The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #61744 Message #996149
Posted By: Rapparee
03-Aug-03 - 08:39 PM
Thread Name: Borders Fires Singer for Bush Joke
Subject: RE: Borders Fires Singer for Bush Joke
Were I the woman involved and I wanted to press it, I'd go for the breach of contract. Assuming that I could find a lawyer to take the case.
It comes as a shock to most that a business can do (within legal limits) pretty much anything it wants. It can come as a greater shock to learn that an employee should have no expectation of privacy when working; again, within certain limits (like a general televising of the bathrooms).
The company bought the computers, etc. etc. etc. for the company's purposes, and though they let you use one the understanding is that your use should further the company's ends and not your own. Yes, you might be allowed to receive some personal emails, but! More, try sending out some emails using the company's servers that are critical of the company and see what happens. In fact, you might find yourself up the ol' crick if you sent out critical emails from your home account on your own time.
Same sort of thing here: Borders owned the ball, didn't like the player, and removed her from the game. It's not a free speech issue any more than my asking you to stop singing "The Bastard King of England" in MY living room when in MY opinion it would offend someone.
Were you to sing the "Horst Weisel Lieder" in a public park outside a synagogue I wouldn't stop you, but you'd be responsible for the resulting damage to yourself.
Free speech, like all freedoms, carries with it responsibilities.