Ebbie, yes, it was the private security folks who handcuffed and detained the reporter. But weren't they hired by the candidate?

It's not always fair, but usually people are held responsible for the behavior of their employees -- especially when they don't come forward, uncoerced, and promptly, to denounce that behavior and set things right.
There have been public school teachers who have, similarly, misunderstood the First Amendment and its ramifications and flunked students or sent them home for such things as writing an essay (for an English class) with Jesus as the topic.   If the school board promptly sets the record right and reinstates the student, they're not to blame for the teacher's overreaction and overreaching; if not, they become complicit in it.


Bruce, sweetie, since when does having a penny in one's pocket compare to broadcasting an endorsement or opinion on a lapel button or t-shirt?
"No one seems to care that the BUSH was an AIRCRAFT CARRIER," you say.
OK.   If Pepsi were sponsoring an event, complete with their ads, and one of the stage hands was wearing a "Coke: The Pause That Refreshes" t-shirt, would you expect them not to object? Would it really matter if the "coke" the hand was advocating was the kind that's snorted?

As Jack the Sailor says, "If the Democrats paid for the hall. they have a right to expect neutrality AT THE VERY LEAST from its employees."

I think rally attendees should be allowed to wear whatever slogans they like on their t-shirts, buttons, bumper stickers, etc.   But paid employees at a political rally should refrain from attire that is likely to be seen as political propaganda if they're not willing to endorse the candidate/party that's putting on the rally. I'd think that's a no-brainer.


TIA's point is important:

"He was not fired. He was asked to leave - *after* refusing to simply turn the shirt inside-out.
And, how do we know the job foreman was a liberal? "