Brookstone Corp. Fires Employee For Christian Belief On Gay Marriage

[gam197]

Here is an article also on others who have been fired.

Matt Barber, while working for All State Insurance, wrote—on his own time—an article opposing homosexuality and was subsequently fired. Crystal Dixon, African American Vice President for Human Resources at University of Toledo met the same fate for writing an op-ed in a newspaper expressing her religious views on the subject. Corporations are targeted and punished for not supporting homosexuality. Years ago, United Airlines was among the first to cave in—and the rest of corporate America has fallen like dominoes. Corporate America now spends money, posts rainbows, celebrates “pride”—but they dare not give money in support of traditional marriage or pro-family causes for fear of retribution.

fired.townhall.com/columnists/SandyRios/2009/10/30/marriage_in_maine_why_we%E2%80%99d_better_fight?page=full

From Mass Resistance.org

A Massachusetts man was fired from a national retail corporation because of his Christian belief regarding same-sex marriage. Peter Vadala was formally terminated from his job as assistant manager of the Brookstone retail store at Boston’s Logan Airport after a series of incidents with his supervisor during a workday last summer.

As Peter described the incident, he came to work on August 10, 2009 and began his day normally. A female manager from another store was present and began talking to Peter about her upcoming marriage. When Peter asked “where is he taking you for the honeymoon,” she corrected him and said she was not getting married to a “he” but to another woman.

Peter did not immediately react, but when the manager sensed Peter’s discomfort with the subject of same-sex “marriage”, the woman apparently continued bringing it up to Peter throughout the day, reiterating that she was getting married to another woman. Finally, after the fourth or fifth time she brought it up, Peter remarked that his Christian beliefs did not accept same-sex marriage. At that point the woman became very angry and bluntly told Peter that he needed to “get over it” and said that she would be immediately contacting the Human Resources department.

A few hours later Peter was notified by a Human Resources representative that he was suspended from work without pay, effective immediately. Two days later, on August 12, after further interaction with the Human Resources department, he was formally notified that he was terminated from the company.

Brookstone’s termination letter to Peter states that “in the State of Massachusetts, same-sex marriage is legal.” It goes on to describe Peter’s actions as constituting “harassment” and that his comments were “inappropriate and unprofessional.” It further accuses him of “imposing” his beliefs upon others.

In addition, the letter curiously quotes another employee who did not witness the incident, but who says Peter told her that the homosexual lifestyle is “deviant”. Peter strongly denies ever having said that to that to the other employee…

massresistance.org/docs/gen/09d/vadala/index.html

Please read the letter, that is posted, telling him he was fired.

I explained to you that in the state of Massachusetts. Same sex marriage is legal and there will be people with whom you work who will have fiancees or spouses who are the same gender. I further explained to you that Ms.-----statement that her fiancee was factual in nature and not an expression of opinion or religious belief…………

Brookstone’s policy on harassment is a zero-tolerance policy, meaning that Brookstone disciplines every Associate found to violate it

Shouldn’t she have been fired also for bringing it to his attention, four or five times?

 

[kimmielittle]

Shouldn’t she have been fired also for bringing it to his attention, four or five times?

Absolutely. It’s classified under Harassment - bullying - baiting.
The fact that She was a ** Manager ** and his superior in the employment of Brookstone adds even more weight to her bullying - baiting…

I hope he gets a lawyer.

 

[camerong]

I hate to say it, but an employer can fire at-will employees for nearly any reason. While an employer cannot fire someone for his religious beliefs, it can usually fire that person for espousing those beliefs in the workplace. From the facts given, this employee is unlikely to have any legal recourse. But this freedom to hire or fire is one important freedom that separates us from socialized countries, and while it may bite us from time to time, it also protects us to run our business as we wish.

 

[Lynxdk]

Absolutely. It’s classified under Harassment - bullying - baiting.
The fact that She was a ** Manager ** and his superior in the employment of Brookstone adds even more weight to her bullying - baiting…

I agree. It’s one thing if he approached her, condemning her for it after learning about it, but a completely different thing to keep throwing it in his face to provoke a reaction after sensing his initial discomfort.

It sounds like he essentially gave her the answer it seems she was seeking “how do you feel about that?” she Knew what the answer was going to be, Didn’t like the answer, and retaliated by creating a situation that would self-justify the retaliation… She should have simply accepted how he felt from that very first moment and left it alone, especially since that’s basically what she wants from others. You can’t get acceptance by trying to force people to accept you and punishing them if they don’t.

 

[Mark77]

"and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. " (Mt 10:22)

We are so lucky, so spoiled. The original Christians would have been fed to the Lions!

