Rodeo Clown discovers speech is not free (dollar, permit, California)

[TigerLily24]

Originally Posted by Think4Yourself

You mean his employer didn't like the job he was doing and decided not to employ him any more? "But, but, but... I wanted to mouth off at work!" Tough, your job is to keep your employer happy and to talk about your politics when your not on the clock. No sympathy and I side with the employer; what he did damaged the employer by alienating customers and anyone with half a brain cell knows that's bad business. He should have just done the job he was paid to do instead of mouthing off in ways his employer didn't approve while on company time.

^^This.

[Roadking2003]

Originally Posted by Mathguy

Private company where an employee is risking alienating customers.

Nothing to see here. <shrug>.

The story says the customers were thrilled by the clown's performance.

Maybe you should read the story.

[LibertyandJusticeforAll]

Free thoughts and actions come with a price, others might not like your words, ideas or thoughts. Doesnt mean you dont have the right to them. It is when government TRIES and tell you or use punishment for free speech that you have a violation of free speech. 1st amendment lets you say what you want as long at your actions do not take rights from others. the 1st amendment will not protect your job if your employer dislikes your actions or thoughts that reflect on the business.

[Think4Yourself]

Originally Posted by AV8n

According to the article, the customers were quite thrilled by the spectacle. The employer apparently didn't take issue until it attracted too much unwanted outside attention.

His employer felt it damaged their interests, his employer is the only one which matters, so I'd say both he and you are fools for ignoring that obvious fact.

[Think4Yourself]

BTW it was a tax payer funded event and your politics doesn't belong at work when you're getting paid by the taxpayers.

Hardball with Chris Matthews

Shove it where the sun doesn't shine, lying wing nuts.

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by LibertyandJusticeforAll

Free thoughts and actions come with a price, others might not like your words, ideas or thoughts. Doesnt mean you dont have the right to them. It is when government TRIES and tell you or use punishment for free speech that you have a violation of free speech. 1st amendment lets you say what you want as long at your actions do not take rights from others. the 1st amendment will not protect your job if your employer dislikes your actions or thoughts that reflect on the business.

In this case, the clown's misery may not be over. If his former employers, the rodeo contractors, lose a contract to put on a rodeo due to his actions, they could sue for damages.

A rodeo contractor owns the bucking stock and all the ancillary equipment needed to put on a rodeo, and hires all the necessary personnel. The personnel includes the announcers, the chasers, pick-up riders, and all other employees in the arena area, including the clowns.

All employees represent the contractor. The contractor is responsible for their employees, just like a building contractor is. Rodeo contractors spend thousands of dollars a day to make tens of thousands of dollars a day. It's an expensive business, and losing a contract is a very big deal.

That $15 dollar mask may be the most expensive thing the knucklehead ever bought!

[Swampmonster]

Originally Posted by banjomike

If I was a bull rider, I definitely would NOT want a clown wearing a mask that hampers his vision as the only person between me and the bull if I got into trouble.
A rodeo clown's serious job is to distract bucking bulls and horses. They are the rider's only safety net, and they have to be able to see that a rider is in trouble to be able to help him. That guy was probably a damned poor clown; a good one would never cover his face with anything but make-up. Lack of vision could get him and a rider both killed in a rodeo arena.

And a rodeo is not a place for politics. The guy can wear that mask anytime he wants to a teabag rally with no complaint from me, or even down the street if he wants to.

But he was hired to do an important job in an outdoor sport. You don't expect to see a referee wearing a rubber political mask at a football game, and you don't expect to see a medic on the job wearing a mask on a football field, either.

This guy was double stupid for wearing that mask. he killed whatever career he had and made a fool of himself while doing it.

This^

I've been to more Rodeos than I can dare remember the numbers on(including NFR) and have yet to hear a rodeo clown utter a single word while working(well..if you count "get me a medic" as talking,then yeah,a time or two) and especially never saw one wearing a mask or make any kind of political references at all..the idiot was just grand standing is all and he was in the right state and right spot to do it too..now,if his dumb assed would've just Tebowed they would have thrown their daughters at him...cheesewad.

[jimhcom]

Originally Posted by banjomike

The article said the clown was barred from the Professional Rodeo Assn. of Missouri for life. Stupid decisions still have consequences, even if they are not illegal. No Association membership, no more clown jobs ever, but he can always use his cowboy hat to hold quarters when he's begging on the street corner in his mask.

Or until the leadership of the association is something other that democratic leg humpers.

[Swampmonster]

Originally Posted by jimhcom

Or until the leadership of the association is something other that democratic leg humpers.

Have you read the Associations rulebook? I highly doubt that anything to do with the Rodeo is a Democratic leg humper deal..that's a low IQ game (if I ever need a brain transplant I want one from a cowboy since it's never been used and would be like brand new) and we all know where the low IQ crew cast their votes and get their news...red state bonanza

[Joe90]

Sounds fine to me. I don't go to Rodeo's for the clown's political views.