Guy loses his job for what he said on TV.

[Andara Bledin]

Social media truly is one of the decays of Western Society.

Yeah... if we totally ignore the fact that this had nothing to do with social media, anyway... >_>

[Rageaholic]

The problem is, too many companies fear backlash because of the "court of social media public opinion".

I'm not even sure I'd call it public opinion. I doubt the majority really care if he's still employed or not. This whole thing is being blown out of proportion to make him look like some sex offender. In reality, all he did was defend a stupid meme on TV.

[Canarr]

There's also a liability issue. His admission that he planned to shout it was broadcast on TV, making it public knowledge. Even though he wasn't identified as being an Ontario Hydro worker until he was fired, what would have happened if the company hadn't fired him over this, and he later sexually harassed a female co-worker? A sharp lawyer would bring up the fact that the employer knew (or at least should have known) that he was prone to making sexist remarks, and had failed to act on this information. This would be negligence on the part of the company, and an invitation to a large award to the victim.

That's a bit of a stretch, isn't it? While I'm admittedly not well versed in Canadian employment law, I doubt an employer would be legally required to have knowledge of anything and everything that all their employees ever said in any kind of public forum.

In the end, any lawyer trying to bring that argument would need to prove that the people in charge at the company watched this particular broadcast, and actually recognized their employee, right? And putting up an argument against that shouldn't be too hard, I'd say.

Now, if someone else at the company brought this to his bosses' attention, thus putting it on the record, so to speak, it'd be a different matter.

[Ree]

Yeah... if we totally ignore the fact that this had nothing to do with social media, anyway... >_>

Actually, it does have somethng to do with social media.
That is where the FHRITP spread and became a viral thing.
If t hadn't been for social media, nobody would even have heard of FHRITP.

That is where the news story was posted after it aired, and it also went viral.
That is where a lot of the public opinion on this issue is being aired and rehashed.

Yes, this particular situation is about a guy who hadn't actually shouted the disgustiing phrase and interrupted a news story, but got fired because he happened to be with a guy who did, and he laughed about it and encoraged his friend.
To say it had nothing to do with social media isn't exactly accurate, though, because we probably wouldn't even be discussing this if it wasn't for socal media bringing awareness of the story to the masses.
I mean, this was in a Canadian city in Ontario, for cryng out loud. People don't usually care about ths stuff unless it happens in big city USA

[TheHuckster]

Yeah... if we totally ignore the fact that this had nothing to do with social media, anyway... >_>

I would make a guess that the way this video even became known was thanks to social media. People were spreading it around Facebook and Twitter, and eventually the employer caught wind of it. Had social media not been as powerful as it is, it's very possible the video wouldn't have gotten the publicity it got.

Now, yes, it's also possible that the employer saw the video as it happened live, but thanks to the viral nature of social media, it also spread like wildfire, far beyond the broadcast range of the news station.

How the employer discovered the video in the first place is up to debate, but in many instances where someone makes a fool of themselves, they don't even need to have a Facebook or Twitter account to make themselves known to the Internet. All it takes is someone to upload their photo or video to the Internet and let everyone else involved with social media spread it around.

So, yes, this and many other similar instances where someone becomes viral, it has a helluvalot to do with social media.

[Greenday]

If a company doesn't want someone who happily and openly disrespects 50% of the world's population, that's their choice and there's nothing wrong with not continuing to employ someone of such little character. Social media gets stuff done. It allows idiots to out themselves easier and it allows normal people to further the causes towards a society who respects one another by further outing those idiots.

People who discriminate against people for their sex, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, etc. have no place in polite society.

[Ree]

The situation is compounded by the fact that the guy was employed by Ontario Hydro.
They have been having a lot of bad press for a long time, and were even investigated by the Ontario Ombudsman last year.
They can't afford to have this kind of bad publicity at all.

When people are hired by Ontario Hydro, they actually have to sign a code of conduct that includes after work behaviour as well, and they know this when they sign.
This employee had signed the contract. The CEO felt the behavour of the guy was a violaton of the code.

[cewfa]

Social media gets stuff done.

Yeah, you're sure right it does.

Scenario time: What if you and your significant other were having what was meant to be a private argument, although very loudly, and it spills over into the public airways and someone records you and uploads it onto YouTube. People have a few laughs, form a few opinions, you and your SO make up and you go to work the next day and you find out your fired because your boss found out you had been recorded and he doesn't want someone engages in "domestic abuse" work for his company. Never mind the fact that there was no actual abuse, just a heated argument that involved some yelling, which happens to the best of us sometimes.

Is that fair?

