Fired for disagreeing with homosexual marriage

[Darky]

Link
Now that I have your attention...
This guy was fired because he told a homosexual fellow manager that he felt her impending gay marriage (in MA) was wrong. They used the zero tolerance for harassment clause. He claims the woman brought the subject up numerous times, knowing his beliefs regarding the subject. So finally, he felt compelled to say something, and she immediately says to him, "Human resources buddy, keep your opinions to yourself." Sounds like a possible setup, but we only know one side of the story.

I think they're wrong for firing him because of his belief. He wasn't "harassing" the woman, he just stated his belief. If you are doing something outside the norm and don't want to hear someone tell you it's outside the norm, don't bring it up unless you are ready to hear the other persons thoughts.
That said, he also could have handled it a little better. I would've maybe said something to the effect of, let's not discuss our personal life. Or, I'm uncomfortable with this topic, let's move on to something different. Or even, how bout them Patriots?!

 

[hubs97xj]

I wonder what the actual dialogue was. It's on Fox, so I have a little trouble believing he just said "I worry about your eternal soul". Regardless, he was stupid to allow himself to be baited so easily. The new guy never gets any slack.

 

[RichP]

Yup, 'How bout them patriots', safest answer you can give and allows you the time to kick your cell phone into 'record' mode as they try to steer it back to the subject they want to screw you on.
In my case here at work I use a spare laptop with a camera built into it that sits on the other side of the room.

 

[Darky]

I wonder what the actual dialogue was. It's on Fox, so I have a little trouble believing he just said "I worry about your eternal soul". Regardless, he was stupid to allow himself to be baited so easily. The new guy never gets any slack.

He claims to have justy said that he feels her same sex marriage is wrong. I don't think his calimed wording would've been any different on CNN or ABC or any of the others.

 

[hubs97xj]

I just doubt that what they quote is all that he said on the topic. If they talked about it before he left for the chapel, and the conversation continued later, he surely said something aside from "that's bad stuff". He said he had to express that he was intolerant of that behavior, so I think that the real question here is, how exactly did he do that?

Asked why he felt the need to comment on the woman's personal life, Vadala, who has since left the Boston area, said he felt compelled to do so.

"I see, like all real Christians, homosexuals as people who, like me, are sinners and need to be told the truth in a loving way," he said. "In this situation, I took issue with the behavior. I think it's lunacy to call that type of behavior marriage in any kind of form. I had to express that I'm intolerant of that behavior. It's a love-the-sinner, hate-the-sin kind of deal."

Vadala said he felt "intentionally goaded" by the manager to comment on her relationship.

"She knew how I felt about homosexuality," he said. "When you talk to someone about something like that, you want their support. She was kind of looking into my eyes for that social cue for me to say, 'I'm happy for you.' But I really couldn't feel happy for her."

To clarify, I do think he was setup in this final exchange that cost him his job, but think he must have said something on the topic, else why would she be goading him?

 

[Darky]

To clarify, I do think he was setup in this final exchange that cost him his job, but think he must have said something on the topic, else why would she be goading him?

That's kinda my view. It probably would've been better to avoid commenting on it, but it does seem like she was trying to lead him into that trap.

What's kinda sad about it is that he was fired for expressing his opinion, but had his opinion been that people who dislike homosexuals are idiots, he'd probably have been fine...slight double standard in my opinion. He's not allowed to be intolerant o her gayness, but she can be intolerant of his belief that she's wrong.

 

[FordGuy]

In this type of situation, more than likely they weren't to thrilled with him as an employee anyway and just used it as an easy way to blow him out. Legally they weren't obligated to fire him.

 

[crimsondragon]

I would of told her to shutup and quit being a faggot.

 

[souske]

That's kinda my view. It probably would've been better to avoid commenting on it, but it does seem like she was trying to lead him into that trap.

What's kinda sad about it is that he was fired for expressing his opinion, but had his opinion been that people who dislike homosexuals are idiots, he'd probably have been fine...slight double standard in my opinion. He's not allowed to be intolerant o her gayness, but she can be intolerant of his belief that she's wrong.

For the record America: Being tolerant is not beating the shit out of someone for their beliefs, this does not mean you have to condone them!

 

[JNickel101]

He'll win in the end. Can't suppress Freedom of Speech. He has a right to have an opinion, and to state it. No one can do anything about that. I'd be interested to see which side of the case the ACLU takes on this one...

 

[JNickel101]

That's kinda my view. It probably would've been better to avoid commenting on it, but it does seem like she was trying to lead him into that trap.

