"Free Speech" in the USA means freedom from state prosecution for expressing personal views, even unpopular ones. It does not, however, prevent customers from exercising their own freedom of choice in deciding not to purchase products or services from those advocating unpopular views or from oranizations they are publically associated with. Expressing one's views publically can, as a result, have real economic cost to an individual or to an associated organization.
Cooper's publically expressed views clearly would have had a signficant adverse effect on Cooper rifle sales due to unhappy potential customers exercising their freedom of choice to take their business elsewhere.
The questions seems to be, is an organization legally permitted to protect itself from economic damage by terminating the employment of publically identified individuals irritating substantial groups of potential customers. Given that radio or television personalities are regularly terminated for making "politically incorrect" remarks that "offend" groups of potential listeners or viewers, i.e. customers, the answer clearly seems to be yes in the USA. Is the situation different in Canada?
Last edited by vangulil; 11/04/08 12:53 AM.
