Carolina Panthers Fired Staffer Following Insensitive Statement About Charlie Kirk Death

The Carolina Panthers have fired their football communications coordinator after he posted an insensitive comment about the murder of Turning Point USA founder and president Charlie Kirk, per a source.

The story was first reported by the Charlotte Observer.

Panthers PR Man Gone

Charlie Rock apparently went on his Instagram account overnight and posted a picture of Kirk, who was slain on Wednesday during one of his signature events at Utah Valley University.

Rock overlapped his thoughts on the photo, writing "Why y'all sad? Your man said it was worth it …"

This is terribly dumb. This is a public relations guy, and he thought this was good public relations? At the very minimum he is alienating at least half of the fan base. And in reality he is showing all of humanity his naked cruelty.

And, I get it, thoughts are his own. Tweets are his own and all that.

Panthers Address PR Staffer Comments

But this is also in stunningly poor taste.

And the club didn't see it as an individual exercising his right to free speech. Like it or not, businesses can weight the conduct by their employees, even away from work, as representing them by extension. And when that conduct brings embarrassment or worse, the businesses have the right to act, as the Panthers have.

And Rock's statement is indeed embarrassing. It's sick, actually, because it diminishes the loss of Kirk's life despite the fact he was only 31-years-old and left behind a wife, a three-year-old daughter and a one-year-old son.

So the Panthers' smallish communications department will be down to three people and possibly some interns for the time being.

They'll manage.

People Getting Exposed On Social Media

What isn't manageable is the number of people around the country who are doing and saying stupid things about the Kirk murder. And because they're doing and saying stupid things, some are winning stupid prizes.

Middle Tennessee State University on Wednesday fired one of its deans after she posted vile things about the Kirk assassination.

MSNBC allegedly fired pundit Matthew Dowd for his on-air comments about Kirk immediately following his murder.

Throughout social media, people are apparently finding reprehensible comments from different people. And they're reporting them to their employers.

Silence By Major Professional Sports Leagues

And, look, it's one thing when people or sports leagues like the NFL, NBA, and Major League Baseball say nothing about the death of an icon.

Silence is a right as protected as free speech. And it's often smarter.

On the other hand, many people so far haven't held back from repeating dumb, unwise, evil things without thinking. And that's their right, too.

But it is the right of businesses who have to deal with a public that indeed includes people from all walks of life, all political and religious beliefs, all races, creeds and colors, to exact punishment. 

There are indeed consequences for horrible reactions that paint employers in a bad light.