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US Embassy Guard Suspended After Anti-Obama Comments
An American working as a security guard at the US embassy in London has been fired following comments he made on his website about President-elect Obama. Those comments, according to the Guardian, included:
"… ideals that are the very cornerstone of American liberty and democracy could very well become an ephemeral memory of American history under the socialist leadership of the incumbent Barrack Obama.
"… The real question of concern, now that Obama is the president-elect, is what promises have Obama's camp given in return to these socialist, communist, fascist and terrorist supporting nations and special interest groups? Such accolades and endorsements do not come easy in this nuclear age."
The decision to let the guard go appears to have been made jointly by the American diplomats at the embassy and the Wales-based company that employed him. Not sure how I feel about this. Employees of the federal government don't owe their fealty to the president, they just have to work their hardest for him. I understand how high-level civil servants and political appointees would be let go if they weren't on the same page as the president. They exist to implement his vision. But low-level employees, in my opinion anyway, should be allowed to have a wide range of opinions on their leadership, just as everyday Americans do.
The difference here may be that the man works in security, and his comments call into question whether or not he can be trusted to keep the American embassy, which is functionally on extension of Barack Obama on foreign soil, safe.
I do not believe the masses are stupid, but in my experience, security guards are not this articulate. That quote sounds like it came from the mouth of a diehard conservative pundit. That's just an observation I wanted to share.
And this does slightly disturb me that someone who's voiced a negative opinion about the president-elect is fired before the guy even takes office.
This guy being a contract security guard of some type is probably really low-level.
That being said, it is clear that anyone involved in actual important security for an embassy or VIP must adhere to strict absolute political neutrality.
Expressing views like this guy should be disqualifying for any important security post.
Don't you realize that it is the low-level people who can do the most harm?
Low-level people are not paid much--and are therefore relatively easy to bribe.
Low-level people have access to food and bedrooms. They can put poisons where they can do harm.
Low-level people are essentially invisible to most high-level people. They have freedom of movement and action that are not possible for high-level people, who are being watched and escorted from place to place.
I used to work as the person in charge of keeping a breakfast buffet stocked. Yeah, me and my master's degree and my under-employment. I was ignored by the rich people who stayed at the hotel--but I could easily eavesdrop on their conversations, in three languages! (And I did.)
Do not under-estimate the low-level people!
"what promises have Obama's camp given in return to these socialist, communist, fascist and terrorist supporting nations and special interest groups?"
Funny stuff. I was saying the same thing about Bush in 1999.
Look,
The embassy is NOT an extension of Barack Obama: this is the mistake people made about GWB.
It is an extension of the people of the United States. This is not a minor point. I voted for the man proudly, but he is only one member of the government.
He was not a government employee. He was a private person employed by a corporation based in Wales. I assume that the Wales corporation believed that they were better off not using a person with bad judgment in such a position. Also, sounds like he was removed from work at the embassy, not fired from the corporation.
I do not believe the masses are stupid, but in my experience, security guards are not this articulate. That quote sounds like it came from the mouth of a diehard conservative pundit. That's just an observation I wanted to share.
And this does slightly disturb me that someone who's voiced a negative opinion about the president-elect is fired before the guy even takes office.
You haven't noticed that low-level wingnuts tend to simply spout talking points they've heard without even knowing what they're saying? As for firing the guy, he sounds like someone who thinks Obama is a menace to America, and we should remember that leaders have been killed by members of their security teams (Gandhi, Sadat). You shouldn't have people with security access who think the person or people they're guarding are traitors.
A) He can't spell 'Barack'.
B) He doesn't understand the differences between socialism, communism and fascism.
He's unemployable on the basis of being dense.
He was probably fired for violating the Hatch Act. Even though the election is over, Obama is technically still a candidate until the Electoral College certifies the election. I believe that happens at the beginning of January.
Nix my last comment on the Hatch Act. The US Office of Special Council recently published an advisory opinion which contains the following statement:
"Even though Senators McCain and Obama will still be Presidential candidates until
January 6, 2009, we do not believe that wearing their campaign t-shirts or displaying their pictures after Election Day is activity directed at the success of their candidacies.
Accordingly, the Hatch Act does not prohibit a federal employee from doing so, even while
on duty or in the federal workplace."
Nancy,
What school did you graduate from.
It is my masters' degree and I.
He did just call 55% of the citizens of the US fascists and terrorists...when we all know fascism is a Republican brand!
My name is Kurt. I'm
My name is Kurt. I'm interested in similar subjects. I want to say thanks to the author.
I'm owner of "Dancing with The Stars"
great
very nice post thanks!!!