NBC fires Donald Trump

[thebobmaster_v1legacy]

Source: CNN [http://money.cnn.com/2015/06/29/media/donald-trump-nbc-ends-relationship/], Yahoo [https://www.yahoo.com/tv/s/nbc-donald-trump-youre-fired-190029079.html]

Well, it seems that, due to the combination of his running for President and his remarks towards immigration, NBC has officially severed all ties with Donald Trump. He's no longer part of The Apprentice, if that show is even continuing, and the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants will no longer be shown on NBC, due to Trump being involved with it. In response, Donald Trump released a statement that, among other things, called NBC's views "very weak", and said that he was correct in all of his statements.


On the one hand, I'm concerned about the free speech implications, due to the fact that Donald Trump was essentially let go for his comments. On the other hand...those comments nearly qualify as hate speech. For those unaware, this is an excerpt from his presidential campaign announcement:

"I like Mexico. I love the Mexican people. I do business with the Mexican people, but you have people coming through the border that are from all over. And they're bad. They're really bad... You have people coming in, and I'm not just saying Mexicans, I'm talking about people that are from all over that are killers and rapists and they're coming into this country."

So, was it fair for NBC to sever ties with Donald Trump based on those sorts of statements? Did they violate his right to free speech?

Edit: I'm copy-pasting what I put in post 10, to try to explain myself a bit more. I'm not editing the original post, because I'm not an Orwellian Editor.

"Sorry, I used "free speech" earlier, and it's not exactly what I meant to use. I just couldn't find the right words for it. It wasn't exactly the "firing him" part that left me questioning, though. It seems less like simply firing Trump for his comments, and more "blackballing anything in connection with him". One part I left out, although I believe one of the sources mentions it, is that NBC has said that in the event of Celebrity Apprentice continuing, they would not replace Trump with any of his children, despite them being businessmen/women in their own rights.

In other words, what I take some concern with isn't letting Trump go, but basically going "salt the earth" on anything that has connection to Trump at all. I mentioned it in passing with the Miss Universe/Miss USA pageants being removed from airing, but I probably should have put more emphasis on that part of my question. I apologize for being unclear, and totally hold myself at fault for falling back on a tired cliche because I couldn't think of the right words."

Also, I know he wasn't technically fired, but A) he was removed from his role as the judge on The Apprentice, which is a sort of firing (given that he's been part of the show since season 1), and B) I thought it was witty. So sue me.

 

[Fappy]

He probably violated his contracted with NBC when he spoke out like that, so no, his rights weren't violated. People get fired for this sort of thing all the time. Freedom of speech =/= freedom from consequences.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

A company is more than welcome to fire someone if they don't agree with that person's viewpoint, or if the company's audience is calling for that person's head. The escapist did the same thing to MovieBob, and yet I don't see anyone saying, "What about his free speech?" Free speech applies only to the government, not to companies. The government cannot pass any laws that say, "You can't say this." Granted, it's more complicated than that, but that's the basic thought of it.

So yes, NBC was well within its rights to fire Trump, just as Trump is well within his rights to say those things. Free speech does not equal free from consequences (especially at your job) which is something many, many, many people forget.

 

[Queen Michael]

The NBC have no obligation to give him a platform. i say good riddane to bad rubbish.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Citizens and the companies they own do not have the legal standing to stifle someones free speech. They are not, however, required to give them a platform from which to speak.

When all is said and done, Donald Trump is going to be fine. I also have a sneaking suspicion that NBC was probably already considering ditching him, considering how fast they reacted.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

How is this a 'free speech' issue? Is he in jail for what he said? Is he awaiting execution? Has he been fined by his government? Have they chased him underground, and stolen everything he owns? You can be fired because of your mouth. That has nothing to do with free speech. Companies are not morally obligated to service your financial needs, regardless of what you have to say. They can fire you like any normal person for running their mouth.

Unless we are to treat private companies as if they are morally obligated to provide us a job, regardless of what we do and say... last I checked that wasn't part of any 'Freedom Clause' of any Western Government.

(Edit) Also, it makes perfect sense... why exactly should a media firm be forced to continue the hiring of a person who has self-elected running for the highest political office in the land? That seems like a greater ethical breach given that he is a media personality who might air their public stances on TV to promote themselves whilst attached to a media outlet.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

If you are a public face for my company and you say something I feel is detrimental to that company (whether directly or by dint of the contents of your statement), you'd better believe you're no longer going to be employed by me. I am not obligated to keep someone employed if they're harmful to the company's profits or well-being.

This is not a censorship issue; in no way is NBC preventing Donald Trump from saying whatever he wants. They just don't have to give him a paycheck to do so. Freedom of speech does not protect you from private repercussions from what you say.

 

[EvilRoy]

So, was it fair for NBC to sever ties with Donald Trump based on those sorts of statements? Did they violate his right to free speech?

