Thousands of irate internet trolls want a college professor fired from his job after his husband got into an altercation with de facto incoming-First lady Ivanka Trump on a JetBlue flight last week.
Matt Lasner is an award-winning writer and associate professor of urban studies and planning at Hunter College in New York. Over 7,500 people have signed a Change.org petition demanding he be fired after his husband, Dan Goldstein, went on a rant against President-elect Donald Trump’s policies as Ivanka waited for takeoff.
Related: Gay man accosts Ivanka Trump on JetBlue flight, gets pitched off plane
“Matt Lasner’s conduct is a direct representation of Hunter College,” the petition reads. “We believe his immature and cruel harassment of Ivanka Trump and her family at JFK airport should be met with disciplinary action.”
The petition continues: “The fact that someone who would be involved in such conduct is teaching students is very troubling. We are petitioning that Hunter College take ACTION. Someone like Mr. Lasner, who would harass a mother and her child simply trying to go about their day, does not deserve the honor of teaching.”
Related: Delta Air Lines Bans Trump Supporter For Life After In-Flight Rant Goes Viral
The petition was started by some dude named Brendan Bradley, a 24-year-old self-proclaimed “conservative political activist and analyst” and “atypical millennial” from Philadelphia. (Not to be confused with the actor Brendan Bradley, who seems like a really nice guy.)
Lasner tweeted about the incident, posting a photo with the message “Ivanka just before @JetBlue kicked us off our flight when a flt attendant overheard my husband expressing displeasure about flying w/ Trumps.” His Twitter account has since been suspended.
Hunter College has not responded to the petition or the incident. Honestly, we’re still trying to figure out what the hell Ivanka was doing on a budget airline in the first place.
Related: Watch Azealia Banks Lose It On Delta, Call Flight Attendant A “F***ing F***ot”
Low Country Boy
Can we please fire Trump for his abusive use of Twitter? Just saying . . .
Kaaper
I can’t believe that you said that Ivanka Trump is the incoming first lady. That would be Melania. Sad example of journalism.
Xzamilloh
This is pure SJW karma… the same ones lobbying for everyone to get fired for saying this or that are suddenly on the receiving end and it’s “trolls at work.” Nope… either apply the same standard to all or stop complaining when you get a taste of your own medicine, regressive left.
oregonduckbrad
I adore how when the Left complains, we’re all crying liberal tears as “snowflakes”. When the Right complains, it’s because we’re being “cruel.” We just. Can’t. Win.
vanfanusa
@Kaaper: Melania will remain in NY while Ivanka will occupy the office of the First Lady in the White House. So, Ivanka will be playing the role of the First Lady.
medcannabis1
64.2 million progressive votes would like to fire Mr Trump from day 1….
The reality of the American oligarchy now developing power in the American Taliban Party under Pence the Pius with Trump as the stooge on the stage .
queerty01
Donald Trump should be fired from the federal government, as his immature behavior reflects poorly on the United States.
Heywood Jablowme
?? – From this report and from all the news reports, it sounds like Dan Goldstein (the husband) did all the yelling, but Matt Lasner didn’t do anything (except tweet about it). So why are they picking on Lasner?
Also, I wonder if conservatives think “Hunter College” is a place where you learn to shoot guns? – lol.
Baba Booey Fafa Fooey
@Xzamilloh: Agreed. He should be fired.
Baba Booey Fafa Fooey
@oregonduckbrad: Agreed. You can only speak out against white and Christian homophobia. Not black or Muslim homophobia. If you do, you’re a “troll” a “r-cist”, a “Republican”, etc. I am so sick of those two groups getting passes for their homophobia/anti-gay violence.
I do hope Queerty puts in an ignore button so I can block the pro-muslim, pro-black homophobes that run amok on this site. There are some decent, logical posters on this site. I would prefer to just see their posts. I should be able to control my user experience on this site – but, until then I just don’t interact/reply to their posts.
Realitycheck
Can we petition to fire Trump based on his monster behavior he represents the USA and we the people do nor feel he is behavior is appropriate to represent our country.
