United Pilot in Trouble for exercising Free Speech
West Virginia’s House of Delegates lawmaker gets in hot water for… “hyperbolic speech”.
West Virginia lawmaker Michael Folk got in trouble yesterday after exercising his First Amendment right calling for Secretary Clinton to be hanged in the Washington Mall for treason.
Folk’s tweet, from KTLA.com
Since that tweet caused an uproar, Folk has publicly attempted to explain his extremely inappropriate remarks away by saying: “The hyperbole in the statement was probably uncalled for”. The irony of using an understatement to explain hyperbole is lost on him apparently.
As it turns out, Folk is, according to his own twitter account “Member WV House of Delegates, 63rd district Father of 4 great children, Husband, Farmer, Airline pilot!”. He is employed by United Airlines as a commercial pilot.
@bitmapped I'm curious — what is the @united HR policy on employees inciting political violence in public?
— Nick Malik (@nickmalik) July 16, 2016
Folk’s remarks sparked outrage with several people tweeting at United to take action against him, calls for him to resign from the WV House of Delegates among his peers, as well as a petition on Change.org to have United dismiss him as a pilot. The latest statement from United is the following:
This pilot has been removed from flying pending our investigation. We are appalled by his threatening comments. https://t.co/H1teA2nqsj
— United (@united) July 17, 2016
While Mr. Folk definitely can and should exercise his freedom of speech whenever and however he sees fit, however inappropriate and ludicrous, it is worth reminding everyone that it is United’s right as well to do so by removing him from his duties is they see fit.
Would you feel comfortable knowing a person who believes a politician should be publicly hanged is piloting the plane you just boarded?
July 17, 2016
What a pompous idiot. Yep, fire him.
July 17, 2016
the First Amendment has nothing to do with this. has he been charged with a crime? no.
“Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech.” Congress made no law. he can say what he wants, and his employer can do what it wants.
not everything is a Constitutional issue.
July 18, 2016
Just curious, what does being charged with a crime have to do with this?
July 17, 2016
West Verginia lol. consider the source. He’s probably pandering to the uneducated trash that makes up the local electorate.
July 17, 2016
I guess they didn’t go much for that book learnin’ in his neck of the woods.
July 18, 2016
He’s from West Virginia and he’s a Republican. No surprise here.