Man Fired for Heckling Bush

Fire Fly · Post by **Fire Fly** » 2004-08-21 07:45pm

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/South/08/21/ ... index.html

Man fired for heckling Bush

Saturday, August 21, 2004 Posted: 6:17 PM EDT (2217 GMT)

CHARLESTON, West Virginia (AP) -- A man who heckled President Bush at a political rally was fired from his job at an advertising and design company for offending a client who provided tickets to the event.

The fired graphic designer said Saturday he won't try to get his job back.

"I'm mad less about losing the job -- I'm more mad about the reasons," said Glen Hiller, 35, of Berkeley Springs. "All I did was show up and voice my opinion."

Hiller was ushered out of Hedgesville High School on Tuesday after shouting his disagreement with Bush's comments about the war in Iraq and the search for weapons of mass destruction. The crowd had easily drowned out Hiller with its chant: "Four more years."

"He surrounds himself with people who support him," Hiller said of Bush. "Your opinion ... is viewed as right or wrong."

When he showed up for work at Octavo Designs of Frederick, Maryland, the following morning, he said he was told he'd embarrassed and offended a client who provided tickets to the event -- and that he was fired.

The client was a public relations worker who represents the Berkeley County school district, he said. "It's just bizarre that you disagree with them and it all turns evil," Hiller said.

Messages left with Octavo Designs were not immediately returned Saturday.

The father of two young girls had worked at the design firm for five months, doesn't plan to appeal the firing, and holds no grudge against his boss.

"To some degree I can see her point of view," Hiller said. "Advertising is all about having the perfect tan and driving a cool car. It's all about image."

Hiller said he now plans to pursue work as a registered nurse, a field in which he worked for 10 years before landing the design job.

Last month, Charleston City Council apologized to two protesters arrested for wearing anti-Bush T-shirts to the president's July 4 rally. The pair were taken from the event in restraints after revealing T-shirts with Bush's name crossed out on the front and the words "Love America, Hate Bush" on the back. Trespassing charges were ultimately dismissed.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2004-08-21 09:45pm

Well, the customer is always right.

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2004-08-21 10:48pm

Okay, that is just BULLSHIT.

Spice Runner · Post by **Spice Runner** » 2004-08-21 11:01pm

Well there was no discrimination. The company does have the right to fire him for their own reasons. I'm glad he voiced his opinions and I hope other prospective clients find out that this company gets rid of people who don't share their view.

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-08-21 11:13pm

LadyTevar wrote:Okay, that is just BULLSHIT.

Hey, it's Bush's policy of "You're either with me or against me" hard at work once again.

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2004-08-22 12:45am

While stupid, this isn't illegal. Some companies fire employees for what they do when not at work. One company fired a man for downhill skiing because they deemed it to dangerous.

Boyish-Tigerlilly · Post by **Boyish-Tigerlilly** » 2004-08-22 12:51am

There should be a law against frivolous dismissal.

Fire Fly · Post by **Fire Fly** » 2004-08-22 02:39am

Alyeska wrote:While stupid, this isn't illegal. Some companies fire employees for what they do when not at work. One companyfired a man for downhill skiing because they deemed it to dangerous.

Um..."dubya eff tee"??

Fire Fly · Post by **Fire Fly** » 2004-08-22 02:44am

Damn it...I keep telling myself that I should really consider a dyslexia test.

Post by **Edi** » 2004-08-22 05:23am

Alyeska wrote:While stupid, this isn't illegal. Some companies fire employees for what they do when not at work. One company fired a man for downhill skiing because they deemed it to dangerous.

The fact that procedures like this aren't illegal is a clear indication of just how fucked up some aspects of your country are. Over here it is illegal to fire people for perfectly legal things that they do on their own time, and the few times it has happened, the courts have curb-stomped the offending companies with pretty serious verdicts (not to mention bad pucblicity). Companies do NOT have the right to dictate what their employees do or do not do on their free time.

Edi

Einhander Sn0m4n · Post by **Einhander Sn0m4n** » 2004-08-22 05:30am

Edi wrote:
Alyeska wrote:While stupid, this isn't illegal. Some companies fire employees for what they do when not at work. One company fired a man for downhill skiing because they deemed it to dangerous.
The fact that procedures like this aren't illegal is a clear indication of just how fucked up some aspects of your country are. Over here it is illegal to fire people for perfectly legal things that they do on their own time, and the few times it has happened, the courts have curb-stomped the offending companies with pretty serious verdicts (not to mention bad pucblicity). Companies do NOT have the right to dictate what their employees do or do not do on their free time.

Edi

Here they do have every right and are buying more from the government every day. Remember, in America, the Corporation is God, God is the Law, and the Law is the Corporation in a new Unholy Trinity.

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2004-08-22 06:57am

Anyone notice it was the local government that was the client that made the complaint?

The client was a public relations worker who represents the Berkeley County school district

Or at least I would assume the county school district would be part of the local government.

"I'm sorry, the government employee has complained about your political opinions...so, we're going to fire you."

Spyder · Post by **Spyder** » 2004-08-22 07:07am

What the flying fuck is with all these "it's not illegal" appologies? Legality doesn't measure right and wrong it measures what a legislative body says is right and wrong. Not the same thing.