Neonegro
They should remove that poor child being raised by those two queens.
Two grown azz man acting like teenage girls in public on a plane…SMH
Xzamilloh
@Baba Booey Fafa Fooey: I personally don’t think he should be fired, but if this is the crybaby culture we have created, I don’t care if he does. At the same time, it’s funny that a lot of conservatives get just as butthurt as they claim we do.
Baba Booey Fafa Fooey
@Xzamilloh: I agree with you, but I don’t agree with accosting someone you’re an employee. You need to be professional and ethical. He’s probably just some hysterical loon. Sounds like it.
Juanjo
@Baba Booey Fafa Fooey:
Oh this troll again with her obsession over Muslims. BTW if you bothered to look at the articles which have come out since the news release by the Trump people which is all that has been reported in the media initially concerning the matter, like say People magazine who actually interviewed people on the flight who saw the events as they occurred, you might find out that reality is a bit different from the story you are touting. No one confronted the Ivanka at all. The flight was delayed from taking off waiting for Ivanka and party to arrive and seat themselves which happened after everyone else had boarded and seated. As Ivanka and entourage were taking their seats the man remarked to his husband that, “first her father ruins the country and now she ruins our flight by delaying our takeoff”. That’s it. A cabin attendant overheard the comment, there is nothing to indicate Ivanka did at all. The couple were then escorted from the plane.
Baba Booey Fafa Fooey
@Juanjo: Why do you call me “her”? Is it because I’m a gay man and you’re trying to demean in some way you masochistic, homophobic sack of shit? Don’t bother replying, I won’t even read your post, you piece of shit. Go fuck yourself, asshole.
Danny279
They did a bad thing and ordinarily I wouldn’t care if someone in academia got canned for bad conduct. But I have a soft spot for gay married couples, especially those raising kids. These guys seem like responsible people who lost their heads on this one occasion. I hope that Lasner survives this incident and learns from it.
UncleFloppy
@Kaaper:
Learn what the term “de facto” means.
Mo Bro
Lasner proudly tweeted:
“Ivanka and Jared at JFK T5. My husband chasing them down to harass them.”
Now reach way back into your liberal brains and try to imagine if someone had said the same but substituted the names with “Michelle and Sasha.” Now maybe you understand how slimy their actions were.
SarcasaticMisanthrope
@Kaaper: No it isn’t bad reporting. It has been stated by Drumphf himself that Ivanka would be handling the duties of “First” Lady (gag). Melanoma is to busy staying in NY with their problem child.
SarcasaticMisanthrope
Yeah, lets turn on our own for exercising their opinion. Ruin their lives, nobody gives 2 shits. snark.
JessPH
Was it poor behavior in public? Yes.
Did he did something illegal or criminal like threatened to kill her? No.
The only one who should be immediately fired (impeached) from his job is Unhinged-in-Chief Donald J Trump. He doesn’t even have a mandate FFS.
Heywood Jablowme
@Mo Bro: Bad analogy! Jared is a MAJOR, OFFICIAL adviser to the Pres.-Elect. Ivanka is the prospective WH hostess and also an adviser. The Obama kids have never had even semi-official roles.
“My husband chasing them down to harass them.” I agree that’s annoying (at worst) but I wouldn’t assume it’s actually approving.
Chris
Where do I sign the petition to give him a raise?
Juanjo
@Baba Booey Fafa Fooey: oh look who has her panties in a bunch. Help that lady to the fainting couch. Suddenly anyone who treats Baba Fullofit the way she treats the rest of the world is a homophobe. Honey I am not a homophobe by any stretch of imagination. You on the other hand are a silly little troll who is obsessed with the big bad Black people and Muslims and who never saw a right wing nut case he did not adore.
I pointed out that People Magazine among some others have now interviewed witnesses form the events and the witnesses not involved have pointed out that the altercation described by the Trump people and reported in the news is not what they saw. Fact s that had the guy gotten into Ivanka’s face her Secret Service detail would have had him in a head lock and off the plane in seconds. That did not happen. A cabin attendant removed them.
