Trump assassination attempt: Those who mocked ex-US president now losing jobs across US

People across the US are now losing jobs after facing backlash over posts, and comments that they made mocking Donald Trump after the assassination attempt last week. Among those who have lost jobs over the past week include school employees, a restaurant worker, a fire chief and a political aide.

An instructor at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky faced suspension by university officials after he made an “offensive and unacceptable social media post.” John James was no longer part of the university and it was not clear whether he was fired.

“If you’re gonna shoot, man, don’t miss,” the instructor had written on social media.

Similarly, a worker at the Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar lost his job at the restaurant after he violated their social media policy.

The worker, identified as Cooper Graves, wrote “so close” in response to the failed attempt at Trump’s life.

“This individual has been immediately suspended pending a full HR investigation. This employee made these statements of his own volition and does not reflect or represent the views of our company,” the restaurant said in a post on Facebook.

A middle school behaviour facilitator and a fire chief in Pennsylvania also lost their jobs after making mockery posts following the failed assassination bid.

Karen North, a professor of digital social media at the University of South California and a psychologist, was quoted by USA Today as saying that everybody has an audience, so one should refrain from making such public statements.

“There’s always an audience for people misbehaving,” the expert warned.

“When it comes to things like wishing somebody died, there is nothing more horrible than making public statements about that,” she made clear.

“Social media has become the town square,” she said, “where people are put in the stocks and held out there to be humiliated because of their actions.”

(With inputs from agencies)