Gutless

[joltinjeff]

I have started and stopped writing this thread a couple of times now and nothing seems to fit ... so I'm just going to say it.
Last night about 7:30-8 pm I received a phone call from my editor asking me about a post I place on this website Sunday/Monday about the President's health care bill. In that post, I said some pretty rough things about Nancy Pelosi and others. THAT WAS AS A PRIVATE PERSON!!! NOT AS A MEMBER OF THE MEDIA!!!
I almost lost my job over this, did you think of that? Did you think for one instance about what this could do to my family? Did you think for one second of what you were doing to other people than me?
NO! You have an axe to grind with me, come afte me personally. Dont go to my employer and definitely dont do anything that affects my family!!
To me and at this point really dont care who you are ... I think you're a gutless piece of monkey crap! Oh, by the way, I have requested that the email be forwarded to me, so sooner or later I will find out who you are.
Finally, yes, what I wrote was "unethical" in some ways and a little biased but those are my personal feelings. Yes, my ass overrode my head and I wasnt really thinking, I will accept that responsibility. Now, to the person who did this ... be an adult and take the responsibility. PM me, hell go to the band's myspace page and call me.

[shredder138]

I have started and stopped writing this thread a couple of times now and nothing seems to fit ... so I'm just going to say it.
Last night about 7:30-8 pm I received a phone call from my editor asking me about a post I place on this website Sunday/Monday about the President's health care bill. In that post, I said some pretty rough things about Nancy Pelosi and others. THAT WAS AS A PRIVATE PERSON!!! NOT AS A MEMBER OF THE MEDIA!!!
I almost lost my job over this, did you think of that? Did you think for one instance about what this could do to my family? Did you think for one second of what you were doing to other people than me?
NO! You have an axe to grind with me, come afte me personally. Dont go to my employer and definitely dont do anything that affects my family!!
To me and at this point really dont care who you are ... I think you're a gutless piece of monkey crap! Oh, by the way, I have requested that the email be forwarded to me, so sooner or later I will find out who you are.
Finally, yes, what I wrote was "unethical" in some ways and a little biased but those are my personal feelings. Yes, my ass overrode my head and I wasnt really thinking, I will accept that responsibility. Now, to the person who did this ... be an adult and take the responsibility. PM me, hell go to the band's myspace page and call me.

So you almost got fired from your job because of something YOU posted on a public forum. How, exactly, is this anyone else's fault but your own?
You might want to think a little BEFORE you post.

[joltinjeff]

I have started and stopped writing this thread a couple of times now and nothing seems to fit ... so I'm just going to say it.
Last night about 7:30-8 pm I received a phone call from my editor asking me about a post I place on this website Sunday/Monday about the President's health care bill. In that post, I said some pretty rough things about Nancy Pelosi and others. THAT WAS AS A PRIVATE PERSON!!! NOT AS A MEMBER OF THE MEDIA!!!
I almost lost my job over this, did you think of that? Did you think for one instance about what this could do to my family? Did you think for one second of what you were doing to other people than me?
NO! You have an axe to grind with me, come afte me personally. Dont go to my employer and definitely dont do anything that affects my family!!
To me and at this point really dont care who you are ... I think you're a gutless piece of monkey crap! Oh, by the way, I have requested that the email be forwarded to me, so sooner or later I will find out who you are.
Finally, yes, what I wrote was "unethical" in some ways and a little biased but those are my personal feelings. Yes, my ass overrode my head and I wasnt really thinking, I will accept that responsibility. Now, to the person who did this ... be an adult and take the responsibility. PM me, hell go to the band's myspace page and call me.

So you almost got fired from your job because of something YOU posted on a public forum. How, exactly, is this anyone else's fault but your own?
You might want to think a little BEFORE you post.

True. Question is ... did you do it? You seem to have a hard-on for me and my views

[ToonaRockGuy]

Truth is, Jeff, Shredder is right. YOU posted in a public forum. You made the choice on what to type. You chose to hit send. So maybe you need to own up, be a man, and take responsibility for what you did. Public means anyone can see it, so deal with the repercussions. And how do you know it was an RP user that emailed your boss? Could have been someone surfing the site. For a reporter, bro, yer using piss poor tactics. Proof before you accuse and threaten is generally a good idea.

