Assistant Public Defenders fired for Facebook posts about Palestinians
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/broward-politics-blog/sfl-finkelstein-fires-assistant-public-defenders-for-facebook-posts-about-palestinians-20140708,0,5402441.story
Two assistant public defenders were terminated Tuesday for Facebook posts calling Palestinians cockroaches and swine.
Bruce Raticoff and Gary Sheres both lost their jobs Tuesday morning, Public Defender Howard Finkelstein said.
"Time for us to learn and grow and draw the line in the sand firmly that as public defenders we have a higher calling and we cannot engage in hate speech that interferes with the mission of this office which is equal justice for all,'' Finkelstein said in an email.
"They are the filthy swine they don't eat. Their ignorance to the world bewilders the dumbest people I have ever met," Sheres posted, explaining later that he meant only the Palestinians who murder people or celebrate in murders.
A bit later, a comment came from the account of Raticoff: "That's why the Palestinian people are considered the cockroaches of the world. Reprehensible and despicable with utter disregard for civility and humanity. Burn them to the ground."
Sheres clicked Facebook's "like'' button on that comment.
Raticoff told the Sun Sentinel that someone else got access to his Facebook page and posted the comments.
Finkelstein said both employees yelled at him when he terminated them Tuesday morning - Raticoff over the phone and Sheres in person.
He said they suggested that he should back them because he is Jewish, like them.
Raticoff said he was home, sick with the flu, and had missed a meeting with Finkelstein Monday afternoon. He got the call Tuesday morning, 9:45 a.m.
I said, At least I wont be the public defender who wiped his ass with the First Amendment to the Constitution on Independence Day.
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