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This is just one of several posts about my current conflict with vengeful billionaire hypocrite Foster Friess. For an overview of the situation and chronology of posts go here...
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Last night I got fired from my Bellman gig for writing about my experiences working at and opinions of Foster Friess' 70th Birthday Party. I didn't have a chance to defend myself, my claims or my rights. I just got canned over the phone.
Team Friess has also contacted my other employer and is putting pressure on them to fire me as well. This seems exceptionally unethical as that job has absolutely nothing to do with the situation.
He's threatening my livelihood in an attempt to intimidate me. He wants these posts down, and he's going against his declared ideals to shut me up.
I was also informed - not by Friess but rather a friend - that unless I remove the postings and apologize for my opinions, I'll be sued for everything I'm worth and blacklisted by most major employers in Jackson Hole. Mr. Friess has obviously got financial sway in this valley, and a Billionaire's legal team can make mountains out of molehills, so I've got no doubt of Foster's ability to cause me oodles of trouble.
I face all this though I did nothing illegal or immoral. Bellmen don't sign a confidentiality agreement. We'd need to get paid a lot more than $8.50 an hour to voluntarily turn off our eyes, ears, hearts, and voices.
Near as I can tell, the only thing I said that could possibly be construed as slanderous is a caption under a picture of Friess that says "This cowboy fucks sheep. You, dear reader, and I are unfortunately part of the flock."
The ironic thing is that Foster just fucked me by getting me fired, so I've got pretty compelling evidence the caption - though crude - rings true and is therefore legit.
Another irony is that Foster took out a full page ad in yesterday's Jackson Hole News and Guide to throw a twisted spin on a recent story by Todd Wilkinson called "Friess Implies Obama Welcomes Oil Disaster". If this doesn't further establish him as a willful public figure open to criticism, I don't know what possibly could. Thus the libel laws grow looser.
Yet another irony comes near the end of yesterday's "Open Letter to Todd Wilkinson" where Friess writes:
"... let's you and I pledge to work together to see what we can accomplish for the good of those people who need help right now, particularly those without jobs."
The irony is that on the day he published those words Friess was actually conspiring to get a poor person fired from not one but two jobs. And for what?
For speaking his mind in his small section of cyberspace.
For exercising his right to Free Speech.
For doing his Patriotic Duty by exposing the hypocrisy and wastefulness of some of the wealthiest, most-powerful, and two-faced Americans. Let me explain...
The true "Judeo-Christian ethic undergirding our culture" has deep roots in forgiveness and understanding. More than by means of financial, political, or military power, the success of our culture is due to our ability to live and work together despite our differences. It's the whole "melting pot" thing. Remember?
From small service industry jobs where folks of many races and languages work side by side to the momentous meetings of international businessmen, our collective ability to let bygones be bygones is one hell of an asset.
If our Nation's strategy was to wage war on anyone who criticized or contradicted our prevailing ideology, we'd have suffered the Nazi's fate long ago: utter defeat and a place in the history books as the World's Greatest Assholes.
Right now, I'm having a war waged on me for documenting an honest experience and offering my opinions. I have had my livelihood partially cut off and am being intimidated with additional threats.
My intent in writing what I did was raising awareness, ideally in the hearts and minds of those about whom I wrote.
I'll let you decide for yourself what Foster Friess' intentions are in dealing with me.
And now, the Lyric of the Day! Here in America - thanks to the aforementioned diversity - we've got a song for just about any occasion. Facing the threats before me, I'm embracing the wisdom of Muddy Waters:
You can't spend what you ain't got
You can't lose something you ain't never had.
Peace.