Getting canned over racist language

[bcla]

Seems to be happening a lot these days. I guess the latest is John Schnatter - the founder of Papa John's Pizza for using a certain word during a conference call.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/n...used-n-word-conference-call-forbes/775356002/

I'm not sure who these days would think it's something that can be said these days. It sounds like they had to ask to resign. Apparently their stock price was tumbling, he was asked to step down as a trustee of the University of Louisville, his name is ordered removed from a building in his hometown, and he's asked to resign by the board.

I just saw a local news report of a road rage incident caught on cell phone video. I'll defer from linking directly since it contains unedited quotes of what was said. However, this woman apparently didn't think about being recorded (a phone is clearly being held up) and she flips off this person and uses several choice words including the one that got John Schnatter in trouble. After posting it to Twitter, someone found out who it was, contacted the person's employer with a link to the video, and she was apparently fired from her job at an investment bank.

It kind of boggles the mind that anyone would be so tone deaf with everyone having a recording device in their pocket, and an army of people on social media who can identify and shame people.

 

[Wubar]

Yet there will be people sympathizing with those racists losing their jobs, referencing wrongful doing, free speech laws, invasion of privacy, etc etc yada yada....

 

[LAB81018]

Well, he was forced out as ceo last year over his proclamation that his pizza sales were down because of the anthem protests. (No John, your sales are down because your pizzas are so crappy, they might as well be rectangular and sold to school children every Thursday.)

You know you have no business being the face of a franchise in the 21st century, when part of your strategy for distancing yourself from online racists is that the front man for another franchise who has been dead for nearly 38 years used the n word and never got in trouble. And also no points for trying giving yourself credit for not following in the footsteps of your Hoosier forefathers by not dragging African-Americans behind trucks.

He just appears to have always been like this and is finally letting his true colors show.

 

[Shanti]

Social media is exposing the bigotry that has always permeated our society. Bigots tend to be relatively unintelligent, and not critical thinkers, which is why they often leave people shaking their heads over their stupidity in destroying their careers by making bigoted remarks in public settings.

 

[tcufrog]

His actions caused us to stop ordering Papa John’s pizza.

 

[Skellingtonj]

I’ve never ordered papa johns pizza. I live in Long Island and we don’t do chain pizza. I agree with a pp, the guys a jerk and we finally saw it.

 

[BGK]

Yet there will be people sympathizing with those racists losing their jobs

Given that bigots and fascists seem more loud-and-proud these days than in decades, one wonders why "Papa" John didn't try to brass it out, or even explicitly appeal to fellow bigots. It worked for a certain fast food franchise. The only difference is that "Papa" John said the quiet parts loud.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

Given that bigots and fascists seem more loud-and-proud these days than in decades, one wonders why "Papa" John didn't try to brass it out, or even explicitly appeal to fellow bigots. It worked for a certain fast food franchise. The only difference is that "Papa" John said the quiet parts loud.

What franchise is that? I must have missed something.

 

[Klayfish]

His actions caused us to stop ordering Papa John’s pizza.

That's not a "wrong" answer because it's your choice and your money, but for me that's one approach I don't take. Regardless of what I may think of the situation, I wouldn't let it influence whether I'd purchase from that company. He's just one person. Sure, he's the owner or whatever of the company, but I very strongly suspect that all Papa John's employees don't feel the way he does. In fact, I'm sure Papa John's has quite a wide range of demographics in their employees, including many African-Americans. So if everyone boycotts the company and stores have to close, the only ones being punished are the very people the boycotters are trying to support...John Schnatter may be publicly disgraced, but he'll go home and sleep on his bed of money. The employees who would lose their jobs won't.

Again, I respect that everyone has their choice with their wallet. I just personally don't think that's that right way to go about it. I don't boycott any store or business over stuff like this. If I like their product, I'm buying it.

 

[Aliceacc]

It bothers me, not only that they were stupid to get caught saying those words, but that in this day and age they're still part of anyone's vocabulary.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

That's not a "wrong" answer because it's your choice and your money, but for me that's one approach I don't take. Regardless of one I may think of the situation, I wouldn't let it influence whether I'd purchase from that company. He's one person. Sure, he's the owner or whatever of the company, but I suspect that all Papa John's employees don't feel the way he does. In fact, I'm sure Papa John's has quite a wide range of demographics in their employees, including many African-Americans. So if everyone boycotts the company and stores have to close, the only ones being punished are the very people the boycotters are trying to support...John Schnatter may be publicly disgraced, but he'll go home and sleep on his bed of money.

Again, I respect that everyone has their choice with their wallet. I just personally don't think that's that right way to go about it. I don't boycott any store or business over stuff like this. If I like their product, I'm buying it.

Do you not think the CEO gets a cut of every dollar his stores earn? I try to speak with my dollars. I stopped eating Jimmy John's because the owner is a big game hunter. I stopped shopping Abercrombie and Fitch because the owner is a disgusting human being. It isn't always 100% possible, but when I can, I try to avoid putting money into the pockets of awful people.

 

[luvsJack]

Do you not think the CEO gets a cut of every dollar his stores earn? I try to speak with my dollars. I stopped eating Jimmy John's because the owner is a big game hunter. I stopped shopping Abercrombie and Fitch because the owner is a disgusting human being. It isn't always 100% possible, but when I can, I try to avoid putting money into the pockets of awful people.

