A FedEx driver took to TikTok to share that he won’t deliver packages to houses that display flags supporting President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, or Black Lives Matter. Vincent Paterno posted the video on social media on September 16 while wearing the uniform of the transport company and appearing to sit inside a delivery truck.
Paterno, 39, is seen sitting inside what seems to be a FedEx delivery truck while wearing his uniform. The man then proceeds to condemn people who show support for the BLM movement and the Biden-Harris administration.
In the video, Paterno said,
“What’s up TikTok? Just wanted to come on here and let all you know, if you don’t have a flag in front of your house, and if you have a Joe Biden, Kamala f*cking camel toe posted up in front of your house, Black Lives Matter — I will not deliver your sh*t.” He added, “I will not deliver your sh*t. I will bring that back to the station and I will keep doing that sh*t. Have a good day.”
Paterno faced a ton of criticism from viewers.
“You about to lose your job,” one top comment warned.
And they were apparently right. According to multiple reports, including one by Yahoo News, Paterno was fired.
“We are appalled by the behavior depicted in this video, which does not reflect the views of FedEx. This individual is no longer providing service on behalf of the company,” FedEx said in a statement.
Paterno, however, is pushing back on the claims that he was fired. He says in a follow-up video that he was not fired “after the video went viral” and says the “media likes to flip sh*t.”
“I have a couple of text messages that I sent out to my boss in August saying that Sept. 3 was going to be my last day,” he says, revealing a screenshot of the text message.
“Hey (redacted) hate to tell you this but sept 3 will be my last day here,” the text, dated Aug. 9, reads.
“Didn’t know I could get fired when I didn’t work there anymore,” he says.
Watch the video below:
Hey, @FedEx, your employee Vincent Paterno said he won’t deliver packages to people who’s political ideology he doesn’t agree with. /20 pic.twitter.com/G00eosZEJC
— Michelle (@LivingBlueTX) September 18, 2021
Meanwhile, there were some on TikTok who noted that not delivering or stopping parcels from getting delivered is a crime, according to 18 US Code 1708. A TikTok user tagged the FBI and stated, “This man just admitted to withholding mail over political beliefs.” “That’s literally a crime?” another one wrote.
A few users also mentioned the dangers packages not delivered on time pose.
One wrote, “Some people get medicine delivered, including life-saving medicine or medical devices. You could be hurting people.”
Another user added: “I want a felony charge and jail time. People get medicine delivered to them. I want him arrested.”
Several people took to Twitter also to express their views.
A person tweeted, “Politics + social media is just rotting people’s minds. It’s out of control.”
Another one sarcastically asked, “Has he started the obligatory Go Fund Me with a sob story pity party about being unjustly fired? It’s all so predictable. #ActionsHaveConsequences.”
“@FedEx needs to fire his manager for not firing him on the spot or at least report him if his manager does not have the authority to fire him,” the third one added.
Sources: AWM, Yahoo News