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Poll: Do you turn down projects that contain or express hate in any form?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 03:33
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Correct, Philip Feb 29, 2020

Philip Lees wrote:

Mario Freitas wrote:

Personal reasons are not professional reasons whatsoever. Not even close.


I don't think this distinction is a valid one. If I cancel a job because I think I'm too sick to do it properly, my reason is a personal one, but my behaviour is professional.

In general, I think it would be unprofessional to accept a job if you thought that, for personal reasons, you would not be able to deliver work of your usual high quality.


Absolutely, Philip. But the example you gave is a lot different than what was being discussed. I was talking about personal preferences, of course.


 
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
Likes and dislikes are weakness extremes Feb 29, 2020

I work with direct clients only, no sensitive topics.

Not long ago I was talking to a sober-minded and educated man, who calmly accepted many controversial views and points, including politically-corrected abstract nouns [freedom, equality, religion, war, democracy...], yet when I incidentally mentioned that technically it was very Adolf Hitler who founded the European Union, he turned red beside himself with rage, trying to prove me all wrong.

Why, he occasionally se
... See more
I work with direct clients only, no sensitive topics.

Not long ago I was talking to a sober-minded and educated man, who calmly accepted many controversial views and points, including politically-corrected abstract nouns [freedom, equality, religion, war, democracy...], yet when I incidentally mentioned that technically it was very Adolf Hitler who founded the European Union, he turned red beside himself with rage, trying to prove me all wrong.

Why, he occasionally sends me links with 'conclusive evidences'... Little wonder, he is directly related the European Council)
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Elizabeth Tamblin
Elizabeth Tamblin  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:33
French to English
@Mario Mar 1, 2020

Mario Freitas wrote:

Jan Truper wrote:

Mario Freitas wrote:
It is highly unprofessional to turn down a job due to personal preferences.


I must be highly unprofessional, then.


Can a doctor or a dentist refuse to assist a patient because he is a drug addict or an alcoholic?

Would a lawyer refuse a potential client because he is a murderer or rapist?

Should a mechanic refuse to fix a car because it's painted with a Swastika?

It's up to each person to choose and make their own decision. But you can't say it's professional. It's strictly personal and zero professional.


You raise an interesting issue here, and I have a question for you.

Would you say that a professional translator has some kind of ethical duty to take on any translation job that is offered, in the same way that a doctor is obliged to treat every patient that walks through the door?

This seems to be implied by saying that a translator who refuses a job for personal reasons is acting unprofessionally.

Edited to add: By the way, from April, NHS workers in the UK will be able to refuse treatment to racist or sexist patients.

[Edited at 2020-03-01 11:28 GMT]


 
IrinaN
IrinaN
United States
Local time: 01:33
English to Russian
+ ...
Our job is to deliver information Mar 1, 2020

Not to join movements and demonstrations on a daily basis. This should be done on a personal time and dime.

I would interpret another Hitler or some hater of Russian people because I would want 120+ million Russian speakers to know that that hater exists and nourishes hateful plans.

As far as personal preferences are concerned, I fully support it and it does not speak of our unprofessionalism. On the contrary, it speaks of an established professional who can afford to c
... See more
Not to join movements and demonstrations on a daily basis. This should be done on a personal time and dime.

I would interpret another Hitler or some hater of Russian people because I would want 120+ million Russian speakers to know that that hater exists and nourishes hateful plans.

As far as personal preferences are concerned, I fully support it and it does not speak of our unprofessionalism. On the contrary, it speaks of an established professional who can afford to choose rather than pick up any scrapes that come h/h way. We don't have to explain the reason to anyone, and we better don't, especially today when anything can lead to a frivolous lawsuit and bashing in the social media, often for no better reason than hefty financial or political gain for the accuser with h/h own very dark closet.
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Daryo
The Misha
 
Helen Shiner
Helen Shiner  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:33
German to English
+ ...
Technically Mar 1, 2020

DZiW wrote:

I work with direct clients only, no sensitive topics.

Not long ago I was talking to a sober-minded and educated man, who calmly accepted many controversial views and points, including politically-corrected abstract nouns [freedom, equality, religion, war, democracy...], yet when I incidentally mentioned that technically it was very Adolf Hitler who founded the European Union, he turned red beside himself with rage, trying to prove me all wrong.

Why, he occasionally sends me links with 'conclusive evidences'... Little wonder, he is directly related the European Council)


Technically, Hitler had been dead for many years when the European Union was founded in 1993.


Jan Truper
Tom in London
 
Philip Lees
Philip Lees  Identity Verified
Greece
Local time: 08:33
Greek to English
Going a little off topic Mar 2, 2020

Elizabeth Tamblin wrote:

Edited to add: By the way, from April, NHS workers in the UK will be able to refuse treatment to racist or sexist patients.

[Edited at 2020-03-01 11:28 GMT]


Really? I hadn't heard about that.

Who will make the decision as to whether a particular patient is racist or sexist? (As opposed to, for example, high on drugs, or mentally ill)


 
Nikolay Novitskiy
Nikolay Novitskiy  Identity Verified
Russian Federation
Local time: 11:33
Member (2018)
English to Russian
Why not calling police after examining the text? Mar 24, 2020

I think you should take the job and then find out, weather the text promotes illegal activity, extremism, etc. If yes, you should report it to the police or state security service. It's so simple.

 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:33
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Wrong Mar 24, 2020

DZiW wrote:

-----he turned red beside himself with rage, trying to prove me all wrong.


Well, you *were* wrong. I don't know why he bothered with you.


Helen Shiner
 
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
Have and have not Mar 24, 2020

> Well, you *were* wrong.
Tom, as a true professional, you must have spent some 25 days on researching the topic, comparing the facts, opinions, and ideas behind the subject. However, as a true gentleman, in your statement you had omitted the reason, keeping the situation and purpose of utterance in mind.

> I don't know why he bothered with you.
While there’s nothing wrong with admitting own mistakes or lack of knowledge, the answer is obvious:
... See more
> Well, you *were* wrong.
Tom, as a true professional, you must have spent some 25 days on researching the topic, comparing the facts, opinions, and ideas behind the subject. However, as a true gentleman, in your statement you had omitted the reason, keeping the situation and purpose of utterance in mind.

> I don't know why he bothered with you.
While there’s nothing wrong with admitting own mistakes or lack of knowledge, the answer is obvious:
I’m not a mere ‘pure’ translator.


Certainly, I’m quite open-minded and even enjoy learning something new while looking at different angles. That’s why I don’t have a constant and absolute educated opinion. Did you read ‘Hitler, Inc.’, ‘Who financed Hitler’, ‘Viertes Reich ‘ and other books and official statements to balance your tunnel view? Or you know some important geographical or political differences, I wonder?
The European Union is pursuing a similar goal to Hitler in trying to create a powerful superstate, Boris Johnson says. “Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically.”


For what it's worth, I take everything as mere opinions, so I can freely accept only interesting offers.

Cheers
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Poll: Do you turn down projects that contain or express hate in any form?






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