Pro wrestling legend makes huge donation to Ford worker who heckled Trump
Mlive9 hrs
Ford Worker Suspended After Heckling Trump Raises Over $810K
Was the worker's outburst justified free speech, or wildly inappropriate workplace conduct deserving suspension?
Above: President Donald Trump at Ford Motor Company's River Rouge complex on Jan. 13. Image credit: Mandel Ngan AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
The lunatic who screamed obscenities at the president enjoys protections from the First Amendment and so does Trump. The worker's suspension was entirely justified given his wildly inappropriate workplace conduct, and his claim of political retribution rings hollow when he admits he deliberately seized an opportunity to attack the president. Self-proclaimed free speech advocates who donated hundreds of thousands to reward this disruptive behavior expose their hypocrisy.
Anti-Trump narrative
Sabula exercised his constitutional right to free speech, only to face immediate retaliation and suspension from his job. The so-called free speech absolutists who constantly claim to defend First Amendment rights have gone conspicuously silent now that someone criticized their preferred politician. The union's full-throated defense of this worker demonstrates what real commitment to protecting speech looks like, unlike the actions of those who only support speech they agree with.