Speaker Johnson: Federal Workers Who Protest Against Israel Should Be Fired

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Facts

  • US House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on X, formerly Twitter, called on Sunday for the firing of any federal employees who take part in protests against Democratic Pres. Joe Biden's policies related to the Israel-Hamas war.1
  • Amidst reports that federal employees are planning a pro-Palestine walkout, Johnson's post on X said any worker who protests US support for Israel 'is ignoring their responsibility and abusing the trust of taxpayers.'1
  • The walkout is being organized by a group called Feds United for Peace, which said employees from 22 federal agencies — including the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security — would walk out this week.2
  • The group picked the date for its 'Day of Mourning' to mark 100 days since Israel began its military operations in Gaza in response to Hamas's Oct. 7 surprise attack.3
  • Previously, 100 State Department and USAID employees in November signed an internal memo criticizing US support for Israel's actions in Gaza, and two Biden administration officials have resigned in protest over pro-Israel policies.4

Sources: 1The Messenger, 2Washington Examiner, 3JNS.com and 4Mediaite.

Narratives

  • Right narrative, as provided by National Review. Federal workers who intend to blackmail the government by stopping or slowing down work until the government complies with their demands should be held accountable by the law. This planned walkout is a felony and is punishable at minimum with termination. Government employees always have the option to quit if the policies of their employer don't meet their standards.
  • Left narrative, as provided by Jacobin. All workers, including those employed by the federal government, should be protected from facing repercussions for their political views. In the US, dissent is a touchstone of citizens' freedoms. Unfortunately, laws related to at-will employment make these types of firings legal, so if the government and employers won't subscribe to the notion of free speech, the laws must be changed.