Corey LaJoie Must Remain Suspended for Rest of Season

Developmental driver Corey LaJoie was suspended and ordered to undergo sensitivity training by NASCAR after sending out an "insensitive and intolerable" tweet, according to ABC News.

The tweet, since deleted, suggested that the TSA conduct cavity searches on men wearing turbans.

In a statement, NASCAR's vice president for regional and touring series, George Silbermann, said (via The Sporting News):

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Corey LaJoie recently issued an insensitive and intolerable communication that has no place in our sport. Each of NASCAR’s 2013 series-specific rule books includes our code of conduct that unequivocally states our stance specific to the use of demeaning language. We expect our entire industry to adhere to that code.

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LaJoie took to his Twitter page to send out an apology, saying:

The response on Twitter has ranged from comments that are equally, if not more, callous, to applauding NASCAR for taking such decisive action.

I don't want to deny LaJoie's right to free speech—as a writer, that would seem counterintuitive. But LaJoie is a public figure. So is his Twitter feed. Anything he says or writes should be subject to more scrutiny.

And by any measure, what LaJoie wrote was, at the very least, senseless. It probably should be classified as racist.

There's no room for that rhetoric by professional athletes, or by anybody.

LaJoie is an up-and-coming racer. At only 22, he has his whole career in front of him. He will probably run in some Nationwide races next year. He's had a lot of success in the past few years and he could end up becoming the face of NASCAR.

But it's not going to happen with statements like that. Look, at 22-years-old, he's bound to say things he's going to regret. That happens to almost everybody. But the combination of saying something racist, and not realizing that it would offend people and get out into the world quickly, is naive and shows that he really needs the sensitivity training. 

We cannot just ignore social media. The fact is that he wrote it on Twitter, and his nearly 7,000 followers were bound to notice. In fact, ignoring it because it was on Twitter just means that he would do it again.

Sports should not be divisive; they should not be exclusive. LaJoie has a right to his personal views, but he's also a representative of NASCAR and Richard Petty Motorsports. It's not just about his personal views anymore. 

This should serve as an important lesson, and a suspension for the remainder of the season should bring that message home. LaJoie needs to learn and understand that. He's an ambassador in the public eye and his personal views need to be separated. 

When Riley Cooper was not suspended after he used a racial epithet, I thought it was the wrong decision. The NFL needed to send a message that that sort of dialogue and conduct was not acceptable. They didn't.

LaJoie's suspension is a bold move by NASCAR and not everyone is going to be on board with it. I get that. But if NASCAR wants to advance as a league, in terms of popularity and prestige, then this is a great decision. It will definitely earn notice from non-NASCAR fans. 

But beyond that, it's simply the right thing to do. 

I'm on board with NASCAR's decision, and I think it should go even further. He needs to take the rest of the season off. It shouldn't be just a slap on the wrist. If we want to get rid of this kind of talk in sports, then the punishment needs to be severe.