I’m eagerly awaiting a manifestation by the participants in the Chick-Fil-A appreciation day in defense of Adam M. Smith:
An executive at a medical manufacturing firm lost his job after a YouTube video of him verbally ambushing a young employee at a Tucson Chick-fil-A went viral. Adam Smith, formerly Chief Financial Officer at Vante, stepped down after the video — which Smith shot and uploaded himself —caused embarrassment to the company.
Roger Vogel, Chairman, President and CEO of Vante, said the decision for Smith to step down was mutual. Vogel said he was “shocked” by the video, which he first discovered when people emailed him a link.
“We obviously found it very disturbing,” Vogel said. “We respect everybody’s ability to share their opinions in the public square and we have a very diverse workforce with a diverse set of opinions. We expect employees to behave in a professional manner that’s commensurate with their positions, and discuss their opinions in a civil fashion. … We thought what he did was inappropriate.”
Vogel said the company has no stance on the gay marriage issue but has always hade a “good relationship” with Chick-fil-A. He said the company will consider contacting the employee Smith ambushed in an attempt to mend fences.
The guy was fired for exercising his right to free speech. We’ve been hearing time and again from the Chick-Fil-A supporters that they support the right to free speech even when they find said speech hateful. This must mean that we will soon hear all about the date when the “Adam M. Smith Appreciation Day” is scheduled, right?
And now let the litany of “Yes, but. . .” begin.
Clarissa's Blog 
The right to free speech is only a legal right when it involves the government infringing on it).
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The guy lost his livelihood. I’m sure we’d here tons of Libertarian whining if he’d been fired for ranting about his Christian beliefs and his support for “traditional family”, whatever that is.
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I’m not even following the story. There are lots of situations where it feels like the “right to free speech” has been dismissed or ignored. I’m certainly not saying people should keep quiet, especially when they are fighting injustice. I’m only saying it’s not a *crime* if the government isn’t involved. Any response/reparations/corrections to what someone *says* (or how they are unjustly punished for their words) will have to come from the private sector.
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Ohhh I want to add that first “(” before “infringing.” Gahhhh!
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Free speech is free speech: but I really think that verbally abusing a minimum wage lickspittle for the actions of her company’s President and recording the encounter is something of a dick move.
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Oh, I agree that the guy is a jerk. But if he deserves to be fired, then maybe we all should fire the homophobic CFA owner.
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Exactly!
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Reminds me of the saying: Kill one person and we call you a murderer; kill a hundred thousand people and we call them casualties of war.
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Verbal abuse is still a form of abuse. Even though he has a high position in a manufacturing company, he could very well still be fired because of his actions.
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Free speech does not mean you don’t have to face the consequences. He decided to harrass a young lady, his company decided to dump him. Free speech protects us against government. GOVERNMENT! Free speech is not at issue here.
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“Free speech protects us against government. GOVERNMENT! Free speech is not at issue here.”
– Now please go and tell this to all those freaks who attacked me for saying that Chick-Fil-A food is total garbage and that the chain’s owner is vile freakazoid. Or provide me with links to places where you defended anybody’s right to say all they want about the vile stupid stinky owner of Chick-Fil-A.
I’ll be waiting.
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The bottom line on Adam Smith and Chik-Fil-A (CFA) is that America does not like bullies. Neither the Left nor the Right have supported his asshole behavior. And that is one of the few positive things happening in the current environment. Adam Smith was fired for behavior which was not in accordance with his company’s expectations of a senior level executive.
Had he gone to CFA, gotten his water, vented his spleen, and not made a recording, he would still be employed today. No one made him record his diatribe, no one made him post it on YouTube. Actions have consequences. He is responsible for his actions and the consequences.
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