As others have said, as far as free speech, no they haven't violated anything in particular. I will say that I would question this firing just on general grounds - I'm usually in favour of giving people a one get out of fuckup free card for stupid mouth running - however, this is not a new thing for Trump. He says this kind of shit all the time, and he has had many second chances now. Neither he nor NBC will really be hurt by this parting anyway, and being in an American election (famous for over-scrutinizing) may actually lead to some self examination.

 

[thebobmaster_v1legacy]

Sorry, I used "free speech" earlier, and it's not exactly what I meant to use. I just couldn't find the right words for it. It wasn't exactly the "firing him" part that left me questioning, though. It seems less like simply firing Trump for his comments, and more "blackballing anything in connection with him". One part I left out, although I believe one of the sources mentions it, is that NBC has said that in the event of Celebrity Apprentice continuing, they would not replace Trump with any of his children, despite them being businessmen/women in their own rights.

In other words, what I take some concern with isn't letting Trump go, but basically going "salt the earth" on anything that has connection to Trump at all. I mentioned it in passing with the Miss Universe/Miss USA pageants being removed from airing, but I probably should have put more emphasis on that part of my question. I apologize for being unclear, and totally hold myself at fault for falling back on a tired cliche because I couldn't think of the right words.

 

[Kopikatsu]

"I like Mexico. I love the Mexican people. I do business with the Mexican people, but you have people coming through the border that are from all over. And they're bad. They're really bad... You have people coming in, and I'm not just saying Mexicans, I'm talking about people that are from all over that are killers and rapists and they're coming into this country."

Uh... what's wrong with that statement? It's absolutely true.

The data, released by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Robert W. Goodlatte at the beginning of a hearing with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Sarah Saldana, also showed that the 30,558 criminal aliens ICE knowingly released back into the community in 2014 had amassed nearly 80,000 convictions, including 250 homicides, 186 kidnappings and 373 sexual assaults.



Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/14/feds-releasing-illegal-immigrant-rapists-murderers/#ixzz3eVFhMhvf

There are a /lot/ of reasons to want to disassociate yourself with Trump, but that comment isn't one of them.

 

[EvilRoy]

Sorry, I used "free speech" earlier, and it's not exactly what I meant to use. I just couldn't find the right words for it. It wasn't exactly the "firing him" part that left me questioning, though. It seems less like simply firing Trump for his comments, and more "blackballing anything in connection with him". One part I left out, although I believe one of the sources mentions it, is that NBC has said that in the event of Celebrity Apprentice continuing, they would not replace Trump with any of his children, despite them being businessmen/women in their own rights.

In other words, what I take some concern with isn't letting Trump go, but basically going "salt the earth" on anything that has connection to Trump at all. I mentioned it in passing with the Miss Universe/Miss USA pageants being removed from airing, but I probably should have put more emphasis on that part of my question. I apologize for being unclear, and totally hold myself at fault for falling back on a tired cliche because I couldn't think of the right words.

That is a bit different then I suppose. I agree that it is way too much - one thing to give the D-tiddly the boot, but another thing entirely to throw out his entire family in general for one mans assholism.

 

[Darks63]

"I like Mexico. I love the Mexican people. I do business with the Mexican people, but you have people coming through the border that are from all over. And they're bad. They're really bad... You have people coming in, and I'm not just saying Mexicans, I'm talking about people that are from all over that are killers and rapists and they're coming into this country."

Uh... what's wrong with that statement? It's absolutely true.

The data, released by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Robert W. Goodlatte at the beginning of a hearing with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Sarah Saldana, also showed that the 30,558 criminal aliens ICE knowingly released back into the community in 2014 had amassed nearly 80,000 convictions, including 250 homicides, 186 kidnappings and 373 sexual assaults.



Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/14/feds-releasing-illegal-immigrant-rapists-murderers/#ixzz3eVFhMhvf

There are a /lot/ of reasons to want to disassociate yourself with Trump, but that comment isn't one of them.

The problem is that he made statement that was too generalized. If he had specifically targeted the felons that illegally immigrate he would have been fine, but the language he used made it sound like all illegals are rapists and killers.

You gotta love how the Donald has already shot himself in the foot right off the bat during his prez run.

 

[cthulhuspawn82]

Whether stuff like this counts as suppression of free speech depends on the motivations involved. If NBC fired him because they found his remarks offensive and no longer wish to employ him, that's fine. If they fired him out of fear of what radical fans would do in retaliation (e.g. boycotts) then it is suppression of speech.

I dont know what the case was here. I'm just saying that a decision made out of fear can not be considered a "willing" act.

 

[Souplex]

I'm surprised nobody's made the obvious joke.
I sometimes wonder whether or not Don realizes he's full of shit, or simply has his head too far up his ass to understand.

 

[Godhead]

Does this mean that his presidential run isn't another marketing gimmick this time?

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

This is not a censorship issue; in no way is NBC preventing Donald Trump from saying whatever he wants. They just don't have to give him a paycheck to do so. Freedom of speech does not protect you from private repercussions from what you say.

This. Although I am seriously hoping he'll lose a LOT of money over this by pressing a flawed case.