I was on a flight from SF to LA once where the King of Tonga and his wife were present with their Secret Service detail. We were all on the plane and seated before the King entered. No civilians sat within a couple rows of the king and for several more rows, the secret service agents sat in all the aisle seats. Now if they give that level of protection to a King of a minor South Pacific island nation, do you think they would give less to the daughter of the President-elect?
AxelDC
Ivanka is now an unelected public official. She is both running Trump, Inc. and working for the Federal government. The corruption exceeds the felony that got Martha Stewart imprisoned.
Trump hasn’t even taken office yet and he already has the most corrupt administration in US history. If he’s going to jail everyone who criticizes his administration, we will need to annex Siberia to house all of us.
ebd407
Absolutely not…..he said his peace and is now done. He invoked his 1st Amend. right. His particular employment is separate from his personal politics.
KanoChris
Trump has put the US in DISTRESS. I encourage everyone to change their avatar to reflect this DISTRESS by posting a US or similar flag in the upside down position. (This is the signal for in DISTRESS) Title 4, Chapter 1. The Flag. Section 8. Respect for the flag. “a. The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.”
NateOcean
@vanfanusa: Will Ivanka and Donald be sharing a bed as well?
fur_hunter
Firing someone because of the words of another, is totally ridiculous. The words were not a terroristic threat. They were someone’s opinion. Now. I do believe they should never have been spoken with children around. Totally uncalled for.
DISQUS
@queerty01: Agreed!
stanhope
Dearest, Ivanka was showing you low lifes that she can relate to your everyday problems. Flying to Hawaii is such a horror. Flying non-commercial is a walk through hell. When daddy is using the plane and i need some photo ops so i can look relatable i am confronted by some heathen. Didn’t this nit wit know that I didn’t have to take this shyttie flight? I was being generous but you can damned well believe I won’t be doing this again.
DISQUS
@vanfanusa: Truly, what is up with that. Obviously Melania isn’t smart enough to be first Lady.
BIGRONIL
Can I ask Why was Ms Trump using Jet Blue? The Trumps have their own private jets. Also due to the fact that She is Pres-Elect Trumps Daughter She would still have Secret Service People all around her which takes up extra seats on a planes paid by your tax dollars. Something is really shady here
dwes09
As expected, those few self-hating homosexuals who always vote against their own self interest (and against sound politics), and live their lives based on the fear encouraged by the right are too outraged by an understandable expression of frustration to think straight (as if they ever could). And yet when actual elected representatives and power broker on the right have said the most hateful and stupid things about the spouse and children of the sitting president, they poke each other like gleeful toddlers and smile and nod. It amazes me that knowing how ridiculed they are these fellows still post here.
Ivanka is very much on board for corruption and exploitation of her position for the financial gain of her family and herself. The conflicts of interest are already piling up, so she’d better get used to the reasonable and well directed abuse she will get when out in public. As for her husband, willing to be the “token kike” (I’m Jewish I can say it) for the alt-right all I can say is ‘you lie down with dogs, you wake up with fleas!’
DISQUS
@queerty01: His and his representatives with their fake boobs, and wigs, and 5 blinks per 30 seconds with 5 stacked lashes showing every body part revealing their plastic body parts. Trump knows how to keep the uneducated white men who voted for him thinking. Thinking with what’s in their pants. Fox News is another “NEWS” agency claiming others are sharing FAKE NEWS. And referring to democrats as “those people”. I guess they don’t know how to give respect to a political party. Come on America, let’s vote them off the air! 🙂
He BGB
Don’t you think we are all secretly thrilled that he confronted her? Come on now. I mean it showed her later with her family in Hawaii in her white bikini smiling and having fun, so she recovered, and probably even sold a little of her jewelry afterward. Maybe federal employees need to be reminded every now and then that we are watching them.