Talon Karrde · Post by **Talon Karrde** » 2004-08-22 09:37am

JME2 wrote:
LadyTevar wrote:Okay, that is just BULLSHIT.
Hey, it's Bush's policy of "You're either with me or against me" hard at work once again.

Hey, it's the liberals policy of "blame everything on Bush," at work again.

What does this have to do with Bush? It has to do with an isolated incident of an employer not agreeing with what his laborer did.

Talon Karrde · Post by **Talon Karrde** » 2004-08-22 09:39am

Spyder wrote:What the flying fuck is with all these "it's not illegal" appologies? Legality doesn't measure right and wrong it measures what a legislative body says is right and wrong. Not the same thing.

While this is true, how would you go about discerning what is right and wrong then? When conservatives try to speak about morality issues, liberals immediately cry out that your "legislating morality" and can't do that. Thus, the laws that are in place have to be what is followed procedurealy. (sp)

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2004-08-22 09:40am

Talon Karrde wrote:
JME2 wrote:
LadyTevar wrote:Okay, that is just BULLSHIT.
Hey, it's Bush's policy of "You're either with me or against me" hard at work once again.
Hey, it's the liberals policy of "blame everything on Bush," at work again.

What does this have to do with Bush? It has to do with an isolated incident of an employer not agreeing with what his laborer did.

Dont be a cunt, he was fired for his political views, because a local government employee didnt like that he heckled Bush. Which is fucking bullshit and you should damn well know it.

Talon Karrde · Post by **Talon Karrde** » 2004-08-22 09:44am

Keevan_Colton wrote:
Talon Karrde wrote:
JME2 wrote: Hey, it's Bush's policy of "You're either with me or against me" hard at work once again.
Hey, it's the liberals policy of "blame everything on Bush," at work again.

What does this have to do with Bush? It has to do with an isolated incident of an employer not agreeing with what his laborer did.
Dont be a cunt, he was fired for his political views, because a local government employee didnt like that he heckled Bush. Which is fucking bullshit and you should damn well know it.

I never said it wasn't. But don't do this same old cry baby shit of "it's Bush's fault!" I'm not defending what he did, I'm defending Bush here. I don't agree with what the man did even though it is legal.

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2004-08-22 09:52am

I don't think this guy deserved to be fired, but I do find it extremely unprofessional when one goes to a political rally just to heckle.

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2004-08-22 09:55am

Wicked Pilot wrote:I don't think this guy deserved to be fired, but I do find it extremely unprofessional when one goes to a political rally just to heckle.

Unprofessional??

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2004-08-22 10:02am

Keevan_Colton wrote:
Wicked Pilot wrote:I don't think this guy deserved to be fired, but I do find it extremely unprofessional when one goes to a political rally just to heckle.
Unprofessional??

I was unaware there were echos on this board.

...echos on this board.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-08-22 10:24am

It wasn't necessarily a good thing or the right, but there is part of being a professional that you are always on the job in terms of your conduct. This means that your conduct out of work is just as important to your company as your work inside, because to the public, you are out there representing them. Alot of times, this leads to reasonable dismissal (like an executive from a major corporation being arrested for becoming severely shitfaced and defecating on a bar... this has happened in Pittsburgh a few years back). However, it also leads to shit like this, because one of the employees did something small or petty a client didn't like, and the client bitched to their boss, at which point the boss decides to cut his losses and dismiss the employee rather than losing a client and possibly others as well.

Personally, I wouldn't have dismissed the employee in question if I were his boss, even if the client did complain, unless I absolutely had to, since I don't think that the employee did anything wrong (petty maybe, but no pettier than most people). However, one of those things you learn when you become a professional is that you represent the business and you are employeed largely at the graces of your boss. Unfortunately, this means that a client for your business can be a major asshole and make you expendable. If it was too frivolous a dismissal, you can always sue the company for a wrongful dismissal (at which point, 99% of the time, you will lose because the company has vastly more money than you thus can afford a lengthy court battle which they will make as lengthy as possible). It's unfortunately one of the things you sign up for when you become a professional.

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2004-08-22 10:27am

Gil Hamilton wrote:[snip]

Translated: your right to free speech is a neccessary casualty of the need for food and shelter.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-08-22 10:32am

Keevan_Colton wrote:Translated: your right to free speech is a neccessary casualty of the need for food and shelter.

Pretty much. Half of working in the professional world is being shit on from above and shit on from below, and then smiling on command when it happens.

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2004-08-22 10:53am

Keevan_Colton wrote:
Gil Hamilton wrote:[snip]
Translated: your right to free speech is a neccessary casualty of the need for food and shelter.

You have a right to free speech. You do not have a right to ignore the consequences of your free speech.

Spyder · Post by **Spyder** » 2004-08-23 02:07am

Talon Karrde wrote:While this is true, how would you go about discerning what is right and wrong then? When conservatives try to speak about morality issues, liberals immediately cry out that your "legislating morality" and can't do that. Thus, the laws that are in place have to be what is followed procedurealy. (sp)

It's not that fucking hard to follow a consistant ethical system. As for the people crying out about legislating morality are you talking about scientifically determined moral principles such as "stabbing people in the face is bad" or religion based morality e.g. "sex is the original sin"