Government

Turns Out You Can Still Be Fired For Racist Facebook Posts, Even If You Delete Them!

Just ask one former Florida prosecutor.

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Are you a public employee thinking of taking to social media to dogwhistle a little tune about the protestors flooding the streets to protest police violence? Maybe . . . DON’T.

Florida lawyer Amy Bloom, an eight-year veteran of the Broward State Attorney’s Office, found herself out of a job yesterday after a Facebook post in which she called protestors “obnoxious” and likened them to zoo animals.

When will people learn that their criminal acts and obnoxious protesting actually gets you nowhere. Act civilized and maybe things will change. I’ve never seen such animals except at the zoo. That goes for every single race and group of people out there. I’d rather be a golden retriever than a fellow human right now. Shameful.

Whoopsie! Realizing her mistake, Bloom quickly deleted the post, but not before it had been screenshotted for posterity and had escaped into the wild. Which is kind of how social media works.

Realizing her mistake, Bloom hastened to tap out a new post explaining that she’s not racist against anyone (except punctuation), and that she deeply respects protestors who are exercising their First Amendment rights, despite calling them obnoxious and uncivilized just seconds earlier.

I made a post and realized that it could be misinterpreted so I deleted it within seconds. I believe in justice for all and that ALL lives matter. I don’t look at anybody by their color shape or size Everyone is a person with equal rights and THAT is why I became a prosecutor to protect those rights and make sure that people don’t take advantage of anyone based on race or background and that goes for police and other members of law-enforcement as well. My post specifically referenced the people who took advantage of the opportunity to protest. I respect the people who have a mission and wanted to accomplish it. It is hard to respect those who are taking it away with violence and destruction.

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As reported by the Florida Sun Sentinel, the Broward State Attorney’s Office also “made a post” yesterday, releasing a statement announcing Bloom’s immediate termination because “The views expressed in that posting are entirely inconsistent with the ideals and principles of the Broward State Attorney’s Office and the duties and responsibilities of an assistant state attorney.”

In fact, Broward law enforcement’s ranks have been thinned substantially this week with two sheriff’s deputies placed on administrative duty pending internal investigations after incendiary social media posts of their own.

WSVN, Miami’s Fox affiliate, reports that Deputy Michael Ruback was reassigned after posting of George Floyd, “He wasn’t killed. He’s talking, which means he’s breathing. He died because of DRUGS.” Which is perhaps not entirely consonant with best policing practices, or the report of the independent coroner who examined Floyd’s body.

While Deputy Ronald Thurston was disciplined after a post decrying the lack of diversity in the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

Everyone can talk but no 1 steps up 2 da plate 4 action. RIGHT NOW THE BROWARD SHERIFF’S OFFICE Does not have 1 Black Sergeant that’s over the Crime Suppression Team. 1 Black Sergeant in Criminal Investigation/ District Level. 3 Black Sergeants Countywide that work Criminal Investigation/Downtown. NO BLACKS IN HOMICIDE. 3 BLACK CRIME SUPPRESSION DETECTIVES IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY. 1 BLACK GANG DETECTIVE, 1 BLACK IN MONEY LAUNDERING, 1 BLACK IN MAJOR NARCOTICS, 1 BLACK K9 DEPUTY… The list goes on and on … VOTE OR DIE.

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Pastor Allen Jackson maintains that the disciplinary action against Thurston is simply retaliation for his support of the losing candidate in the last sheriff’s election, and that “Because [Sheriff Gregory Tony] didn’t want to just target Deputy Thurston, he lumped this other guy in there to validate what he was doing to Deputy Thurston.” A rally is planned for Thurston’s reinstatement on Thursday.

Florida lawyers will no doubt have a field day here. But the entire episode makes on thing perfectly clear: People over 35 are bad at social media, and we are the last people on earth who should be lecturing our kids about appropriate online behavior. Want to learn how to post to Facebook without getting fired? Call 1-800-ASK-A-MILLENNIAL. Operators are standing by now to help you avoid tanking your career. Call now!

Prosecutor fired over Facebook post calling demonstrators ‘animals’ [Florida Sun Sentinel]
2 BSO deputies reassigned, 1 prosecutor fired following controversial social media posts [WSVN]

Elizabeth Dye (@5DollarFeminist) lives in Baltimore where she writes about law and politics.

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