Bush Heckler Sacked

The employee went as a representative of his company, and he was acting under the capacity of a client/provider relationship. His actions reflected back on his company, and he dishonored and shamed the reputation of his company. Grounds for termination was justified!

As far as the the now-unemployed graphic designer's tripe about no venue for the "regular guy" to "ask a question", I sincerely doubt regular unemployed guy had any intention of "asking" anything.

Exactly. "Asking questions" is a liberal euphemism for "bashing Bush." Natalie Maines said the same thing when she got caught Bush-bashing, even though she never actually asked one question. And the same with this guy -- he didn't ask Bush one question, but simply screamed the usual liberal claptrap.

You really are sounding like a disrupter.

It's clear that the employer fired this man for offending a client, not because of his "political beliefs."

If you still don't understand that, you're either mentally blind, or a zot-wannabe.

Sorry, I thought you said "Pong." ;o)

Has The Scotsman been added to the excerpt-only list? If not, it's the silly "q" way of posting articles--I could say "union member" with my eyes closed.

Monitor with extreme prejudice. Maybe he'll straighten out from all the scolding, but I don't think so. Sad, really. Nice opus on #55.

"Absitivly!! Though as an employer you have to have the balance sheet in the back of your mind & if/when any employee, no matter how near & dear to you, becomes a liability, it's your responsibility to let them go."

I can't agree with you more, and there is more I wanted to say, but I hit the send button too soon.

"So companies should be able to fire people according to their political believes?"

They should be able to fire them because their socks don't match or because they're Yankee fans or because their last name starts with "C."

He wasn't drunk, he was using his First Amendment rights!

His First Amendment rights mean the government can't stop him. Is he in jail for criticizing the president? The First Amendment doesn't protect against (perfectly foreseeable) consequences; it doesn't repeal cause and effect.

I don't find this on the MUST EXCERPT list.
So here is the full text:

Sat 21 Aug 2004

8:42pm (UK)
Bush Heckler Sacked

A man who heckled US President George Bush at a political rally has been fired from his job at an advertising and design company.

Graphic designer Glen Hiller, of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia said he was told that he had embarrassed and offended a client who provided tickets to the event.

“I was told that my actions reflected badly on the company and that a client was upset,” Mr Hiller said.

He was escorted from a high school on Tuesday after shouting comments about the Iraq war and the failure to find weapons of mass destruction. The crowd drowned out Mr Hiller by chanting: “Four more years.”

Arriving at his job with Octavo Designs in Frederick, Maryland, the next morning, Mr Hiller said he was “shocked” to learn he was fired. A company spokeswoman confirmed that the graphic designer was sacked because of his conduct at the rally.

“They see my actions as negative,” Mr Hiller said, adding that he would do the same thing again.

“There is no venue for the regular guy to ask a question. We don’t have access to people in power. And those events are completely scripted and controlled.”

Last month, Charleston City Council apologised 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 Mr Bush’s name crossed out on the front and the words, “Love America, Hate Bush”, on the back. Trespassing charges were ultimately dismissed.

Latest News:

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm

Hey, this idiot heckler was at this event via tickets provided by his employer. He made an arse of himself with his outburst and offended his employers customer. I doubt he made many points with his boss, too (OBVIOUSLY). If I were in the same position as this jerk (only at a Kerry event [jeez, would I ever hate that and try to get out of it!]), I would keep my behavior in line. I would not be surprised to be FIRED for making a customer upset. The customer pays for the suppliers services, which pays MY SALARY!
Now do you understand ???

As is his employer free to fire him!!! Yeah!!!

Methinks doth does protest too much.
Yeah, he really does, huh ? Pretty silly, too. I posted the full text
on #109 since the source isn't on the "Must Excerpt" list.

How old was this guy? If he was under 25, maybe youthful indiscretion. If not, I don't care if it embarrassed an client or not. It is clear evidence of an employee who is a "loose cannon."

Would you want this person working for you . . . ?

So companies should be able to fire people according to their political believes?

No, but certainly on the nature of their behavior. The man heckled the President and humiliated his companies client while he represented his own company.

It would be akin to going to a business dinner with that same client and starting a fist fight with the waiter or along those lines.

Would you bring that man out to dinner again or trust him with your revenue base?

On the other hand, if the man had come across the tickets on his own, it would be a different subject. In that even I would agree with you. I can see your point it that was truly the case, but it wasn't.

He can speak all he wants as an unemployed person.

LOL! Heck, now he can talk all he wants, he's become a "primary" Kerry constituent and voter. The only way he could improve his status would be to pass on...

Graphic designer Glen Hiller, of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia said he was told that he had embarrassed and offended a client who provided tickets to the event.

That paragraph is even more telling. The upset client provided him the means to attend the event.

There is no first amendment rights enforceable against a private company.

You sir have an approbate handle

"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

Last month, Charleston City Council apologised 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 Mr Bush’s name crossed out on the front and the words, “Love America, Hate Bush”, on the back. Trespassing charges were ultimately dismissed.

Now THAT's a first amendment issue.

First Ammendment protects you from the government, not your employer.

Welcome to the real world.