He Flipped Off Kristi Noem in a Viral Photo--and It Cost Him His Job

[JoeOtterbein]

Daily Beast

A GoFundMe has raised thousands of dollars for Stefen Monteau after he was sacked for raising his middle finger in a photo with the South Dakota governor.

Tom Lawrence
Published Nov. 06, 2022 7:00PM ET

CHAMBERLAIN, South Dakota—A small-town cook who said he was forced into a photo with South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem went from flipping pancakes and burgers to flipping the bird in the picture.

It made Stefen Monteau an internet sensation in South Dakota for a few days—and also cost him his job at Main Street Cafe & Market in Chamberlain, S.D. Monteau said he was fired in part because Noem’s campaign team complained about the photo.

Noem, a Republican with admitted national ambitions, is seeking a second term as governor after four terms in Congress. She stopped at the cafe on Friday, Oct. 28, to speak and take photos with area residents.

One was Monteau, who said the governor pulled him into a photo. As a protest, he flipped the bird at waist level, hoping to spoil the picture.

snip

more at link

[yourout]

1. Sounds like free speech to me.

[TheProle]

4. Yes it is

And as DUers have pointed out for years: Free speech doesn’t mean freedom from consequences.

[stopdiggin]

7. thank you.

(I tend to imagine that the readership here is a cut or two above average - and then ... )

[3Hotdogs]

9. --- and free speech applies to the government, not private business.

[Polybius]

12. No it isn't

He works for a private company. His employer can fire him for giving the finger to anyone while on the job, whether to a customer or to Noem. A few years back, a toy store employee was fired for dropping f-bombs in front of customers. He sued. He lost.

[CatWoman]

2. I like this guy

[sakabatou]

3. I thought political retaliation was illegal.

[Journeyman]

5. Tells us more about Noem & her people than it does this cook . . .

though I do wish he'd realized how small and petty these people are before he registered his protest.


Perhaps he'll get his job back when the heat dies down.

[stopdiggin]

6. he doesn't work for the gov

business owner can fire you for whatever
Happens fairly often for behavior the public (or owner) takes offense at.
Don't worry - there's probably another (equally shitty) job just around the corner.

[Demsrule86]

10. True that. But punching down is sleazy. She is an empty suit...killed so many of her constituents

With Covid... dreadful governor.

[stopdiggin]

13. no argument there

and if I have to chose who I'd rather have a beer with (although that's cheesiest of all trite expressions) I'd definitely go with him over the gov. But, that's not really the thing in question. Fact is - once this hit social media - this guy was gone, with or without any 'help' from the gov's office. And he almost had to have realized that at the time (unless he's the biggest mope on the face of the earth).

Teeny little town. Gov makes a visit. Big deal out in the sticks. Bound to make the papers. Then the Gov stops in to 'our' little hometown cafe. Owner's all excited. Actually, everybody in town is a little amped. And here's dickweed Charlie - playing 'spoiler' for the whole community. Real swift move there, Johnnie!

So, yeah - we can talk free speech all day long. But is anybody really surprised that this guy got bounced?

But the Gov of SD is every bit the sh*t you make her out to be, no question. It's just that that is not the point.

[PhylliPretzel]

8. Another example of

fascism creeping in to replace democracy. Speak ill of "dear leader" and the boss, wishing to curry favor w/ "dear leader" fires you lest the boss be "tainted" with your "sin."

[progressoid]

11. His go fund me is up to 8K now!

And he has another job.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/terminated-this-morning

[MichMan]

15. People are free to donate money to whomever they like, but I don't get it

All kinds of legitimate charities and animal rescue groups really trying to help where they are desperately needed, and people donate money to something like this guy instead.

Of course a bunch of people here at DU donated money to Jill Stein in 2016, so I shouldn't be surprised by anything.

[Celerity]

14. Regardless of anything else, Kristi Noem is a piece of dogshit RW assclown thugette. #facts