Memphis RN wears violently racist t-shirt to polling place when voting on Tuesday

[klone]

T-shirt depicts a Confederate flag with a noose, and the phrase "Mississippi Justice"

A Mississippi Man Wore A Violently Racist Shirt To Vote In The Midterms

[JadedCPN, BSN, RN]

Hospital investigating employee who wore offensive shirt to Mississippi poll | WREG.com

I find it shocking that the neighbor interviewed for this article "can't decide" if the shirt is racist or not.

[Emergent, RN]

I find it shocking that the neighbor interviewed for this article "can't decide" if the shirt is racist or not.

Really? I'm hardly a political correctness freak, but it's as obvious as the nose on my face.

If it walks like a duck...

I think they need to fire him. BTW, how did he get his RN license with that type of background?

[Ruas61, BSN, RN]

I hope he enjoys his fame!

[Persephone Paige, ADN]

I can't bring myself to gloat about him getting fired, if he has children they will be down an income. But my gosh, why would anyone do such a thing? Especially in the field of health care? What patient would feel safe in the care of someone who even owns a shirt like this, let alone parade around in public in it? Not only is he a racist, but he's a nut.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

1st Amendment rights to freedom of expression

However, we do have to live with the results of exercising that right.

Poor judgment on his part. Not sure he should have been fired.

[inthecosmos, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

It is increasingly concerning that people with these tendencies are the individuals treating our patients. Much could be said about his professional behavior and the hospital could find themselves in litigation if anyone could link his racist tendencies to neglect or malpractice...

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

Well, if anybody's looking, I bet he's single...

[Guest219794]

1st Amendment rights to freedom of expression

However, we do have to live with the results of exercising that right.

Poor judgment on his part. Not sure he should have been fired.

Where would you draw the line? If that shirt, as is, doesn't cross the line? what would? What level of public expression would warrant firing?

The noose represents lynching of African Americans. Would a picture of an actual lynching merit firing?

And, as a hospital administrator, how much time would you like your hospital in the headlines for this? How much of your time would you want to spend justifying employing a blatant racist, all while in the public spotlight?

[adventure_rn, MSN, NP]

Ugh, I was just about to post that same article. I couldn't help but think of the recent AN articles about Jewish nurses caring for the Pittsburgh shooter and racist patients making inappropriate remarks toward their providers.

1st Amendment rights to freedom of expression

However, we do have to live with the results of exercising that right.

Poor judgment on his part. Not sure he should have been fired.

I'm all for first amendment rights, and what he's doing isn't illegal. However, I absolutely think it makes sense that he was fired. People get fired for way smaller infractions posted to social media all of the time (like teachers who have been tagged in pictures of themselves drinking a beer at Octoberfest on Facebook). Perhaps more importantly, many BONs have 'morality clauses' stating that you could lose your license for doing something morally questionable--if this doesn't merit a breach in a 'morality clause,' I don't know what does.

I can't bring myself to gloat about him getting fired, if he has children they will be down an income. But my gosh, why would anyone do such a thing? Especially in the field of health care? What patient would feel safe in the care of someone who even owns a shirt like this, let alone parade around in public in it? Not only is he a racist, but he's a nut.

You don't have to worry about that Persephone; if you google his name you'll find court documents demonstrating he has been skipping out on paying child support. What a peach.

[Kallie3006, ADN]

So, brownbook, let's take it off of him and play "Pin the T-shirt on Clayton" !

Davey Do.... this made my heart happy!!

[Kallie3006, ADN]

We each have to sit through orientation at any hospital we get a job at. During that time they review the hospital's mission statement, values and code of conduct. When acknowledging receipt of this information, we are binding ourselves to uphold this as a representative and employee of said facility. We work with the public, we have many opportunities to be recognized outside of work which means we are the face of the entity that we signed stating to uphold such beliefs. I believe this is definitely a fireable offense and the hospital acted accordingly.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

"gentleman".

I hope you mean this as code for disgusting human being.

Now that his picture and name is everywhere, I can't imagine having such a hate filled person coming into my room saying that he was my nurse--not to mention scared if I was a member of a minority group targeted by his t shirt.