Gilbert Kalonde, a Montana State University assistant professor of technology education, says an employee at the Bozeman, Montana Wal-Mart wrongly listed his occupation on a fishing license as “toilet cleaner” rather than “pompous assistant professor.” This, the toilet cl…er, professor says, constitutes libel, and he is suing for damages because the license has held him up to “hatred, contempt, ridicule.”
Boy, you can say that again. I know I always judge people by what it says on their fishing licenses. Come to think of it, I just judge people harshly if they have a fishing license. Actually, I’m not sure I wouldn’t regard a toilet cleaner as more admirable than a college professor. True, he doesn’t teach at Wellesley….
Why would anyone get upset over something like this? I would be hauling out that license at parties. Yes, that’s not exactly sterling service he got, but it’s Wal-Mart. Besides, based on the law suit, I bet the prof was so insufferable–“See here, my good man, make sure you place the correct occupation on that document, lest my credentials are obscured!”—that the Wal-Mart clerk decided to teach him a lesson in humility. I guess it didn’t work.
The ethical values involved here are proportion, compassion, humility, and kindness, none of which Gilbert Kalonde appears to possess.
At least he has a sense of humor.
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Pointer: Fark
Ethics Alarms 
If that picture is an example of Professor Kalonde’s toilet cleaning, he better stick to teaching because he sure doesn’t know which part of a toilet needs cleaning.
Someone had been VERY careless…
Well I guess his fishing buddies (If he has any!) would get a laugh over the license if they ever got hold of it. Same with fish and game. What kind of weenies are they hiring at Montana State University?
Extra special ones.
Jack, you said: “At least he has a sense of humor.”
I’m just wondering what gives you that idea?
Can cleaners, most of whom would clean toilets, launch a class action against this (words fail me, insert your own here) because his action clearly and publicly displays an attitude of ‘hatred, contempt, ridicule’ towards them? I suspect not, but I’m a firm believer that a pompous ass (yeah, that works) like this should be thoroughly and publicly pilloried. Let’s face it, he’s the one that has thrown himself onto the public stage, lets shine the limelight on Gilbert Kalonde’s failings.
Meanwhile, the Wallmart employee should get a thorough arse kicking all the way out the door for treating even the most pompous ass of a customer that way; and for insulting cleaners.
It’s called sarcasm, Paul. Christ. I thought it was pretty obvious: if he had any sense of humor at all, he would have just laughed about it. You know where I wrote that I would be pulling the license out at parties? What did that suggest? That I thought it would be funny. He didn’t, or he wouldn’t be suing. Now, if I thought it would be funny, and he doesn’t, when I say “At least he has a sense of humor,” what do you call that?
You must not read here very often.
I get ridicule. Even contempt. But HATE?
Don’t you hate toilet cleaners?
Then again, my wife says she loves hers.
My wife says the same.
SlickWilly, cleaning domestic toilets for decades…
Sometimes context makes for a different point of view. http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/ktvm/msu-professor-accuses-walmart-worker-of-racial-bias_20160620163503257/26209144
It doesn’t make him any less of a jerk. So now he’s black, and assumes any insult is based on racism. It might have been. Or he might have been an ass to a clerk, who decided to tweak his ego, which needs it. Here’s the thing: there’s nothing undignified or wrong or not respectable about cleaning toilets, or working at Wal-Mart. I know wonderful human beings who are truck drivers and jackass professors. This guy is proving the clerk’s point and doesn’t even know it.
It almost looks like you’re saying that you know wonderful human beings who are jackass professors.
Its been a while since I looked at libel, but isn’t publication an essential element? Unless and until he had to produce his fishing license, I don’t think he has a claim, or at least a good one.
Now of course he himself has brought more notoriety than his license alone ever would have but that’s always the catch 22 of pursuing a libel case.
Okay, I read the article so there was publication (to his teaching assistant). But according to him he didn’t specify what he did at the college. He might be entirely correct that he was vague with his answer and the clerk employed a stereotype. But that’s not libel either – if the clerk made an honest mistake even if that mistake was fueled by racism.
A self-defined chip-laden snowflake, bereft of humor. Appears to enjoy grandstanding, in fact in this regard it appears he can’t help himself (as his CV attests). Only two peer review publications. Kinda gives the game away.
Assistant professor is an occupation?
Yes, assistant professor is an occupation. Dr. Kalonde is an assistant professor, and he is a black man who decided to respond to racism instead of just laughing it off. His reward has been to be ridiculed by a mob that knows nothing about him or about his situation other than the headlines. He is a kind, compassionate, humble man, and he has a great sense of humor. I wish you could have gotten to know him before you passed judgment on him. Fortunately, our court system bases its decisions on evidence, not on ill-informed social media opinion.
1. What does the fact that he is a great guy have to do with him reacting like a jerk to a minor annoyance?
2. Where did that sense of humor go?
3. Anyone who is so horrified at being identified with an honest blue-collar job has let his ego eat his brain.
4. Yes, and on the pure basis of the law, the suit is laughable, and embarrassing to him and his institution.
5. This isn’t social media.
“5. This isn’t social media.
Dear God, this is not social media…we have standards, they are enforced, and improper behavior is discussed, mocked, and reprimanded.
…and so he assumes racism, decides to sue (could it be the deep pockets at Walmart influenced his position? Of course not! Pure as the driven snow, huh, Mr Freese?)
And the take here at EA is NOT your typical social media: many here are lawyers who are laughing this case out of court… as it should be.
Your boy is playing stupid games, and DESERVES to be mocked.
This is why we can’t have nice things
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
I actually have Dr. Kalonde as a Professor unfortunately. This isn’t surprising behavior. He’s a terrible communicator and hard to interact with. I’ve had him directly insult me and other students, maybe I should sue him…..
You have my sympathies…