I will be the first one to agree that this FHRITP tripe is one of the more disgusting things my generation, and you can bet it was the Gen Y'ers that came up with this, however using social media to punish someone, just because you are offended is a slippery slope. Like it or not, there are offensive jerks out there who think this crap is funny, and ruining them in a witch hunt just because you're offended is a drain on society when they have to turn to welfare, or worse yet, crime to survive because they can't get a job.

Contrary to popular liberal belief, you don't have the right to be not offended by anything in this world. If you are offended by something, it is almost always your problem and not the problem of the offender. Offended? Suck it up, buttercup and live your own life and quit worrying about others are doing.

[Greenday]

Contrary to popular liberal belief, you don't have the right to be not offended by anything in this world. If you are offended by something, it is almost always your problem and not the problem of the offender. Offended? Suck it up, buttercup and live your own life and quit worrying about others are doing.

Yes I do. And so does the rest of the world. There is no God given reason anyone should purposely go out to offend others. And if I want to, I have the right to state how insane that is. And if I want to help change the world, I'm going to damn well do so. If it weren't for people with my attitude, women would never leave the kitchen and black people would still be only worth 3/5ths a person. But thanks to people who were sick of being offended, things change.

[Rageaholic]

Contrary to popular liberal belief, you don't have the right to be not offended by anything in this world. If you are offended by something, it is almost always your problem and not the problem of the offender. Offended? Suck it up, buttercup and live your own life and quit worrying about others are doing.

Even as someone who leans left, I find myself taking this stance more and more. It's one thing to find something offensive and to call the offender out on it (as the reporter did), but to demand they face some consequences just for saying something stupid is petty and vindictive. This is where The Court Of Public Opinion needs to fuck off.

[cewfa]

God gives us free will, and some people use that free will to be the most odious person they can be. Comparing someone who uses something that is merely tripe, to women's suffrage and civil rights is comparing apples and oranges. Of course no person who is remotely a nice person thinks that women should stay in the kitchen or that a black person is only 3/5ths of a person.

Now, how about answering my scenario in my post, and while you're at it, answer me another question. Do you think by going on a crusade to rid the world of people who are less than polite and politically correct of employment is a good thing for society? Do you think that this person will really see the error of their ways and learn from it? Or do you think that this person will blame it on someone else, and either go on welfare or turn to crime to survive? My money is on the latter two options. I would rather see a jerk keep his job and still contribute something to society than to see that same jerk on welfare or as a criminal.

In this particular case, I believe it was Ree who said that there was a stipulation in his work contract that said that he was to behave himself off the clock. He signed that, he didn't fulfill it, and he lost his job, which is legitimate.

[Greenday]

I'd sue the hell out of my company for wrongful termination since they'd have no proof.

[cewfa]

I'd sue the hell out of my company for wrongful termination since they'd have no proof.

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!! On top of that you would have to look for another job while this was being sorted out, apply for unemployment in the interim between being fired and getting another job (if you can get one). Then you would have to hire a lawyer, pay him/her, and then hurry up and wait. The litigation could take months, and you might not even win. In the meanwhile, you are stressed about your obligations. All of this because someone took something you did the wrong way and used social media as a crusade because they were offended. Do you see my point now?

Everyone should do what they can to change their world, but at the same time we all need to remember that we are human and sometimes we make mistakes and do things we regret. Personally, I am ashamed of myself that I used to (key word: used to) find antics like this funny. You, Greenday, are a better man that you don't find it funny.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

This reminds me of an argument someone threw at someone else on an online video game I play.

"You should evolve to have thicker skin."

I cut in and went, "Wait, so he has to evolve to have thicker skin, but you don't have to evolve above being an immature brat?"

I get the whole freedom of speech thing, but I have the freedom of speech to call out people on behavior that I find inappropriate. There's a difference between being "offended" and being outright insulted. I'm sick and tired of egotistical cads trying to stir the pot for no better reason that "Lawl I'm edgy and AM NOT SCARED TO SAY WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID" when what they think "needs to be said" is something immature, arrogant, and really is just better left as a thought in their head. It contributes nothing to a conversation, a debate, or any kind of societal stand point like they try to make it out it does.

I say offensive shit all the time between myself and my friends, but that's the major difference. I know me and my friends' senses of humor, I know they'd find it funny and get the joke that I'm twisting through my words.

Right now a lot of people to believe, "If you don't share my sense of humor you're either A) a humorless killjoy or B) a 'buttercup'."

Freedom of speech does not mean freedom for the consequences of said speech. Learn it, if you don't like it, too bad. It's not hard to think about the crap you say before you let it spew forth from your mouth.

[cewfa]

Just make sure you don't accidentally get taped or recorded when you are with your friends, or else you life could be ruined. If that happened to you, I bet you would be the first one to change your tune.

I'm sorry to say, but there does come a time in life when you really do need to just grow a thicker skin and suck it up.