A television reporter named James Burner lost his job at KTTC-TV, an NBC affiliate outlet in Minnesota, after he was seen wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat while covering one of US President Donald Trump’s recent rallies.
According to the TV station’s management, Burner effectively violated their standards of neutrality by wearing “partisan political campaign clothing” emblazoned with Trump’s campaign slogan.
Whyyyyy? pic.twitter.com/KLgnFFULFC
— Mark Vancleave 📹+📷 (@MDVancleave) 4 октября 2018 г.
"Our newsroom’s standards of professional journalism do not allow our reporters to wear partisan political campaign clothing while actively covering a political campaign event for the television station," KTTC-TV news director Noel Sederstrom said, as quoted by The Washington Times. "We work hard to be neutral and unbiased toward all political parties and candidates."
Burner himself also tweeted that he does not consider his sacking unfair, and that he does not blame KTTC-TV for this decision.
It's not unfair. KTTC-TV is not to blame.
— Jim Bunner News (@jimbunnernews) 6 октября 2018 г.
Some Twitter users however disagreed with the journalist, accusing his detractors of having double standards and claiming that the Make America Great Again phrase was used by other US presidents as well and not just by Trump.
Why were you fired? For wearing a hat? Did you violate a policy? Fired without warning and commiserate consideration.
— Doug Wade (@ktm3009v) 7 октября 2018 г.
There are a lot of ways to spin it but if it was a clinton or obama cap I would bet it would not have been a problem this is the problem with the media
— Andrew Sabol II (@ASaboLII) 7 октября 2018 г.
It is unfair and KTTC is to blame. I'll bet there are some damn good employee/employer attorneys who would take your case in a heartbeat. NBC needs to be taught a lesson. Clinton, Reagan and others have used the phrase. See: https://t.co/0HimNeQgVj
— HughEHamilton (@HughEHamilton) 7 октября 2018 г.
Would anyone really be fired for wearing a "HOPE" hat during Obama's tenure? Absolute anti-president bullshit. There's nothing partisan about supporting the president.
— mister (@amerricanno) 7 октября 2018 г.
