• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Man Fired Over The Shirt He Wore to Vote

Tucker301

Groundskeeper
Banned !
Feb 13, 2015
9,494
23,355
Southern VA
OK guys, remember the rules, but this to me is about free speech and the double standards we see every day.

NFL players can "express themselves" while on the job, yet this guy gets fired for wearing a "racist" shirt to his polling place.
He didn't wear the shirt to work, so what right does his employer have to dictate his behavior or attire outside of the workplace?
Yes, the Constitution protects us from government overreach, which is why I argue that it has nothing to do with the NFL kneeling. Where's the limit on off hours behavior and dress code? To me, if you're not in the workplace and on the clock then they have jurisdiction or control over what you do or say. Certainly, if you commit a crime, but this wasn't a crime. It was just being stupid.

https://wreg.com/2018/11/08/hospita...wore-controversial-shirt-to-mississippi-poll/
Hospital fires employee who wore controversial shirt to Mississippi poll
POSTED 4:30 PM, NOVEMBER 8, 2018, BY ANDREW ELLISON, UPDATED AT 06:04PM, NOVEMBER 8, 2018




OLIVE BRANCH, Miss. — If he doesn't already, Clayton Hickey might regret voting in an arguably racist shirt on election day.

A photo of Hickey wearing the shirt to a polling place in Olive Branch went viral this week. The photo shows the Confederate flag with a noose on top of it — two symbols that many call racist.

On Thursday, Regional One Health in Memphis confirmed the man in the photo was an employee at the hospital and that he had been fired after a thorough investigation.

The hospital released a statement saying:


RELATED STORY
Picture showing voter wearing shirt with noose and rebel flag at the polls causes controversy

"As of today, November 8, 2018, we have completed our investigation and what we learned led to the termination of the employee in question. Regional One Health holds employees to a high standard. We are committed to upholding our mission to provide compassionate care and exceptional services to all. This includes fostering a safe and protected work and care environment for all. Behaviors contrary to these principles are unacceptable and will not be tolerated."

They say they're taking the matter seriously and are "committed to a safe, secure and comfortable environment for its patients, guests and employees."

We talked with one of Hickey's neighbors who didn't want to be identified. He doesn't know Hickey too well, but doesn't think he's racist.

"He's nice as far as I have seen. He came out and helped me do some stuff. I don't think he's wanting to start trouble. He gets caught in a lot of trouble."

The neighbor is referring to an incident years ago when Hickey resigned from the Memphis Police Department. He was caught in a car with a 17-year-old girl and alcohol.

"He just gets caught in all the wrong situations," the neighbor said.

We knocked on the door hoping to catch him at home. But no one answered.

As for the shirt, Hickey's neighbor can't decide if it's racist or not.

"It's hard to say for me," he said.

The voter who snapped the picture thinks it sends a hateful message.

As far as the rules in Mississippi go, the only clothing you can't wear to the polls is clothing that shows a candidate's name or face.
 
I'm not so sure, most of the better jobs I have ever had I was required to sign a form saying that I understood that I could be fired if I did anything to embarrass the company.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1J04 and shoobe01
I'm not so sure, most of the better jobs I have ever had I was required to sign a form saying that I understood that I could be fired if I did anything to embarrass the company.


To me the key is the phrase, "that many call racist".
That's subjective. How many are enough to create a standard by which we all must abide? A majority? Mob rule?
I find wearing pants below the ass with nothing but boxers showing to be indecent and disgusting, but I don't support laws against it. Ditto for someone who might work at that same hospital and dresses properly while on duty, but chooses to wear their pants that way, or perhaps a shirt with some inflammatory rap music lyrics about cops, while off duty.
Subjective is subjective, and there will always be "some". It's quite a slippery slope (no offense to Asian members).
 
As long as it's not a gov owned hospital, they should be able to fire him for any reason, or no reason. A business owner should also be allowed (I hate the thought of using that word in this context) to do business with whoever they like, but that has somehow become illegal in this Country.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bender
If you'll refer the the graph(shown below) you'll see where these folks acted completely within their "moral" standards.
1541771590063.png

R
 
Apparently some states have laws against any photography inside the polling place, while others, like Mississippi only restrict taking pictures of completed ballots.
Ironically, it seems to be a states rights issue.
 
