Two Women No Longer Employed after Disrespectful Picture Goes Viral
Lindsey Stone and Jamie Schuh no longer work for Cape-based Life Inc. after Stone posted a picture of herself making an obscene gesture at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Facebook.
Lindsey Stone of Plymouth posted the infamous picture to Facebook last month. Co-worker Jamie Schuh took the photo while the two were on a work related trip. The picture showed Stone making an obscene gesture at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The photo went viral and created a firestorm on Facebook, with many calling for Stone’s firing on a “Fire Lindsey Stone” Facebook page.
The company released the following statement Wednesday on its Facebook page, Life Inc.:
We wish to announce that the two employees recently involved in the Arlington Cemetery incident are no longer employees of LIFE. Again, we deeply regret any disrespect to members of the military and their families. The incident and publicity has been very upsetting to the learning disabled population we serve. To protect our residents, any comments, however well-intentioned, will be deleted. We appreciate your concern and understanding as we focus on the care of our community.
It is unclear whether Stone and Schuh resigned or were fired from their positions.
Tell Us: Do you think the two should have lost their jobs for the incident?
opsec
7:56 am on Thursday, November 22, 2012
They were working at the time of their photo op so they risked their jobs so foolishly. The Company is 100% correct. If however they were at the tomb as private citizens not working for their employer at the time of the photo then the picture would be protected under free speech.
Tom Roan
11:43 am on Thursday, November 22, 2012
National cemetery rules
http://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/32/553.22
wgw
8:20 am on Thursday, November 22, 2012
Thy are both asshoes n hv no idea wht it is to be a patriot or an American.
Just Askin'
8:29 am on Thursday, November 22, 2012
Were they expressing disrespect for the monument or just the sign ("Silence and Respect")? She appears to be shouting as well as flipping.
John Kieffer
9:54 am on Thursday, November 22, 2012
Lighten up people ... especially you flag waving "patriots."
Ms. Stone was simply expressing a little levity. And good for her … it’s called “sanity” people. Some, not all, veterans fought in war and many of them died in battle for her freedoms; including to laugh and be silly … even at Arlington. The commentators’ anger at Ms. Stone is an insult to the very veterans at Arlington who made the ultimate sacrifice for her (and all of our) freedom of expression.
BTW, I served a year in infantry combat during the Vietnam War - 1/61 INF (Mech) 1st BDE, 5th INF DIV (Dec. 1969-70) ... fellow soldiers who I served with and were KIA there are buried at Arlington.
Tom Roan
11:45 am on Thursday, November 22, 2012
http://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/32/553.22
opsec
9:04 am on Friday, November 23, 2012
Dear John you get it it's not wether you like or dislike what she did its free speech with only the limits being if she was employed and working for her employer at the time. In order for free speech to work in the public arena you have to take what you don't like while having the same chance of speech that you want.
Andy S.
10:30 am on Thursday, November 22, 2012
OPSEC, you, like many, many others do not understand the First Amendment, which among other rights, protects Americans from the government restricting citizen's freedom of speech and expression.
I may have missed something, but where did any level of government restrict her speech and/or punish her for what she said and did?
Her picture is protected (from the government) under the First Amendment.
What she is NOT protected from is her employer either asking her to resign or to be fired by demonstrating poor judgement and impulse control. I would also imagine that she signed some type of employee handbook regulating her behavior while on company time.
Tom Roan
11:46 am on Thursday, November 22, 2012
http://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/32/553.22
opsec
8:58 am on Friday, November 23, 2012
Dear Andy, I would hope you re-read my comment. The Gov. did not fire her or terminate her or require her to resign acording to the above article, it was her/their employer whose rules or behavior requirements were violated. I would suggest that you reread what you wrote i said the same thing in your lower part, maybe you just commented to mine by mistake if not then i have no idea what you are saying. Just so you know i believe in free speech in the public arena, and if they were private citizens not with their employer/working as i said above, i stood for my country and retired USN, SEAL.
Bobby Dias
2:30 pm on Thursday, November 22, 2012
Think about what is happening- Barack Obama can promote killing all the white soldiers of the US military but this woman cannot have freedom of speech while Barack Obama is president? Since when did Barack Obama become Dictator of America?
opsec
9:01 am on Friday, November 23, 2012
Dear Bobby, what did we miss here, the Govt. did not fire her or punsih her, her employer did for actions they did while working and thus representing their employer. How does the Pres enter into this?