Is it improbable to separate politics from professionalism? Author and columnist Kevin Williamson had a long paper trail of work ranging from projects as an American conservative commentator and is the current theater critic for the New Criterion. Williamson didn’t allow his political beliefs to hinder or bleed into his work as a writer unless it was required. But The Atlantic had different plans in mind when they were politically motivated to fire Williamson, they just needed a thread of evidence to sew their dismissal letter together.
Partisanship or sponsorship?
This is a sheer example of political discrimination. Although editors can censor and control what their audience reads, and vet through who they want to represent their publication, they should not be able to restrict what writers think, especially not for the sole purpose of aligning with their “company’s” political values. What relevance do Williamson’s position on abortion and other aspects of government have on his effectiveness as an employee in the first place?
We all live under the umbrella of the first amendment and should not have our rights stripped when we go to work. If The Atlantic took social media so seriously, why didn’t they sift through his Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts prior to giving him official employment?
They were evidently aware of his past work with conservative columns, so why were they surprised to see his political opinions on his social media? We should not be firing people on a political, racial, or sexual basis. The ultimate question at hand though: Does The Atlantic as a company possess progressive attitudes – or are they sponsored by progressive and liberal companies?
Absurd extrapolation
Williamson lives in a country where he is free to believe what he wants to. The Atlantic is wrong for firing him on a politically-based slippery slope. This trap of the Domino fallacy is a classic “If A, then b, then c, and ultimately Z,” scenario. It’s an easy Madlibs game: If Williamson is conservative, and we found tweets that state his radical opinion on abortion, transgender issues, and people of color, we ultimately need to cut ties and fire him – is that the type of mindset for a news corporation to operate on?
Kevin Williamson has since deleted his Twitter account to eliminate the possibility of his thoughts becoming further misconstrued. Issues like transgender people and people of color were also dug up during this social media handle raid that The Atlantic conducted.
PC: Wisdom or weapon?
Political correctness is holding up the nation from having critical conversations. Everyone is entitled to believe what they want to. Despite that notion, most people are afraid to state their opinions because other people will inevitably disagree, no matter how neutral or moderate you appear to be. We need more brave communicators and writers like Williamson to freely state their minds, and free their creative potential for the world to see without living in fear of “political correctness.”
As a writer, stories like this make me uneasy and concerned as a conservative for the sanctity and stability of my career.
I should not have to live in fear at the mercy of my beliefs and a hateful, politically motivated employer. Should I start sifting through my social media handles to create a "safe space" for future employers, complying with the outlandish and unorthodox standards of The Atlantic and their left-wing ways? Or should I continue to use social media for its intended purpose, as a free medium to express all my thoughts. I simply refuse to bend like a puppet, and let my employability be in the hands of the political spectrum.