To me the key is the phrase, "that many call racist".
That's subjective. How many are enough to create a standard by which we all must abide? A majority? Mob rule?
I find wearing pants below the ass with nothing but boxers showing to be indecent and disgusting, but I don't support laws against it. Ditto for someone who might work at that same hospital and dresses properly while on duty, but chooses to wear their pants that way, or perhaps a shirt with some inflammatory rap music lyrics about cops, while off duty.
Subjective is subjective, and there will always be "some". It's quite a slippery slope (no offense to Asian members).

It does not look racist to me. To me a racist shirt might be one that said "Ship all the N#$%^& back to Africa." yet his employer did not ask for my opinion. And each employer in a capitalist society may set their own standards for their employees, and so long as those standards are within the law the choice the employees have are to (1) meet the standard (2) Quit (3) fail to meet the standard and see if they fire you. And that is why we must never give the NFL owners a single iota of slack. The players are protesting America at their behest.
 
Dipshit asked for it. That ignorant crap should not be tolerated.
So you know what that shirt ment to him and you feel that you have the right to punish him for your interpretation of his shirt? I've seen a lot of guys with Harley Davidson shirts who have never owned a motorcycle, so likely I would not judge him by a shirt unless it was confirmed by some other behavior. Now who is the final arbiter of what art means? Perhaps the noose represents the artists belief in capital punishment, or his opposition to it, or just that he thinks that capital punishment should be more prominent in public discourse. Che Gueavra Hated and murdered Homosexuals, I'm quite convinced that those who wear his image on shirts support his desire to kill them all. Yet my google skills are unable to provide an example of someone fired for wearing a Che shirt.
 
Last edited:
As does his employer. He "was" a representative of the company he worked for.
 
Whether or not any one of us agrees with it is irrelevant: his employer is within his/her rights to terminate his employment.

He is not being persecuted by the government; this is not a First Amendment issue.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1J04 and diverdon
I guess I don’t understand what’s wrong with the flag or the rope. As far as the Hospital being privately owned , I imagine a lot of of tax money pays for the healthcare in the hospital. I also imagine if you or you’re family member is hurting from sickness or injury you won’t care who helps or gives them a puddin cup. As long as it’s done correct
 
He is not being persecuted by the government; this is not a First Amendment issue.

That is an excellent point. If a court were to find that the employee had the right to wear the shirt in public but that the Hospital has the right to terminate him. The perhaps the argument should be made that the Hospital in its desire to be a purely private company should loose all payments, subsidies, grants, and abatement from the government. For the hospital to continue to receive money from the government is the government attacking this mans rights through proxy and that would be a violation of his 1st Amendment rights.
 
Hi,

So apparently (I cannot confirm the reports) he was actually a poll worker....IF so he is dumber than any of us give him credit for. LOL

A poll worker wearing a shirt saying Mississippi Justice with picture of hangman's noose is purely asking for drama. Some would even say voter intimidation......

Sincerely,
Theis
 
Hi,

So apparently (I cannot confirm the reports) he was actually a poll worker....IF so he is dumber than any of us give him credit for. LOL

A poll worker wearing a shirt saying Mississippi Justice with picture of hangman's noose is purely asking for drama. Some would even say voter intimidation......

Sincerely,
Theis
I do not think that shirt should meet the dress code for a poll worker.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1J04
Hi,

So apparently (I cannot confirm the reports) he was actually a poll worker....IF so he is dumber than any of us give him credit for. LOL

A poll worker wearing a shirt saying Mississippi Justice with picture of hangman's noose is purely asking for drama. Some would even say voter intimidation......

Sincerely,
Theis


Buzzfeed reported the picture was initially posted to Facebook, but was later removed. By the time it was removed from Facebook it had already spread to Twitter where it gained more attention after people mistakenly believed that Hickey was a poll worker.