DISQUS
@AxelDC: And look at his family his family history. His grandfather made his fortune in Canada after immigrating to the US from Germany. He had a roadside cafe complete with a Bordello. He managed to make off with 400,000 USD back to Germany. He was deported for tax evasion and for not becoming an legal US resident. He dies. Trumps father was known to be a member of the KKK, and built low income housing in New York City. 17,000 units in the Bronx alone. He refused to rent to black people. Do some research on Trump. It’s as disturbing as he is.
Mo Bro
@Heywood Jablowme:
And Michelle Obama WASN’T a “prospective WH hostess and also an adviser”? You must’ve been hibernating the past 8 years, Heywood. My analogy was spot-on, you just refuse to acknowledge it because a) the offenders in this case were gay, and b) you’re as blind as the rest of the liberal sycophants who’ve been brainwashed into believing Obama is divine and Trump is satanic.
DISQUS
Truly, for heckling Trump should have been fired long ago. This is a bit like something Hitler would have done.
XzamilIoh
@Xzamilloh: And yet you cry to mods after starting random arguments. LMAO!!
Heywood Jablowme
@Mo Bro: Still not buying it! In your original comment, you seemed to be TRYING to refer to Obama’s two daughters, and I assumed you just couldn’t remember Malia’s name.
Why did you bring up Sasha at all? She’s 15 years old.
Maude
Pointing to other people’s bad behavior as a reason to excuse the bad behavior of another person in two entirely different incidents is, about as nutty as a fruitcake and just as difficult to swallow. (pun intended)
sydboy007
@oregonduckbrad: I think it’s more just to show the hypocrisy of the left in how they have a very low standard on how they should behave, then a far higher standard for those of the right.
If this incident had been some Westboro Baptist Church members I’m sure you’d have been vitriolic in your condemnation.
sydboy007
@Xzamilloh: well the left is always baying for blood over micro aggressions, so it would be nice if they could apply some kind of similar standard against their own?
sydboy007
@stanhope: either all are free to live their lives without fearing harassment and threat of violence, or they’re not.
often the proof of character is when you can support the inalienable rights of those you disagree with.
Ian Caulfield
The culpability of the lawyer husband is clear in that he intentionally harassed Ivanka Trump with her children on a plane before it took off for Hawaii. He had no business doing that to her. Further more she was like any other person in the world entitled to travel on a commercial flight with a paid ticket. The attitude that she ought not is troubling. It follows from such bizarre thinking that she ought not sit in a paid seat for say an Adele concert. People who voted against Trump are not entitled to harass his family members. The norms of a civilised society must be observed and where they are not there must be consequences for the defaulters. Qweerty should deplore the husband’s (lawyer’s) actions and also the other’s (professor) if as appears the latter made himself a party to those actions as I think he did with his tweet gleefully publicizing the harassment. The professor should not be sacked on this occasion but the educational institution ought publicly deplore his support for his partner’s actions and its employee’s action in effect making himself a party to the harassment by his support for it.
dubstepskater94
First and foremost…. let me point out that just because someone voiced their opinion (which falls under Freedom of Speech unless someone has changed the Constiturion and I didn’t get the memo) shouldn’t be considered being fired from their job. If that was the case I’m pretty sure a whole bunch of Americans would be unemployed because everyone (yes everyone) is guilty of that at some point in their lives. Second, as for “harassing” Ivanka… what do they think the Papparrazi does? True, his husband should’ve kept his comments to himself but punishing his husband??? That’s ridiculous… Everybody hates to wait on a plane (especially during the holidays) but is that a crime to comment about it? NO. Crap, I hate waiting on my food at a restaurants… lol… And I’m pretty sure Ivanka could give two squats about their opinions anyway. Unless they got physical or threatened her, then who is going to care? What it boils down to was the fact it was a gay couple…. If it’d been a straight couple, nobody would’ve took the time to make it news…. Look, I may not agree with the Trumps (or Clintons either), but I say let Trump prove us right (or wrong) when he takes office… if we (gays, blacks, etc…) are wrong about him and he does make America Great Again (awesome). If not, then we can simply point our fingers at the Liberals and say “Told you so you dumb morons!” Either way, we win!
p.s. Why was she flying on a (ugh) public plane anyway… why not a private jet? ?
