Fmr. ESPN reporter devested to lose job over vaccine mandate: 'There were a lot of tears shed'
Allison Williams says she had no choice but to leave her job after company's mandate on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight'
Former ESPN reporter, Allison Williams, discussed the sleepless nights and the tears she shed as she decided to leave a job that she loved on "Tucker Carlson Tonight" Wednesday.
"ESPN, like a lot of big companies around the country, informed some employees that they would have to bow to Joe Biden's vax mandates or leave, and some people did leave," Carlson said. "I was so struck by your story because you were successful in what you were doing. You were in the job you wanted to be in, and so you gave up an awful lot to do what you did."
Williams explained she felt like she had no choice but to leave her job as a college basketball and football reporter. She tried finding alternative ways she could continue working with ESPN virtually but said those were refused by the company. At that point, Williams made the life-changing decision to leave her dream job.
ESPN'S SAGE STEELE PULLED OFF AIR AFTER KNOCKING COMPANY'S VACCINE MANDATE, COMMENTS ON OBAMA'S RACE
The ESPN logo is seen on an electronic display in Times Square in New York City, U.S., August 23, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Segar (REUTERS/Mike Segar)
"This was the most difficult decision I've ever had to make in my life. There were a lot of sleepless nights. There were a lot of tears shed leading up to making this decision, but ultimately I had to do what was best for my health individually."
She cast skepticism about whether the mandates had a net benefit to public safety and health given the short-staffed hospitals and police units around the country.
"Let me ask you this: are we safer as a community with less police officers? Are we better off as a community when our hospitals are short-staffed because nurses are forced to leave their jobs over these mandates?" she asked.
"I am one of many across the country who lost their job because of a mandate. My impact on society? Not that significant, right? I'm a sports broadcaster. I understand that," she said. But for first responders and military members, Williams said their absence in the workforce has great consequences.
Alec Young, a shipfitter at Bath Iron Works, center, demonstrates against COVID-19 vaccine mandates outside the shipyard on Friday, Oct. 22, 2021, in Bath, Maine. Some American workers are making the painful decision to quit their jobs and abandon cherished careers in defiance of what they consider intrusive mandates requiring all businesses with 100 or more workers require employees to be fully vaccinated or undergo weekly testing. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds) (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)
Williams added that it was "un-American" to force members of the military "who love their jobs" to decide between providing for their family and "getting an injection, which they aren't comfortable with."
"That is un-American. That is not what takes place in the land of the free," she said.
Williams stressed that she was not anti-vaccine, she was anti-mandate.
"I want to make it clear I'm not anti-vax, but I am absolutely anti-mandate. These are wrong. It violates bodily autonomy," Williams added.
Dec 26, 2019; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Maurice Ffrench (2) smiles with Allison Williams after the game against the Eastern Michigan Eagles at Ford Field. (Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports)
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She concluded by saying she felt "compelled" to speak out about her story because she was worried about the long-term consequences of allowing government and private companies to dictate an individual's health.
She said, "When we allow corporations or governments to tell us what is best for our health, that is a scary place to be. And I really felt compelled … to stand up and speak out against these mandates because I think, if we don't, we really are opening ourselves up to some long-term ramifications of which we probably can't even imagine at this time."
The Daily Wire announced Friday that Williams was joining their sports team as a reporter.
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