Do we really have freedom of speech when we can get fired for sending a racist email?
Posted on January 25th, 2010 by admin
This country was built on freedom of religion and freedom of speech. Whether its right or wrong a person should not be fired or suspended for making a racist remark.
You shouldn’t really have sent it
But they have the right to suspend you, because it was racist
Ive noticed how racism works both ways, yet only one way is punished, If a black/coloured/etc.. made a racist remark to someone who was white, then nothing would really happen, however, if it happened the other way, then it would be taken seriously,
Countries are so worried about being seen as racist that they will bend over backwards for people of other nationalities for fear of gaining a racist label
However, Racist or not, its considered abuse and bullying, in any respectable company, they will not tolerate it, so they had the right to punish you,
Your lucky that you haven’t lost your job all together, i know people who’ve been fired for smaller things than what happened with you
Try not to do it again-otherwise id be expecting to lose my job if i were you, once is a mistake, you were caught, its now in the past, doing it again is just plain idiocy
All the best xxx
January 25th, 2010 at 10:38 am
If you do something so stupid, you deserve it. You shouldnt be sending private emails on company time (grounds for termination #1), and it reflects badly on the company (reason #2)
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January 25th, 2010 at 11:07 am
"Whether its right or wrong a person should not be fired or suspended for making a racist remark."
Wrong. You’re painting a bad picture of your company when you make blatant racist remarks. They have every right to fire you if you represent them poorly.
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January 25th, 2010 at 11:38 am
Yes.
The terms of your employment are independent of free speech.
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January 25th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
If you are doing it at work, you have no such freedom. You are using company resources to spread your hatred.
Do it at home and you’ll be fine.
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January 25th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
You have right to freedom of speech. You have no right to work for anyone.
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January 25th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
The Freedom of Speech protects us from the government, not from each other.
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January 25th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
Nobody held it against Sotomayor/
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January 25th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
racism, in any form, should not be tolerated in the workplace.
If you must send racist emails, do so on your time. Don’t use company resources for communications that might violate a company’s network-use policies.
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January 25th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
You only have freedom of speech as to the federal government. Any employer can limit what you say and you can be fired for violating that. If a businessman has an employee going around town spewing racial slurs at people, the employers business may suffer as a result of that. He/she may lose business, you don’t think that the employer should be able to fire that person in that situation. Don’t get confused. The constitution only applies to the federal government generally.
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January 25th, 2010 at 3:06 pm
Just like property lines. Your freedom ends when it over runs mine.
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January 25th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
i might be wrong, but contracts come into play when it comes with a job. most of us sign it and just glace over them, since most of us don’t intend to be openly racist or sexist at work.
there’s a line at work, unlike when we’re on our own ground.
sending a racist email at work is just plain dumb.
let’s say they’re about to do some layoffs, and you’re already on the block with other folks.
do you think the racist email puts you in a favorable light? do you think it will help you keep your job, or do you think they’d rather keep one of the folks that doesn’t send racist emails?
this isn’t a matter of freedom of speech, it’s a matter of being dumb, and being inconsiderate toward the other folks at your employment.
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January 25th, 2010 at 3:49 pm
Of course you can get fired for sending a racist email, and no, your free speech rights are not being infringed upon.
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January 25th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
When you take the government’s money in the form of salary you agree to certain standards of behavior. If you flaunt those standards there is accountability (unknown to the average neocon).
Don’t want to get suspended without pay? Read and follow the terms of your employment.
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January 25th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Your right of free speech guarantees you that the government can not silence you… Your employer / company is a private entity you have an employment agreement with. As a private entity, it can end it’s relationship with you for any reason it desires to.
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January 25th, 2010 at 4:54 pm
a company has the right to fire you for whatever reason they want. if u express urself wearing clown shoes, they could fire u for that.
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January 25th, 2010 at 5:01 pm
There are several "types" of speech, that are NOT covered by the Constitution…slander (lying about someone), speech that incites panic or fear (yelling "Fire!" in a crowded movie theater) and hate speech to name but a few. Also, an employer can curb some freedoms for the benefit of the coporation such as not allowing you to do stupid things like send emails during company time that can make the company look bad.
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January 25th, 2010 at 5:14 pm
Depends on if you did it on the employers computer or using their accounts if you did then I support you getting fired. If you sent it to people on your own account and not at work but the boss somehow got wind of it and fired you then I have a problem with it
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January 25th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
You shouldn’t really have sent it
But they have the right to suspend you, because it was racist
Ive noticed how racism works both ways, yet only one way is punished, If a black/coloured/etc.. made a racist remark to someone who was white, then nothing would really happen, however, if it happened the other way, then it would be taken seriously,
Countries are so worried about being seen as racist that they will bend over backwards for people of other nationalities for fear of gaining a racist label
However, Racist or not, its considered abuse and bullying, in any respectable company, they will not tolerate it, so they had the right to punish you,
Your lucky that you haven’t lost your job all together, i know people who’ve been fired for smaller things than what happened with you
Try not to do it again-otherwise id be expecting to lose my job if i were you, once is a mistake, you were caught, its now in the past, doing it again is just plain idiocy
All the best xxx
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The Good Are The Bad Who Dont Get Caught