[zman1200]

new version of Foot in mouth disease venting helps with easing the pain but only time and remorse seems to cure it.There are far more weasels than weasel slappers move on and chalk one up for experience just remember

[shredder138]

True. Question is ... did you do it? You seem to have a hard-on for me and my views

You need to get over yourself. I just think it's funny how you're , what pushing fifty but your posts seem as though there's a 15 yr old high school kid having a crying fit. While I'm at it , I also think it's kinda humorous that you write for a paper but can barely make it through a paragraph without a bazillion typos and errors with basic grammar. It humors me greatly. However, trying to get someone fired from their job is not at the top of my priotity list no matter how annoying I think you are.

[f.sciarrillo]

Posting on public forums can have an affect on the job you have. This is why a lot of employers are asking people if they have a Facebook or Myspace page now.

[Lisa]

Wow....it would be one thing if the boss found it on her/his own....but you all really don't see the point that someone from here may have maliciously notified his boss?

I don't care what your political view are or are not. That just isn't right.

[RobTheDrummer]

If your job required integrity, and you post something that is way out of line, I can see someone having a problem.....However, no man should lose their job for speaking their own opinions. Isn't that what makes this country great? And I know, people will say....well you get paid to maintain integrity, but when you aren't on the clock, what's so bad? My job requires that I maintain a professional attitude, but it never says I have no right to free speech. I can't believe people think your right to free speech should be revoked. What did they say about bush? Did anyone take away their rights? Speak your mind, keep this country free.

Toona, I have to disagree, many people post all kinds of shit on forums. Repercussions for having an opinion? There shouldn't be any, unless someone was personally attacked. I bet the repercussions come from hypocrites that post the same kinda shit, or just have opposing views.

[Jim Price]

It's a reality of the present day...You do need to be careful about what you post and where, because employers can check out Myspace, Facebook, Twitter accounts and message boards; and it's not uncommon for folks to lose their jobs because of something they posted online. Prospective employers also check out social networking pages when considering candidates for jobs, and what you post can impact whether you land a job or not.

And not only employers, but law enforcement and government folks might be browsing your comments, particularly if they're looking for indications of violating the law, or threats against politicians, etc.

There was just a story in yesterday's Altoona Mirror about a couple in California getting busted after bragging on the Dr. Phil television show that they sold 100,000 dollars' worth of shoplifted toys on eBay. They're now in federal prison. I know it's television rather than the internet, but it shows that Big Brother is watching.

Legal and liability issues are also a reason why Ron and I sometimes have to remove posts here on Rockpage, because some postings can bring this website under scrutiny.

I'm not taking sides here or saying whether it is wrong or right, but it is present-day reality and it happens.

[Ron]

This site gets a LOT of visitors and only about 1 out of 3 are registered. I agree that it was childish behavior on the part of the "whistle blower" (if there was one), but if Jeff had thought about the impact the post in question could have on his job before he hit "Submit", nothing ever would have happened. The employer would also have never had recourse had the post been written without expletives and the attack on Pelosi... whether she deserves it or not.

[Colton]

Maybe we all need disclaimers in our signatures.

[bassist_25]

I My job requires that I maintain a professional attitude, but it never says I have no right to free speech.

Of course it doesn't. You're a public employee and have 1st Amendment protections from your employer, the government. Unless private employees have a contract with an employer, have been discharged in violation of statuatory law (e.g., Civil Rights Act, ADA, NLRA), or have private resolution through the grievance-arbitration process of a collective bargaining agreement, they are bound by the employment-at-will doctrine, which means they can be discharged for good reason, bad reason, or no reason at all. The exception is a narrow body of case law that deals with such things as being fired for acting in the public's interest or refusing to committ a crime at the employer's request, such as sending illicit substances through the mail; or constructive discharge resulting from a hostile work environment.

I know Lonewolf is going to appreciate me saying this, but the constitution limits the power of government; it does not apply to private entities. Since your employer is the government, your speech is protected. If your employer were a private organization, then your speech would be subject to the employment-at-will doctrine.

Toona, I have to disagree, many people post all kinds of shit on forums. Repercussions for having an opinion? There shouldn't be any, unless someone was personally attacked. I bet the repercussions come from hypocrites that post the same kinda shit, or just have opposing views.

What is ethical, moral, or philosophically correct is different from what is legal and illegal.

