According to Ermey, he was fired by Geico because he bashed President Barack Obama in December 2010, saying his administration was trying to “impose socialism” on the American people and was “destroying the country.”
Source – TMZ
If you don’t remember R. Lee Ermey’s Geico commercial where he played a therapist you can check it out here.
Is it legal to fire someone because of their political beliefs? My guess is that wasn’t the official reason, so I’m surprised he even said that on camera.
Hat tip: Rick
Comments
16 responses to “Geico Fired R. Lee Ermey For Anti Obama Comments”
“Is it legal to fire someone because of their political beliefs?”
Yes, in a socialist country…
Perfectly legal for a private company to fire someone over political beliefs, in most cases – and few business owners would call that “socialist.” It’s more a matter of free association. If a corporate spokesperson becomes politically polarizing, I fully understand wanting to disassociate. But then, didn’t they know who he was when they hired him?
“Is it legal to fire someone because of their political beliefs?”
I believe it should be legal for a private business to fire anyone they employ for any reason… ANY. It’s their business, it’s their money, it’s their hard work, it’s their funeral. Why is the gov telling people who they can and can’t fire and hire?
I agree to a certain extent, but what’s next? Firing a girl because she got pregnant and needs to take some time off? I suppose like you said, it’s the company’s problem if the fired person decides to raise hell, so they should be able to make the judgement call.
The ADA, FMLA and state laws cover that scenario. But if I, as a business owner, don’t want to keep a guy on staff because his loudmouthed political activities are alienating my customers, I don’t have to – and that’s as it should be.
Where I’m at now is an, “at-will-state.” You can be canned for any reason at all except for anything illegal. I’d imagine illegal includes racial, religious, sex, and age discrimination. Politics probably don’t fall under any of those, although I certainly know a lot who follow it like a religion…
I love how R. McCarthy Ermey goes on about how Obamas making us socialist and socialism is bad, yet the military he loves so dearly is funded via socialism. Also, I bet he gets social security.
Jesus Christ. You can’t possibly be that fucking stupid, Quint. I’ll leave it to the regulars here to explain how retarded you are since I’m not in the mood to waste my time, but maybe you should stick to the GameFAQs.com forums or commenting on YouTube.
” I bet you’re the kind of guy that would fuck a person in the ass and not even have the goddamn common courtesy to give him a reach-around. I’ll be watching you. “-Gny. Sgt. Hartman
Haha, yea this fact seems to go over the heads of most of these anti-socialist knuckle-draggers.
Who said that? Who the fuck said that? Who’s the slimy little communist shit, twinkle-toed cocksucker down here who just signed his own death warrant? Nobody, huh? The fairy fucking godmother said it. Out-fucking-standing! I will PT you all until you fucking die! I’ll PT you until your assholes are sucking buttermilk!
Hank Williams Jr. who always did the Monday Night Football “Are you ready for some football” intro was fired last year by ABC/ESPN after he made some comments critical of the Obama administration. So yes you can definitely get fired for your political beliefs.
I do believe that Geico has the right to fire R. Lee Ermey for what he said…
HOWEVER, you also have the right to fire Geico! If you’re military, USAA has unbelievably amazing rates. Whenever you switch, make sure you call Geico to tell them that you picked another company because of them firing R. Lee Ermey.
hahaha! good comment man, loved it!
Yes, it is legal. Is it smart — that’s another question. If it wasn’t the reason then GEICO would have said something.
Remember AFLAC and Gottfried?
M’eh.
Jarrod of Subway fame has a stricter contact.