The Martyrs throughout the 2000+ year history of Christianity have endured so much more than us, yet we whine and complain like spoiled brats.

There are people dying today for Jesus, WOULD YOU DIE FOR JESUS? i know i am a coward and a lying hypocrite, so do not do as i do, do as i say…

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark

 

[LittleBits]

I worked for Brookstone for many years in Owings Mills (the same district as the store in this article), and I have NEVER known them to fire anyone without a valid reason.
Being a gay Catholiv myself, I feel that my love is just as valid as a straight couple, and I believe I should be allowed to get married. Having said that, I cannot imagine calling HR on a coworker who disagreed with me, saying the Catholic Church is opposed to gay marriage, it is. I suspect, that the employee may have said a little more than he let on…
In the work place, you need to keep your religious views to yourself, unless someone is asking you to go against your beliefs. All he had to say to the bride-to-be was “that’s nice” or “okay”, or how about this, don’t say anything at all?
I don’t believe that what happened was as cut and dry. I have worked for Brookstone for YEARS, and found them to be a very caring, compassionate, and tolerant company for all people. I know the staff at Logan Airport, and have never known any of them to be negative, nor is our District Manager.

 

[IHeartAquinas]

One must also question the bias of the person reporting the story. A website with a title such as “massresistance” instantly puts up red flags in my mind.

That being said, I have only been fired once, and I definitely deserved it. But, the interesting thing about HR departments is that they never simply get rid of someone without listening to their side of the story. I did not hold a civil tongue with a costumer and by all rights should have been fired then and there. But not only was I allowed to write out my statement and talk to my HR manager, I even got to finish out the day.

No HR department is going to suspend someone the same day without having witnessed what happened. So I seriously doubt this man simply said “my beliefs do not allow for gay marriage.” My beliefs do not allow for gay marriage, yet I am still genuinely happy for my gay friends who have decided to commit themselves formally to each other in a civil ceremony. If judgment is truly God’s dominion, then we are to be free of such judgment. The woman was not asking his opinion. His response seems out of place for a comment such as “Oh, I’m not marrying a man, I’m marrying a woman.” Obviously he’s lying, or he’s daft and has absolutely zero tact.

In any event, it is unfortunate when you can be fired for having an opinion on an issue when linked with religion, but not when you have the same opinion without religious reference. But any termination is a learning experience and the man should take this experience and learn from it. All too often in America we turn bitter and refuse to learn from experience. IF the manager was truly vile, she will one day receive her poetic justice. The man in question has only simply to move on and learn from this. Such as, discretion is the better part of valor.

 

[pnewton]

The title, and several posts, have bit into a strawman, a fake argument, that is not the issue here. The man was not fired for his belief. He was fired for violating a specific policy against this sort of on the job preaching. I do not like these sensitivity rules, but a company has the right to have them and enforce them. Likewise, I have the right to quit shopping there, which I will.

The one thing that ticks me off is the lesbian wasn’t fired for expressing her opinions, rubbing her lifestyle in his face and baiting for the very response she got. Reading the way she responded, it sounds like this could have even been deliberatly baiting him just to get his job. This is why I am cancelling my Christmas shopping at Brookstone. It is not just the policy, but apparently they enforce it selectively, allowing homosexuals to slide and hammering those who dare to be offended by their perversion. I do not need to shop at the Gay Store.

 

[fix]

As Peter described the incident, he came to work on August 10, 2009 and began his day normally. A female manager from another store was present and began talking to Peter about her upcoming marriage. When Peter asked “where is he taking you for the honeymoon,” she corrected him and said she was not getting married to a “he” but to another woman.

Peter did not immediately react, but when the manager sensed Peter’s discomfort with the subject of same-sex “marriage”, the woman apparently continued bringing it up to Peter throughout the day, reiterating that she was getting married to another woman. Finally, after the fourth or fifth time she brought it up, Peter remarked that his Christian beliefs did not accept same-sex marriage. At that point the woman became very angry and bluntly told Peter that he needed to “get over it” and said that she would be immediately contacting the Human Resources department.

2480 Every word or attitude is forbidden which by flattery, adulation, or complaisance encourages and confirms another in malicious acts and perverse conduct. Adulation is a grave fault if it makes one an accomplice in another’s vices or grave sins. Neither the desire to be of service nor friendship justifies duplicitous speech. Adulation is a venial sin when it only seeks to be agreeable, to avoid evil, to meet a need, or to obtain legitimate advantages.

2506 The Christian is not to “be ashamed of testifying to our Lord” (2 Tim 1:8) in deed and word. Martyrdom is the supreme witness given to the truth of the faith.