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Food Politics reports that Rick Friday, a long time cartoonist for Farm News, was dismissed for offending "a large company affiliated with one of the corporations mentioned in a cartoon." The political cartoon is critical of Big Ag CEOs, which earned more than 2,000 Iowa farmers combined.
In a Facebook post the cartoonist, Rick Friday, explained:
I am no longer the Editorial Cartoonist for Farm News due to the attached cartoon which was published yesterday. Apparently a large company affiliated with one of the corporations mentioned in the cartoon was insulted and cancelled their advertisement with the paper, thus, resulting in the reprimand of my editor and cancellation of It's Friday cartoons after 21 years of service and over 1090 published cartoons to over 24,000 households per week in 33 counties of Iowa.
I did my research and only submitted the facts in my cartoon.
That's okay, hopefully my children and my grandchildren will see that this last cartoon published by Farm News out of Fort Dodge, Iowa, will shine light on how fragile our rights to free speech and free press really are in the country.
The Des Moines Register explains further:
The CEOs at the ag giants earned about $52.9 million last year, based on Morningstar data. Monsanto and DuPont, the parent of Johnston-based Pioneer, are large seed and chemical companies, and Deere is a large farm equipment manufacturer.
Profits for the three companies, all with large operations across Iowa, also have declined as farm income has been squeezed. After peaking in 2013, U.S. farm income this year is projected to fall to $183 billion, its lowest level since 2002.
It seems like in the U.S. you free to say what you like, but if you offend the wrong people you're free to lose your job despite the protections you are provided and encouraged to use.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 05 2016, @10:34PM
I question whether you understand unions. I had the pleasure of working for the AFSCME for a few years when I was a payment clerk for a state government. We received hundreds of invoices a day for three people. One of the three and I got into a competition on how many we could put out in one day while keeping a perfect accuracy. At year end we were managing between 250 and 350 per person while the third clerk didn't try and got 40. We did not care the other clerk didn't try, we were having a good time competing. We were both severely reprimanded for our "hostile work environment", lost steps, and nearly fired all at the request of the Union.
Non-union workers have to worry about a monopoly or oligarchy telling them what they can do. Union workers have union leaders telling them what they can do. Either way, you are a surf. Pay up to one or the other or you are not allowed to work.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 06 2016, @02:07AM
The plural of "anecdote" is not "data".
In addition, the Chinese have had a saying for millennia:
The nail that sticks up will be hammered down.
It sounds to me like those involved didn't learn how to work the system and are blaming others.
I also note that you didn't name the union.
This sounds to me like a third-hand story.
you are a surf
s/surf/serf
You were supposed to READ those textbooks, not eat them.
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