Israel Folau is about to get sacked from both his jobs, playing rugby for Australia and the Waratahs. The reason being that he’s been making the standard historical Christian insistences about LGBT matters.
Now, I have to admit I’m perfectly fine with a world in which this can happen:
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] Israel Folau is to be sacked by Rugby Australia following his latest social media posts, leaving the Wallabies facing the prospect of heading to the World Cup in Japan without one of their best players. RA released a statement on Thursday night, saying it had failed in its attempts to contact the player over the past 24 hours and its intention was to terminate his contract unless he could prove there were “mitigating factors”. Folau’s playing career in Australia was placed in jeopardy following an Instagram post on Wednesday in which he proclaimed hell awaits “drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolaters”. It was the second time the NSW Waratahs player had used social media as a platform to disseminate homophobic sentiments, following a series of posts last year, including one which said “God’s plan for gay people was hell”. [/perfectpullquote]Rugby Australia employs Israel Folau. They no longer wish to do so. Buh Bye Izzy.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “Rugby Australia and the New South Wales Rugby Union have made repeated attempts to contact Israel both directly and via his representatives since 6.30pm on Wednesday, and at this point he has failed to communicate directly with either organisation. “Whilst Israel is entitled to his religious beliefs, the way in which he has expressed these beliefs is inconsistent with the values of the sport. We want to make it clear that he does not speak for the game with his recent social media posts. “Israel has failed to understand that the expectation of him as a Rugby Australia and NSW Waratahs employee is that he cannot share material on social media that condemns, vilifies or discriminates against people on the basis of their sexuality. “Rugby is a sport that continuously works to unite people. We want everyone to feel safe and welcome in our game and no vilification based on race, gender, religion or sexuality is acceptable and no language that isolates, divides or insults people based on any of those factors can be tolerated. “As a code we have made it clear to Israel formally and repeatedly that any social media posts or commentary that is in any way disrespectful to people because of their sexuality will result in disciplinary action. “In the absence of compelling mitigating factors, it is our intention to terminate his contract.” [/perfectpullquote]The speech of my employee means I no longer wish to continue to have that employee. Fine by me.
As long as, you know, that does in fact stand. Say, even, that we’re going to restrict ourselves to speech incompatible with the aims and objectives of the employing organisation.
So, you’re working for a private sector employer. They can now fire you for any Facebook posting advocating communism, worker ownership of the means of production, right? For those are indeed incompatible with the aims and objectives of a shareholder owned private sector organisation. You tweet about how CEOs shouldn’t make so much. Buh Bye. Because, clearly, given that your CEO is making that much this is an aim of the organisation you’re working for.
I entirely support the right of an employer to fire anyone they like for whatever reason crosses their synapses. You don’t my little lefty friends and that’s what makes you the hypocrites here, nu?