[zman1200]

Pelosi sucks, Reed's a loser, Bohner from OH is the kid we used to bounce spits wads off his head in school, and worst of all my boss is a vicious prick who makes me work too many hours for too little pay and doesn't give a damn if I'm sick or injured. I can't quit because I'm self-employed. No matter where I go, the bastard is always there. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

[songsmith]

I've posted lots of stuff here that would have repercussions if my boss read it... but that's my choice, I'm a grownup, and realize that what I do and say affects people's view of me.
I admit, however, that diming somebody's boss is kind of a dick-move.
In Jeff's case, he's a journalist, and journalists should be objective in their reporting (a quality that is now unheard of), but his personal opinions are irrelevant to his job, as are mine. The paint doesn't care about politics.
I can see both sides on this one.--->JMS

[joltinjeff]

I will openly admit that I should have been thinking a little bit more and I think that I had already said that.
As a journalist, I try to be objective. I live in Huntingdon and cover things in Huntingdon. People I have known for years, but that has never deterred me from printing what is being said or what has transpired.
After 24 hours of some self-doubt, self-pity and wondering if I should stay with my job, I am frankly over it.
I like John see both sides now and I have made my apologies.
As for the "attacks" on Pelosi, that was in poor taste.
Chalk one up to experience ... I like someone else am swearing off political threads for a while.

[tornandfrayed]

Pelosi sucks, Reed's a loser, Bohner from OH is the kid we used to bounce spits wads off his head in school, and worst of all my boss is a vicious prick who makes me work too many hours for too little pay and doesn't give a damn if I'm sick or injured. I can't quit because I'm self-employed. No matter where I go, the bastard is always there. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Are you the vicious prick, just curious... If yes you should give yourself a day off and just relate... If not then you lost me.

If you don't want people to see or hear what you are saying you should probably not be saying it.

People are whiners and they have always liked to tell on other people, get use to it.

I say, say what you believe and stick to your guns. You can always get another job it is hard to get your integrity back once it is gone.

Although I gotta agree with the above post about your grammar. You write for a local paper?

[RobTheDrummer]

Pelosi is a dirty cunt. How about them apples....

[hicksjd9]

I personally think it is an outrage that an employer could take something said after hours on a public forum and use it as grounds to reprimand an employee. As long as what was said was not criminal in nature, employers need to keep out of their employees public and personal lives. You work there, but they do not OWN you and cannot nor should they censor your spoken (or written, in this case) opinions and beliefs. My guess is that this behavior by an employer is questionably legal and most certainly immoral.

Public forum or not, people are entitled to their opinions. If I was told how to act and what to do in a public forum by my employer I would let them know how I felt and I would be looking elsewhere. It irritates me beyond belief when employers overstep their boundaries as I feel was the case in this instance.

That said, wisdom should be used when choosing HOW you express those opinions and beliefs in a publc setting.

[zman1200]

Guilty as charged. when glendale hits 80 I will unavailable for quite awhile!

[tornandfrayed]

What about as an employer? Don't you have the right to hire "like minded" people? The employee has the right to do whatever they want but an employer does not have the right to fire them? Sounds very unfair..

So because you kick ass and start a company and become successful you have to endure assholes? But as an asshole my employer should just have to deal with me being a dick?

Just curious how the shoe fits on one foot but not the other...

[bassist_25]

You work there, but they do not OWN you and cannot nor should they censor your spoken (or written, in this case) opinions and beliefs. My guess is that this behavior by an employer is questionably legal and most certainly immoral.

Unless private employees have a contract with an employer, have been discharged in violation of statuatory law (e.g., Civil Rights Act, ADA, NLRA), or have private resolution through the grievance-arbitration process of a collective bargaining agreement, they are bound by the employment-at-will doctrine, which means they can be discharged for good reason, bad reason, or no reason at all. The exception is a narrow body of case law that deals with such things as being fired for acting in the public's interest or refusing to committ a crime at the employer's request, such as sending illicit substances through the mail; or constructive discharge resulting from a hostile work environment.

[hicksjd9]

Just read this http://www.slate.com/id/2067578/ and found it interesting. You CAN be fired for your political beliefs as long as you DON'T work for the government (go figure).

[JackANSI]

What about as an employer? Don't you have the right to hire "like minded" people? The employee has the right to do whatever they want but an employer does not have the right to fire them? Sounds very unfair..

So because you kick ass and start a company and become successful you have to endure assholes? But as an asshole my employer should just have to deal with me being a dick?

Just curious how the shoe fits on one foot but not the other...

This.

[RobTheDrummer]

What about as an employer? Don't you have the right to hire "like minded" people? The employee has the right to do whatever they want but an employer does not have the right to fire them? Sounds very unfair..

So because you kick ass and start a company and become successful you have to endure assholes? But as an asshole my employer should just have to deal with me being a dick?

Just curious how the shoe fits on one foot but not the other...

You are taking it way out of context.