Dakotahgeo
Poor,poor Ivanka Dump! Excuse her for not even being a US citizen. Poor dumpster diver IVUNKA lives by the nearest McDonald’s dumpster so she can keep her glorious frumpy figure! Unnnngh!
mhoffman953
The bias in this article is sad. The left seems to be OK with a mother being harassed in front of her kids in public even though she was minding her own business. Similarly, if a public figure goes on Facebook and agrees with an allegation that Michelle Obama looks like a man then that person is shunned and forced to resign from their job while the left applauds the fact that this person loses their job. When the right want the same treatment, the left mocks them.
Imagine how people on here would feel if a Trump supporter ran up to Michelle Obama and harassed her in front of her children then bragged about it on Twitter. Many of the same people supporting the man from this article would call him deplorable and act like he represents all of Trump supporters. You can’t have it both ways.
As for the people complaining about Ivanka being on a public plane, what’s the problem? Are you advocating that wealthy people are to live extravagantly? I’m certain that some of you would complain if she flew on a private jet by noting that she’s too much of an elitist to relate to the average person. If she, her family, and her security paid for tickets, then what is the problem? Her security is paid for by tax payers, so in essence she’s saving us money by having them fly on a public jet versus a private jet. Seems like no one who argues against Ivanka flying on a public jet are also complaining when Hillary Clinton went to see Adele in concert while using tax payer dollars for her security. Again, you can’t live in a pick and choose world.
JamesBDallas
From all of the reports he never raised his voice so I hardly call it confronting her and it clearly falls in line with the behavior to Donald Trump at many of his election rallys when there was someone in the crowd who disagreed with him. I don’t want to sound like a child saying he started it, but he certainly has dragged the office of the president into the gutter.
The other item I want to point out that most people seem to not have understood is that Ivanka, her family and secret service protection boarded the plane first holding up the boarding of all of the other passengers and delaying the flight. Yes she has a right to fly commercial and a budget airline. But does she have a right to delay the takeoff and why does she need to board early. It would seem to me that if she is going to fly she should board last so that everyone else is on board and seated. I am not sure if Jet Blue has first class or business class seating, I have never flown them but I am sure seats in the front of the plane could have been reserved to allow them to board last and most of the passengers would have never even known she was on the flight.
ddevine
What happened was…Ivanka’s ridiculous publicity stunt backfired. Going coach, practically sitting in the PET KENNELS, devoid of makeup or hair done and with the damned kids–did not work. She thought we’d all see she’s “just her kid’s mom!” Yea right. Her family OWNS private jets, hairdressers makeup artists, etc. She wildly underestimated how deeply hated her father is and her own very guilty support of his craziness. The man voiced his opinion and loudly. So what? Good for him.
nitejonboy
You people are ignoring the elephant in the room…this woman and her family and secret service were flying JET BLUE economy class!! She has private jets. Something does not fit. I think she either hired these people to harass her or she flew Jet blue knowing someone would,thereby setting them up. But two and two don’t add up here. And why didn’t the secret service do something immediately ? This whole thing is fishy. She was trying to divert attention away from her previous problems with her jewelry company and make herself look like a poor victim and good little innocent girl again. It’s disgusting and she should be ashamed of herself.
Record Man
@Neonegro: What child would that be? The article doesn’t say anything about the two husbands raising any kids. If you’re going to throw dirt at people, at least learn the basic facts. Or better yet, just cool it on the homophobic trolling.
Opine2
The way I read it, The gay couple made some stupid remark about Ms. Trump, it was overheard by the cabin crew who though that perhaps with Ms. Trumps high profile this might turn into an issue later in the flight and decided to remove the gay couple before this happened.
Then the gay couple seeing a change to up their kudos in their clearly liberal social group, decided to ‘big up’ the encounter to their social group via social media.
Then the media got hold of the ‘inflated’ version and now the couple are embarrassed as they are being called out on their version of events.
