she take the same position for a pro-life demonstration? Of course not.

Want to take time off on May 1 to protest, whether you’re a city worker or not? Fine with me. Enjoy the afternoon and night calling for change. But use a vacation day. Unless you’re not really all that passionate about the topic and just want a day off from work.

You get no sympathy from me on that position. We’d all like a day off consequence-free.

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