I don’t think you are wrong at all but this guy is a self made billionaire (per the article), it isn’t going to effect him. I think the point the pp was making is that it is much more likely to hurt the local store employees than someone who has already made his billions. The company could shut down today and his lifestyle wouldn’t flinch.

But we all have to do what our morals and ethics tell us to do and if, for you that means not ordering Papa John’s Pizza then that’s the right thing for you to do.

 

[Klayfish]

Do you not think the CEO gets a cut of every dollar his stores earn? I try to speak with my dollars. I stopped eating Jimmy John's because the owner is a big game hunter. I stopped shopping Abercrombie and Fitch because the owner is a disgusting human being. It isn't always 100% possible, but when I can, I try to avoid putting money into the pockets of awful people.

I respect that, but I don't see it that way. Like I said, Papa John's probably employs many African-Americans, and I'm sure a number of them are franchise owners. If they loose their business because people no longer buying their pizza, who really gets hurt more? John Schnatter or the employee/franchise owner? So no, I really don't care if the CEO gets a cut of every dollar, gets the company jet or is the spokesperson doing commercials. I also don't care all that much about their personal life. I buy from a company because of the product they produce. Even if I hated the owner/CEO/head of the company, more often than not they wouldn't be hurt a bit if I don't buy from them...but their front line employees who work 60 hours a week would be.

Like I said, I fully respect your feelings and understand why you'd do that. But I just wouldn't go that route, I personally don't feel it would accomplish what I wanted my message to be. For me, having that person resign and "go away" is fine.

 

[John VN]

Throwing out the baby with the bath water results in a harmed baby, the bath water feels nothing.

 

[sunshinehighway]

Seems to be happening a lot these days. I guess the latest is John Schnatter - the founder of Papa John's Pizza for using a certain word during a conference call.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/n...used-n-word-conference-call-forbes/775356002/

I'm not sure who these days would think it's something that can be said these days. It sounds like they had to ask to resign. Apparently their stock price was tumbling, he was asked to step down as a trustee of the University of Louisville, his name is ordered removed from a building in his hometown, and he's asked to resign by the board.

I just saw a local news report of a road rage incident caught on cell phone video. I'll defer from linking directly since it contains unedited quotes of what was said. However, this woman apparently didn't think about being recorded (a phone is clearly being held up) and she flips off this person and uses several choice words including the one that got John Schnatter in trouble. After posting it to Twitter, someone found out who it was, contacted the person's employer with a link to the video, and she was apparently fired from her job at an investment bank.

It kind of boggles the mind that anyone would be so tone deaf with everyone having a recording device in their pocket, and an army of people on social media who can identify and shame people.

Unfortunately, it doesn't boggle my mind. I wouldn't chalked up blantly racist language as simply being tone deaf either.
Besides the fact that people say racist things knowing how common recording devices or that they can easily be shared on social media isn't really the problem or major issue in either of those stories.
The question shouldn't be "why would someone say those things knowing they could be recorded and it heard by millions of people", the question should be "what is wrong with those people and how do we make sure sentiments like those have no place in our society"

 

[tvguy]

I hear a lot of things I don't agree with, but under the First Amendment people have a right to say them. But yes, there can be consequences afterwards, especially if you are an elected official.
https://www.abc10.com/article/news/...hobic-op-ed-by-dixon-vice-mayor/103-572639219

 

[John VN]

I hear a lot of things I don't agree with, but under the First Amendment people have a right to say them. But yes, there can be consequences afterwards, especially if you are an elected official.
https://www.abc10.com/article/news/...hobic-op-ed-by-dixon-vice-mayor/103-572639219

Very well stated with my addition of "seemingly intelligent" preceding "elected"

 

[sunshinehighway]

I hear a lot of things I don't agree with, but under the First Amendment people have a right to say them. But yes, there can be consequences afterwards, especially if you are an elected official.
https://www.abc10.com/article/news/...hobic-op-ed-by-dixon-vice-mayor/103-572639219

Having the "right" to say something under the first amendment should never be confused with having absolutely no consequences for what you say. Too many people hide behind the 1st thinking it should protect them from judgement when they say horrible things. That's never what free speech has been about and never should be what it's about. Every society has a right to decide what behavior is acceptable and an obligation hold people to those standards.

 

[Southernmiss]

I hear a lot of things I don't agree with, but under the First Amendment people have a right to say them. But yes, there can be consequences afterwards, especially if you are an elected official.
https://www.abc10.com/article/news/...hobic-op-ed-by-dixon-vice-mayor/103-572639219

Can is the operative word here. Unfortunately, some get away with more than others.

 

[neverlandsky]

The sales were tanking due to the quality of pizza way before the NFL protests and his comment. We stopped ordering Papa John’s years ago due to the poor quality. His comment was indeed the nail in the coffin. Reminds me of Paula Dean.

Words, pictures, and even certain song lyrics are like toothpaste. Once it’s out of the tube there’s no going back. Just because there’s a freedom to do something doesn’t mean it’s a freedom without consequences. Good news is that we the people do have a choice by voting or voting with our wallets.