Mo Bro
@Heywood Jablowme:
There you go again, making assumptions.
I said Michelle; I meant Michelle.
I mentioned their daughter Sasha because Ivanka Trump, the target of the left’s ire in this instance, is Donald Trump’s daughter.
Now do you understand the correlation?
Of course not.
Your doctrine avoids logic when it’s not convenient.
I suspect it’s painful being you.
Heywood Jablowme
@Mo Bro: There’s no “correlation” at all because Sasha is only 15 years old, NOW, and in 2008 she was only 7 years old. WTF. Ivanka is an adult, married to an adult. Is there something about that concept you don’t understand? (Maybe you got confused about her father making “jokes” about having sex with his daughter. He’s so classy.)
Like other posters I suspect this incident didn’t amount to much. Ivanka and Jared have Secret Service agents but it wasn’t the Secret Service who ejected these guys, it was a power-mad flight attendant.
Also you missed my other point which was that the husband may have been rolling his eyes at the whole thing. Not every couple thinks/acts alike. Why should anyone want the husband to be FIRED? I might sorta-kinda understand them wanting the other guy to be fired, but why the husband??? That’s a hysterical overreaction and makes no logical sense.
Not at all like that woman in WV who got fired for calling Michelle “a ape” [sic]. She may have been fired for bad grammar, lol. Her employer didn’t like it so she was fired, case closed.
gary69mike
I know I’m going to get bashed for this but OMG, all this crap has got to stop! I am terrified as to what the next four years is going to be like, and hope the US can survive it. Ivanka seems like a nice enough person and I was shocked that she was flying Jet Blue, but she has just as much right to fly and any other person does and should not be heckled especially with her young children in toe.
batesmotel
I’m all for that. Get rid of him! Give him the boot and knock him to the curb. I don’t care how well he does his job, the guy has zero class, no manners, and is emotionally unstable. I don’t care if he was behaving this horribly to Chelsea Clinton or Ivanka Trump. If you don’t know how to behave in public, then perhaps you should stay home. Ivanka showed she had class. Something this guy could learn a thing or two from.
Stilinski26
I would be calling the social services to be honest
aidanbh
These conservatives (and many of the correspondents on this post) seem to be a little confused. First, it is claimed, the teacher’s HUSBAND is the one who insulted or harassed Ms Trump. But according to the petition (and some of the respondents), it is the TEACHER who ought to be fired, because suddenly HE is the one who did it. Can someone please make up their mind, because setting aside that lame excuse that a person’s behaviour automatically “reflects” badly on an employer (the biggest BS that constantly comes out of some people’s mouths), how does the behaviour of an employee’s partner have anything to do with anything?
Neonegro
@Record Man: Watch the news before you comment. One of the husbands was carrying a child as they were escorted from the plane.
The Tower of Power
You know what I do when people yell at me? Put on my headphones, smile at them, and say nothing.
If he were stupid enough to touch her on a plane, there would be plenty of witnesses.
I don’t understand why people get so upset over mere words.
Mkiel
@queerty01:Well said & he is a danger to the whole world.
Neonegro
@The Tower of Power: I hear you. I don’t know why a gay couple would be offended by two Christians yelling at them and calling them sodomites that are ruining the world…. in front of children…as they take their seats on a plane.
It’s only words….RIGHT???
Music908
I get it. He lost his cool. But, this guy deserves a medal ,not being treated like public enemy #1 . He shouldn’t have blamed the PEOTUS ‘s daughter ( who we’re calling “first lady?”) ,but that alone is enough to make most of us puke.So, the real news should be how America is going to allow Donald to take that oath. Come on, he’s calling the supposed wall of his (between the US and Mexico) the GREAT WALL !! That’s freaking News! This dude’s getting ready to be POTUS? Do they still make bomb shelters?
highestbidder
So if you disagree with the firing petition the signers are trolls, and if you agree with it they’re activists? Is that how it’s listed in the Queerty stylebook?
highestbidder
@Neonegro: well said!