What's kinda sad about it is that he was fired for expressing his opinion, but had his opinion been that people who dislike homosexuals are idiots, he'd probably have been fine...slight double standard in my opinion. He's not allowed to be intolerant o her gayness, but she can be intolerant of his belief that she's wrong.

You of all people should know that discrimination only flows in one direction That's part of being an American! :nono:

 

[5-90]

Sounds like a little incident I had years ago.

I'm working in a stand-up panel - got my upper body in the thing, and a toolman standing outside. I stick my hand out (didn't want to lose sight - or grip - of what I was working on) and said "Dikes."

Of course, my timing being what it is, that was when the biggest bull dyke in the building decided to walk by.

I got called on the radio five minutes later - still up to my waist in the standup. Toolman answers for me - passes the message along that "Whatever it is, it's going to have to bloody wait until I'm done. The more you pester me, the longer it will take. I'll let you know when I'm done, I'm turning the radio off."

About a half-hour later I was done and we turned the radio back on. Let the Director know, and he wanted me to head up to his office (again. Probably the third or fourth time that week.) Guess who else was there?

"Do you know what you said?"
"I didn't say anything to you."
"Aren't you going to apologise?"
"What for?"
"You said 'dyke' as I walked by."
"I didn't say anything to you. I was talking to my assistant. I said 'dike' - D-I-K-E. Trade shorthand for 'diagonal wire cutters' - I needed to cut a wire, and I did not need to waste time asking for something."
"Aren't you going to apologise to me for what you said?"
"No. I have no need to. I wasn't talking to you, I wasn't saying anything to offend you, and I didn't even know you were there until my helper told me afterwards. I have no need to apologise to you, I'm not going to apologise to you, and I honestly don't see why we're having this conversation in the first place. Good day." And I walked out - I had enough to do.

Later that after-noon, I find out I've got a three-day "Workplace Sensitivity" class to go to the next week. Like I've got three days to spare off-site, dorking around in a classroom. I told Joe (Director) that I wouldn't go, he said I had to or I was canned.

Took me a whole three hours to get thrown out of that class - the instructor was surprisingly tolerant.

Joe tried to can me anyhow - I told him he just required me to go, not that he required me to pass. I went. I had a note from the instructor that I went (it was the same one that said to never send me to one of those classes again...)

Not that I really care about homosexual marriage one way or the other, but this could have been handled simply: "You know how I feel about this subject, so let's just drop it. Before I end up taking you to see your boss."

Harrassment need not always be belittlement and insult - it can be constantly looking for approval where you know you won't find any.

 

[NW-ZJ-SCOTT]

Harrassment need not always be belittlement and insult - it can be constantly looking for approval where you know you won't find any.

agree 100%.

The last place i was working at, my "shift supervisor" was a green head. Drove a honda Insight, hated anything that had more then 4cyls...

we got along "Ok" untill the day i bought my first jeep (XJ), he didnt understand the idea behind it.. it was not bought for a commuter, it was bought for a weekend fun "Toy"... so not only did i have a gas hog O-zone killer, i also tear up the forest...

Three weeks later, I showed up in my 94 ZJ with a v8, at the end of that very shift, i was canned. :wierd:

 

[5-90]

Three weeks later, I showed up in my 94 ZJ with a v8, at the end of that very shift, i was canned. :wierd:

For any particular reason, or just 'Termed without cause'?

 

[RedHeep]

Privately owned businesses do not have to provide you with constitutional rights.

Your "freedom of speech" ends when you clock in. If he violated a HR policy at the company he worked for, he got fired for it.

Nobody forced him to fill out an application and get hired.

 

[Darky]

And nobody forced the lesbian to keep pestering the Christian about her gay marriage. She likely knew his stance and to keep throwing it in his face, in my opinion, is harassment. I'm just trying to point out the possibility that maybe he was treated unfairly for his beliefs.

 

[KJurasek]

Yeah, watch out for women in the workplace. Both those with and without dicks.

 

[5-90]

Privately owned businesses do not have to provide you with constitutional rights.

Your "freedom of speech" ends when you clock in. If he violated a HR policy at the company he worked for, he got fired for it.

Nobody forced him to fill out an application and get hired.

I know that - I've been through enough "Employee Handbooks" to be certain of it. I was more curious than anything else - if that little factoid came out in the story...

 

[NW-ZJ-SCOTT]

For any particular reason, or just 'Termed without cause'?

There was a reason but i do not recall what it was, and i am 100% confident that it would of been swept under the table if tensions were not so high that night.

sad, cause i loved that job.

 

[96 XJ Sport]

For the record America: Being tolerant is not beating the shit out of someone for their beliefs, this does not mean you have to condone them!

Couldn't agree more. Drives me crazy how the definition of tolerance is changing.