SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) <\/p>\n
The events in Charlottesville have rekindled debates over free speech and the unintended consequences that come with it.<\/p>\n
Viral photos from the rally show men holding tiki torches and marching on the University of Virginia campus as they protest the removal of a Confederate monument. <\/p>\n
In many of those photos, the men are clearly identifiable and through social media were named. In two particular instances, a University of Nevada - Reno student is facing backlash at school and a Berkeley man lost his job at the restaurant Top Dog. <\/p>\n
Instagram\/phedlund via CNN <\/p>\n
KCRA 3s Dana Griffin sat down with two experts to talk about the Freedom of Speech and how it works. <\/p>\n
Thomas Dodson is co-founder of Above the Fray, a social media awareness organization that empowers safe and responsible social media users.<\/p>\n
KCRA <\/p>\n
Brian Landsberg is a Constitutional law professor with the McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento.<\/p>\n
KCRA 3 <\/p>\n
Q: If someone is fired from a job, does that violate their Constitutional rights? <\/p>\n
Landsberg: If being fired by a private employer, the answer is that your rights are probably not being violated. <\/p>\n
Dodson: The thing that most people dont think about is that freedom of speech is not freedom from consequences. <\/p>\n
Q: What protections do people have under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution? <\/p>\n
Landsberg: The Constitution only protects people from government action, not private companies. Theres some protections for public employees, but even those are somewhat limited. <\/p>\n
Dodson: I can string together any number of words right now and spout them out to you and they can be as ugly and hate-filled and vile as possible. That doesnt mean Im free from the consequences from those words. <\/p>\n
Q: Should people be fired for sharing opinions that differ from their employers? <\/p>\n
Landsberg: Many employers just want to steer clear of politics and they dont want to be identified with political speech of their employees. <\/p>\n
Dodson: Employers have to look at their employees when theyre going through something like this and say, \"I dont want that person working at my company. I dont want that person associated with my business.\" <\/p>\n
Q: Which groups are protected by the constitution? <\/p>\n
Landsberg: The California Labor Code provides some limited protections for speech, for political-type speech. And the National Labor Relations Act provides protections for speech connected with unions. <\/p>\n
Q: How does social media play a role in the court of public opinion? <\/p>\n
Dodson: Everyone has a camera. Everyone has a phone. Everyone is taking pictures and shooting video. <\/p>\n
So, when you go to an event like this, youre saying not just to the group thats there, but youre saying to the world, This is how I believe, this is what I think. <\/p>\n
If you associate yourself with an extremist view, on any side, youre likely to come under the ire of your employer. <\/p>\n
Q: What do you think about the UNR Student and Top Dog Restaurant employee who are facing criticism because they participated in the Charlottesville rally?<\/p>\n
Landsberg: Thats too bad for them because the Constitution isnt going to help them. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Link: SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) The events in Charlottesville have rekindled debates over free speech and the unintended consequences that come with it. Continue reading
\nQ&A: Experts break down Freedom of Speech, what it means - KCRA Sacramento<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"