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Rockets GREAT Photographer Bill Baptist slurs Kamala on Facebook

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by Xerobull, Aug 14, 2020.

  1. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Contributing Member
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    There's a few levels here to consider. The first is I understand why the NBA fired him. They have the right to. The second is there is nothing wrong with Sheryl Swoopes going onto social media and there is nothing wrong with her disagreeing with him or calling him out. As you note though there is a big disparity between Sheryl Swoopes' position and Bill Baptist's. To me I find that even more troubling as that sounds like "well the higher ups don't like what you're doing with your free time so we're going to fire you."

    I understand the work place environment is a difficult environment. For me personally I don't like to talk about politics or really much about my personal life at work. I have a reputation for being something of a cold fish at work. But stuff like this though starts to question if we can work with people who we don't agree with on things like politics even if that isn't brought up at work?

    Social media isn't private and I understand it's not smart to post things that some might consider disagreeable on social media but it is ubiquitous and given how many platforms and recording devices all over the place it's often hard to keep things off of it. In this case what he did wasn't as a representative of the NBA and I'm going to presume not on NBA time but he's being punished on the basis of how it reflects on the NBA. That leads to the question then can you ever be considered separate from your job? In other words are you and your employer considered one and the same?

    Leaving those aside I will again say that the biggest issue is that this is zero tolerance. Everyone makes mistakes and does or says things that we might regret. With social media and everything being recorded those mistakes get magnified and shared in culture that seems to look for outrage. I don't think that is making us a nicer society or an understanding society. It just means people stay quiet out of fear that someone might get offended and it will cost them their job or relationships rather than really understanding why that was offensive. It's why we see so many people on all sides just feel like they're victims to others sensitivities.
     
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  2. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Contributing Member
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    And again I've said the NBA has the right to fire him or let him out of his contract. I even understand why they did so.

    That said I find it interesting that you think this has jack and ***t to do with Morey yet say it was stupid for Morey to do so. I think you understand where I'm coming from.
     
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  3. KingCheetah

    KingCheetah Contributing Member

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  4. durvasa

    durvasa Contributing Member

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    If an NBA player refers to a female politician as a "hoe" on social media, what do people think would be a justifiable punishment? 10 games? Rest of the season?
     
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  5. RayRay10

    RayRay10 Houstonian

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    Well said.
     
  6. KingCheetah

    KingCheetah Contributing Member

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  7. jiggyfly

    jiggyfly Member

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    Are you freakin serious.

    He called her a ho, are you actually trying to argue that this was because he is not voting Biden?

    Do you really think this was the only thing political on his facebook?
     
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  8. generalthade_03

    generalthade_03 Contributing Member

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    Remember when they called Sarah Palin every dirty, derogatory names in the book?
     
  9. jiggyfly

    jiggyfly Member

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    I can think what Morey did was stupid and it not have anything to do with this Bill guy calling a woman a ho.

    Unlike Bill I respect that Morey felt moved to post what he did, do you feel the same about Bill?

    Anyway I think you are using the wrong hill to complain about cancel culture, he would have lost his contract anyway considering who he was employed with and any other high profile company.
     
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  10. durvasa

    durvasa Contributing Member

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    You wrote:

    "So what about the other employees besides this guy?

    How do you justify this the NBA players."

    I'm trying to argue that other employees being very offended by something you say outside of work is not justifiable grounds for you to be fired.
     
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  11. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Contributing Member
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    A private organization can fire you for any reason except for discriminatory protected classes. So yes, political speech is a fireable offense.

    That said, he wasn't fired for political speech but rather the use of the word "ho" which is sexist. In the modern day, a sexist remark will get you fired from your job whether you are a CEO or a lowly janitor. Once it catches the public eye, you're done. Papa John's Pizza dumped their CEO because of an offensive (racist) remark he made in a conversation with a vendor.

    Is it wrong for the NBA to fire this photographer? That's subjective. The NBA has a right to making hiring and firing decisions to protect its brand image and presumably has an employee handbook that outlines conduct. Maybe that handbook needs to be more detailed, but as an employee you have to know that when you post in social media, your employer can see it. This isn't new - just think of teachers who posted drunken photos on a night out getting in trouble. Employers typically scan prospective employee social media feeds before hiring them.

    You can just as easily be fired for saying something negative about Trump or calling him a fat b*stard for instance. Part of the problem in this country is that people don't understand what free speech really means.

    While I agree with @rocketsjudoka that the punishment is overly severe for the infraction, this is the way it is. Everything you do - every social media post, every text, every email, every photo you share - is something that could be seen by your friends, family, and employer. I don't think it's fair but I also don't think it's going to change. We have a false sense of privacy in the digital age that simply does not exist.
     
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  12. FrontRunner

    FrontRunner Member

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    This goes beyond sexism, IMO. Would he have found the same meme share worthy if Biden and Klobuchar were pictured together? Or Biden and Elizabeth Warren? I somehow doubt it.

    Trump, the Republicans, and their mouthpieces are making this election about race. I know many around here are too dense to see it and others don't care, and still others think that as long as the "N word" isn't being used it's all good, but he earned his firing.

    I hope he learns something from it.
     
  13. Invisible Fan

    Invisible Fan Contributing Member

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    Meh, who knows...It rhymes.

    It's not like he has a rap sheet of racism or sexism. Just one tweet is enough to socially drown a man.

    No empathy or ****s given for the other side.
     
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  14. sirbaihu

    sirbaihu Member

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    Things are going too far. They do have a right to fire him, but these one-strike events have a chilling effect.

    The safest thing for public-facing employees is to stay off the internet period.
     
  15. FrontRunner

    FrontRunner Member

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    If he were a great guy then I would hate to be in his shoes, but great guys should know better. I do hope he learns from it and make amends. If not, maybe others can learn from it.
     
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  16. Mr.Scarface

    Mr.Scarface Member

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    Show me where they called here a “Ho”?
     
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  17. Rocket River

    Rocket River Member

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    So . . .we reward every half assed insincere apology?

    Just because your SAY I'm sorry . . .does not mean you are . . .. the lack of sincerity is always at issue

    Rocket River
     
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  18. bobrek

    bobrek Politics belong in the D & D

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    If you posted the same thing publicly and it was presented as "Company XYZ employee sirbaihu called Kamala Harris a hoe on Facebook..." do you think your company would discipline you in some way?
     
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  19. mick fry

    mick fry Member

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    Get over it, Heels Up Harris earned that hoe title. I thought you snowflakes were fine with slinging mud.
     
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  20. Wattafan

    Wattafan Member

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    He should lose his job.
     
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