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Gary Casper was terminated after he posted an image of former president Barack Obama with a noose around his neck on Facebook. The meme was accompanied with the caption #PayPerView.
According to a report in the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Casper was the vice president of information technology at a software company, Transcard.
His employer, Transcard, sent an email to the newspaper stating that they do not allow their employees to post political statements.
“As soon as Transcard realized that an employee was utilizing social media to engage in political speech, it took immediate action to terminate its relationship with such person,” Transcard president Chris Fuller wrote in the email.
However, the Alabama NAACP posted on Facebook that Casper’s termination has not been verified.
“We demand a public explanation and formal apology from Transcard as well as confirmation that Casper’s employment has been terminated and that a full investigation is underway,” the organization posted.
The company posted a brief statement on their Facebook page stating, “The views reflected in posts made by individuals do not reflect the views or values of Transcard. This issue is being handled according to company policy. The individual of recent concern is no longer employed with the company. Thank you for your concern.”
Hundreds of comments on the post want quick and decisive action to be taken by Transcard.
The company is a third-party payment software company with approximately 100 employees.
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According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, other employees’ social media accounts, including the Twitter pages of Transcard’s CEO and president, also appear to have been recently deleted. So has the company’s main Twitter account.
Barack Obama was the 44th President of the United States. Threatening or harassing a president is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. So far, no charges have been filed against Casper.
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