Updated: “Racism is unacceptable” – Trek-Segafredo reacts to rider’s pro-Trump tweet

There are always alternatives to use, even if you have to work harder to get the result you require. But why would you? Do you get anything of value from broadcasting trivia to strangers?
Anyway, I applaud your choice to avoid Twitface. You appear to be wiser than most.

You can email anyone you like free of charge without enriching Mr Zuckerberg or sharing your stuff with him. Works quite nicely really.

Email, sounds new and exciting.

Will have to check it out.

Thanks...

In short: freedom of speech is not freedom from the social consequences of such speech.

If the social consequences end up with his employer ending his contract to avert criticism, it's not free speech. It wouldn't be fair for a bigoted team-owner to fire someone for supporting Biden, so it wouldn't be fair for Trek to fire Simmons over this. 

That would depend on what he is fired for. If there is a clause in his contract to not espouse personal political views on SM, he would be in breach of that, and so the co can take disciplinary. Of course he hasn't been prevented from saying anything, or imprisoned, beaten, or disappeared. His company is free to terminate the contract, he is free to keep espousing his views.

As it happens, He isn't being fired as far as I can see

“Trek-Segafredo does not condone comments or actions from its riders that add to divisive conversations.”

It added: “The team will work with Quinn to help him understand the appropriate tone of conversation an athlete in his position should maintain.”

“Regrettably, team rider Quinn Simons made statements online that we feel are divisive, incendiary, and detrimental to the team, professional cycling, its fans, and the positive future we hope to help create for the sport,” the team said.

“In response, he will not be racing for Trek-Segafredo until further notice.”

So at this stage he's on the bench. Not fired

Brauchsel wrote:

If the social consequences end up with his employer ending his contract to avert criticism, it's not free speech. It wouldn't be fair for a bigoted team-owner to fire someone for supporting Biden, so it wouldn't be fair for Trek to fire Simmons over this. 

If a team decides to take a stance against Biden, then it would make sense for them to get rid of their public facing people who are making known their views supporting him. Not fair, but that's what marketing is about. It's not so much infringing free speech, but ensuring that brands can control their image. It'd be a different case if they got rid of non-public facing staff for privately held political views - they'd presumably have to demonstrate either a conflict of interest or bringing the brand into disrepute.

"If a team decides to take a stance against Biden, then it would make sense for them to get rid of their public facing people who are making known their views supporting him"

In the UK at least, a business whose business wasn't directly political would (I think) lose a wrongful dismissal case if it did so. These are odd times indeed, but expressing one's support for the candidate of a mainstream political party (indeed, the incumbent) shouldn't be the sort of thing that damages your career. 

Its a tough call on whether his actions damage the brand, or more precisely how much weight the employer can fairly put on that. Keeping him on the books will bring Trek into disrepute for some people, undoubtedly. The legal (and I think correct) test is whether the brand suffers in the eyes of a reasonable, fair-minded observer. Ignoring the apparent paucity of those these days, I don't think it does. Supporting Trump is something millions of people apparently do, and nobody should think worse of a company because one of its employees does. 

Let's keep this in proportion: He's being punished for appearing to support the Proud Boys, more than Trump. And, much like Moscon, I expect him to keep his job because he's talented.
This is not a freedom of speech issue - Been was taking a political position and looking for a reaction. If you don't agree with a social media post, ignore it. Otherwise you get sucked into a pointless slanging match which makes you look stupid. One day Simmons will learn this.
Trek and Segafredo will continue to employ him for as long as they judge that his potential for the good publicity that comes from his results outweighs any negatives he brings.
All employers do this, and therefore most of us have clauses in our employment contracts to make it easy for them to fire us if we choose to behave like idiots.

AllegedlyAnthony wrote:

If you don't agree with a social media post, ignore it. Otherwise you get sucked into a pointless slanging match which makes you look stupid.

There is a certain amount of irony here...

In all of this, it might have been a because of being a Trump, but I do wonder if using the black hand was the thing that took it the step too far for Trek, especially after the whole incident was because of Trump not denouncing white supremecists (not the first time and certainly won't be the last as proven in his follow up interview yesterday). As with anything texted, any "joke" doesn't translate well. 

Been has every right to state she doesn't want people who support someone who shows so many facist and racist views to follow her. That is not being interested in free speach, that is not being interested in vile viewpoints. I still don't see how you think the comments Been is reported to have said are incredibly nasty though. Most of the world believe he is a nasty man, and his utterances mostly prove it. Do you believe Kim Jong Un is a nasty man? If she had said "Kim Jong Un is a disgrace to the people of North Korea, I hope his rule soon ends. Anyone who supports what he is doing can go as their is no excuse for this vile man and his regime", would you have said she had been incredibly nasty?