💬 It's pretty hard for UGA to claim there isn't racial issues (IE: Fields) when their own staff is publicly racist.

[Max]

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Academics........smart people that have never done anything in their life but teach you about those that did. Did that guy play in Trading Places with Eddie Murphy.

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

I expect the same "he didn't do it on the job" excuse would not be given for a white professor who said blacks would have to die in any context. I would love to be proven wrong.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

I guess Jake Fromm can go ahead and transfer now as well without having to wait a year.

 

[BamaFan334]

Goooooooo Dawgs!

 

[UAgrad93]

he didn't do it on the job" excuse

This right here is what is wrong with society today. As an educator for the past 25 years, I have always tried to carry myself with class and dignity while on the job and definitely off the job. I never wanted anyone to get those lines crossed and ever think and accuse me of wrongdoing on my personal time.

 

[TerryP]

I never wanted anyone to get those lines crossed and ever think and accuse me of wrongdoing on my personal time.

There's a conflict of opposing thoughts on my end.

Yes, what he said in a setting outside that of work is protected by his first amendment rights. Even though—and I don't believe this is arguable—it's definitely what is called "hate speech" in today's society. He has his constitutionally protected right.

What really intrigues me is if he were in an interview process and the administration at UGA had discovered comments like this would they have hired him in the first place?

 

[rick4bama]

You think this would have been gone now.

 

[94 Grad]

Yes, what he said in a setting outside that of work is protected by his first amendment rights. Even though—and I don't believe this is arguable—it's definitely what is called "hate speech" in today's society. He has his constitutionally protected right.

How does the 1st amendment apply? Was there a law made to stop his speech ? Did Congress do something to stop his speech? To my knowledge, the 1st Amendment DOES NOT give you freedom from consequence. You may be free to say what you think, but that speech isn't free from the consequences of what you say...

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

First Amendment argument comes more into play here as UGA could be considered part of the government and it could be argued they can't infringe on his free speech rights due to that. It doesn't stop them from doing it in other situations though so it is a pretty garbage argument.

 

[TerryP]

@94 Grad,

First Amendment argument comes more into play here as UGA could be considered part of the government

That's my thought. If he was fired for what he said and it ended up in court it would be against the state funded school and I'm fairly confident it would be looked at under those lens.

Now, whether that's the spirit of amendment? You've certainly got an argument it doesn't. But, as we've seen over the last few years, what's protected under 1st amendment rights...Is a moving goal post a decent analogy?

 

[planomateo]

Act like a dumbass, get treated like a dumbass. I'm so tired of the double standards on this subject.

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

One thing I will say is that this almost rises to the "fighting words/fire in a crowded theater" level. It is not a direct call to commit violence against a particular person but it is a call to commit violence against members of a particular group of people.

 

[musso]

What's funny is I initially read his statement in a manner that is completely benign. Then I read his elaboration, which didn't support my initial interpretation. His original Facebook comment was:

Some White people may have to die for Black communities to be made whole in this struggle to advance to freedom.

I interpreted him saying that white people may have to die for the cause of making black communities whole, etc. In other words, a degree of solidarity between whites and blacks must be achieved before whites will elect to sacrifice their privilege, and even their lives, on behalf of freedom and racial equality. Hence the deaths of whites, and not just the deaths of a resentful minority group, is necessary "in this struggle to advance freedom."
And his second sentence was:

To pretend that’s not the case is ahistorical and dangerously naive.

And I would totally agree that history bears witness to my original interpretation.

However, as I read his follow ups, it seems he's not talking about solidarity but merely about armed retribution by blacks against whites. Is that how you guys are also reading him?

 

[TUSKtimes]

And I would totally agree that history bears witness to my original interpretation.

However, as I read his follow ups, it seems he's not talking about solidarity but merely about armed retribution by blacks against whites. Is that how you guys are also reading him?

Probably. But he's also just one voice.

That doesn't mean the NCAA won't cave at the first signs of political correctness. I see Fields getting what he wants if the NCAA can be specific enough in their judgment that they believe it's not going to snowball with other players.

 

[rammerjammer]

Is it just me? Homey don't play dat!!

 

[OldPlayer]

A graduate teaching assistant is now "staff?" His opinion is not illegal. He is not speaking on behalf of the school.

 

[TerryP]

A graduate teaching assistant is now "staff?"

As I recall, a little over 10 years ago when we had the NLRB talking about players being employees, one of their rulings was any grad student at a private school is considered an employee/or staff member.

However, they did point out in those rulings that their status would change per state law/state university.

I'm far from an attorney and I don't know a lot of about GA state law but I'd imagine it would be pretty hard to argue against a person being a staff member when they are teaching and getting a paycheck from that school.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Yes, what he said in a setting outside that of work is protected by his first amendment rights. Even though—and I don't believe this is arguable—it's definitely what is called "hate speech" in today's society. He has his constitutionally protected right.

How does the 1st amendment apply? Was there a law made to stop his speech ? Did Congress do something to stop his speech? To my knowledge, the 1st Amendment DOES NOT give you freedom from consequence. You may be free to say what you think, but that speech isn't free from the consequences of what you say...

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

The consequence you speak of will only be applied to UGA if they do in fact fire the so called professor! This world is upside down.

 

[OldPlayer]

A graduate teaching assistant is now "staff?"

As I recall, a little over 10 years ago when we had the NLRB talking about players being employees, one of their rulings was any grad student at a private school is considered an employee/or staff member.

However, they did point out in those rulings that their status would change per state law/state university.

I'm far from an attorney and I don't know a lot of about GA state law but I'd imagine it would be pretty hard to argue against a person being a staff member when they are teaching and getting a paycheck from that school.

But, UGA is not a private school. The paycheck he gets is probably reduced tuition and/or a small stipend. If he was white, it might add to any claims Fields has about UGA being racist. But this guy isn't white. Now all the white kids will want to transfer and claim that they couldn't get an education because the "faculty" is racist.