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This incident probably flew under the radar of most people who aren’t MMA fans, but noted Lightweight UFC fighter Jacob Volkmann recently lost his job teaching high school wrestling for comments he made about Barack Obama following a recent victory against Efrain Escudero at UFC 141.
Volkmann, who runs a chiropractor practice, said the following to UFC commentator Joe Rogan:
“Obama needs a glassectomy. Ask me what a glassectomy is, Joe,” said Volkmann.
Rogan obliged.
“It’s where they remove the belly button and put a piece of glass in there so you can see what you’re doing while your head’s up your ass,” said Volkmann.
This comment has since led to an action taken by his part-time employer. Via Twitter, he announced: “Was put on administrative leave from coaching white bear lake high school wrestling for my joke. Unethical!”
Volkmann has repeatedly picked fights with Barack Obama, originally receiving a visit from the secret service for a joke he made about fighting the president in an MMA match. Following his post-fight joke (which fell flat among the apolitical MMA fans), he said he’d like to “take (Obama) down and submit him. I would make it a very painful submission… a kimura or arm bar – try and rip it.”
Although he’s clearly been provocative in his comments, is it really fair that the high school suspended him? On what basis did they suspend him? Apparently it wasn’t because anyone complained, but because of guilt by association. They didn’t want to be seen endorsing someone who endorses violence against the president.
I think they’re making much ado about nothing. If free speech is a first amendment right, it doesn’t make sense for that right to be limited by targeting a person’s livelihood. And even if we agree that employers have certain rights to prevent an employee from misrepresenting their views, a simple disclaimer from the school stipulating that they don’t endorse or recommend his views should suffice.
Your thoughts?
I agree with you on that Volkmann should not have lost his job over this. This would have been funny to most Republicans but schools are largely dominated by Democrats and by extension, Obama supporters. Comedy and personal opinions can cross the line with repercussions when working in that environment much like calling the principal of that school into the same joke. Freedom of expression does not guarantee lack of blow-back. That type of joke should not be told into a microphone for the world to hear unless he knew his audience. He misjudged and paid a price.
Wow, it is getting scary in the U S of A.
I guess that by that, there are thousands out of work for what they said about George Bush. Is that the cause of the mass unemployment? Obama is a piece of work and one that is not going to go out with a wimper.
Well ombama is muslim after all and we all know you can’t offend a muslim right?
I’m a pretty ardent advocate of free speech but I’m not outraged by the schools actions. Schools do have to set standards for our children and having a coach in place who advocates violence against the president isn’t a very good standard.
I guess the thing for me is that it’s obvious he’s not seriously advocating violence against the president. It’s figurative speech, used because of his profile in MMA.
These morons should head north of the 49th and they’d learn what threats look and sound like to nothing but applause from the media towards our PM.
Perhaps they’d chill-ax once they saw and heard some REAL IDIOTS.