Stupid America, Episode 6,451

Why is this man smiling? At the absurdity of it all?

Are you ready for this? Some guy in Utah--the lucky state this time because I can think of about 40 more states at least where this could have happened, Oklahoma not the least of them. Why? Because our stupidity or ignorance, if I wanted to be kinder, is nationwide. It knows no boundaries. (I suspect my friend Bob, who lives in Utah would disagree. When I told him about this, he already knew and informed me that the story had gone viral.) Anyway some guy in Utah who teaches at an English as second language school lost his job because he blogged about homophones. (Check this story out.) Yes, you read that right. And moreover, the reason you think this cost him his job is also correct.

Tim Torkildson told the Salt Lake Tribune that shortly after his lesson went up, Nomen Global Language Center owner Clarke Woodger fired him, complaining "now our school is going to be associated with homosexuality."

"I had to look up the word" Woodger said, according to the account Torkildson published on his personal blog, "because I didn't know what the hell you were talking about. We don't teach this kind of advanced stuff to our students, and it's extremely inappropriate. Can you have your desk cleaned out by eleven this morning? I'll have your check ready."

It seems too ridiculous to believe, but Torkildson's former employer confirmed the incident of homophonia actually happened.

"People at this level of English," Woodger told the Tribune, "may see the 'homo' side and think it has something to do with gay sex."

What more is there to say? This guy still got fired. Even a dictionary couldn't save him.