The picture was originally posted by someone that wished to be known as“Rashaud.” Rashaud told Buzzfeed he initially believed Hickey was a poll worker. It was confirmed that Hickey was there as a voter. The picture was taken in Olive Branch, Mississippi where Hickey resides. Hickey has yet to make a comment about the incident.
 
I guess I don’t understand what’s wrong with the flag or the rope. As far as the Hospital being privately owned , I imagine a lot of of tax money pays for the healthcare in the hospital. I also imagine if you or you’re family member is hurting from sickness or injury you won’t care who helps or gives them a puddin cup. As long as it’s done correct

Perspective determines perception. Some people never get it. SMH ...
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1J04 and diverdon
Perspective determines perception.
I understand that on many levels, but it does not inform me as to if you think (1) the Hospital was within its rights to fire him (2) you thing the hospital was correct to fire him. (2) you think anyone wearing a shirt like this is a racist.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1J04
Wearing a shirt implying hanging naggers and working in hospital frequented by naggers sends mixed messages about the quality of care.

That’s right naggers you better stay off the call light!
 
Double payday because he was exercising a civic duty. The ACLU is all about this shit. He should request their legal help and he should file a frivolous suit against them too just on principle when they turn him down.
 
Hi,

So apparently (I cannot confirm the reports) he was actually a poll worker....IF so he is dumber than any of us give him credit for. LOL

A poll worker wearing a shirt saying Mississippi Justice with picture of hangman's noose is purely asking for drama. Some would even say voter intimidation......

Sincerely,
Theis
This would change the equation entirely. It would be voter intimidation. His repudiation should have come not from his employer but from Election law. But Election laws mean Zero, Nada, Nothing. He should never been allowed to work a poll in that shirt from the start. That is if that is true about him.

Now if he finished his shift and went home and came back to vote in that shirt. Well then we are back into that freedom and liberty thing.
 
Yea, I think the noose is a bridge too far to argue that it's not an intentionally racist shirt.
It's a shame, because I don't see the Confederate Battle Flag as being inherently racist in and of itself. There are plenty of people who believe it's a symbol of Southern Pride, especially young people. There was a story of a back kid in college who was taking shit for having one in his dorm room, and he said that to him is was a Southern Pride thing.

That said, the noose on the flag is clearly a symbol of racism. Pretty much lynching was the MOD, and I've never heard of someone saying a noose was a symbol of anything other than that...

I'm not sure what the controversy is? He shouldn't be fired? I'd fire him if I had a business and he appeared in that shirt on the national news. As far as I was concerned that shirt would be an attack on me and my business, so fuck him!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1J04 and diverdon
The noose was around long before any American ever owned a black man. It was a symbol of Justice. But place that noose on a Rebel flag and it does take on racial meaning. It was not used justly by some.
 
If you run a business to make money, and an employee does something (anything ) that requires you to work harder to make the same amount of money. Then they is replaced with better if available.
 
  • Like
Reactions: diverdon
If the press had not ran with it...would his employer ever have been damaged or would they even had known?


The Press has a racial mission and they are on it.
 
If he was volunteering as a poll worker or just standing in line to vote is moot.

 
I understand that on many levels, but it does not inform me as to if you think (1) the Hospital was within its rights to fire him (2) you thing the hospital was correct to fire him. (2) you think anyone wearing a shirt like this is a racist.

Justice, Mississippi, the Confederate Battle Flag, and a noose on a t-shirt are a witches' brew of provocation.

Years ago I saw a bumper sticker that said, "If I Had Known That It Was Gonna Be Like This, I Would Have Picked My Own Damned Cotton."

Then, as now, I don't have to exercise a wild leap of surmise to glue the constituent parts together and come up with a fair estimate of intent.

And no, I didn't satisfy your informational requirements, as I didn't understand that it was necessary.

The hospital is undoubtedly an at-will employer, its employee showed poor taste in promulgating a backwards viewpoint on his chest, and yes, it's pretty much racist.