Wal-Mart Cleared for Firing Anti-Gay Worker

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Beau_Ouiville

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The problem with freedom of religion is that everyone is protected from getting your religion foisted on them.

"CHICAGO (CN) - A former Wal-Mart employee cannot sue the company for religious discrimination after she was fired for telling a lesbian co-worker that she would go to hell because God does not accept gays, the 7th Circuit ruled.

Tanisha Matthews, an overnight stocker at Wal-Mart for 9 years, became involved in an impassioned discussion about God and homosexuality with a lesbian co-worker named Amy during a break in September 2005.

When Wal-Mart later investigated the incident, Amy reported, and co-workers confirmed, that Matthews was “screaming over her” that God does not accept gays, that gays should not “be on earth,” and that they will “go to hell” because they are not “right in the head.” Matthews was fired for violating Wal-Mart’s Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Policy. The policy prohibits employees from harassment based on an individual’s status, including sexual orientation."

courthousenews.com/2011/04/08/35637.htm
 
Beau_Ouiville said:
The problem with freedom of religion is that everyone is protected from getting your religion foisted on them.

"CHICAGO (CN) - A former Wal-Mart employee cannot sue the company for religious discrimination after she was fired for telling a lesbian co-worker that she would go to hell because God does not accept gays, the 7th Circuit ruled.

Tanisha Matthews, an overnight stocker at Wal-Mart for 9 years, became involved in an impassioned discussion about God and homosexuality with a lesbian co-worker named Amy during a break in September 2005.

When Wal-Mart later investigated the incident, Amy reported, and co-workers confirmed, that Matthews was “screaming over her” that God does not accept gays, that gays should not “be on earth,” and that they will “go to hell” because they are not “right in the head.” Matthews was fired for violating Wal-Mart’s Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Policy. The policy prohibits employees from harassment based on an individual’s status, including sexual orientation."

courthousenews.com/2011/04/08/35637.htm
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Sad that it even had to go to court. Anyone should be fired for that kind of behavior at work.
 
Beau_Ouiville said:
The problem with freedom of religion is that everyone is protected from getting your religion foisted on them.
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I would think a civil discussion, with differences politely stated, would be okay. However, if Ms. Matthews was screaming at a co-worker that gays shouldn’t be on earth, then that crosses over into verbal abuse.
 
According to what I have read in the article, I believe Wal Mart made the correct decision. Telling someone that they are going to hell because they are gay is just beyond cruel; and Ms. Matthews is not God. It is not her place to tell who is and who is not going to hell. Furthermore, she was not just getting her point across, she was SCREAMING at her! This kind of behavior is uncalled for, and is part of the reason why there are so many Atheists out there. God loves all his children, regardless of their sexual orientation.
*
“God loves all as if we where all one.”*
-St. Augustine

With all that said, there is a way to communicate your beliefs in the workplace. This example definitely was NOT one.
 
Beau_Ouiville said:
When Wal-Mart later investigated the incident, Amy reported, and co-workers confirmed, that Matthews was “screaming over her” that God does not accept gays, that gays should not “be on earth,” and that they will “go to hell” because they are not “right in the head.” Matthews was fired for violating Wal-Mart’s Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Policy. The policy prohibits employees from harassment based on an individual’s status, including sexual orientation."
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I think Walmart was justified in this case based on the above paragraph.

If this had been something like quiet banter or trying to explain the Catholic viewpoint on homosexuality, then I would say no. In this case though, it seems that Ms. Matthews was way over the line. Yelling at people that they’re “going to hell” or that they shouldn’t “be on earth” (which is essentially “I wish you were dead”, a death threat) is not an acceptable Christian practice (that’s what that crazy church does, whose name I don’t remember).
 
Dale_M said:
I would think a civil discussion, with differences politely stated, would be okay. However, if Ms. Matthews was screaming at a co-worker that gays shouldn’t be on earth, then that crosses over into verbal abuse.
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Yeah - had she not gone off and ranted, it would probably have been okay, though I would not be surprised to see someone complain either way.

But the way she went off kind of lost her the high ground. Yelling at someone about ANYTHING can be considered harrassment in the workplace.
 
Mike5575 said:
According to what I have read in the article, I believe Wal Mart made the correct decision. Telling someone that they are going to hell because they are gay is just beyond cruel; and Ms. Matthews is not God. It is not her place to tell who is and who is not going to hell. Furthermore, she was not just getting her point across, she was SCREAMING at her! This kind of behavior is uncalled for, and is part of the reason why there are so many Atheists out there. God loves all his children, regardless of their sexual orientation.

“God loves all as if we where all one.”
-St. Augustine

With all that said, there is a way to communicate your beliefs in the workplace. This example definitely was NOT one.
Click to expand...
I had some Muslim guys on the floor in college who told as very matter of factly (after we asked them) that they believed we would end up in hell given our religious beliefs and what not.

It didn’t bother me at all, because I knew they were Muslim, and were completely wrong. But they didn’t do it in a harrassing way, just more of a “yeah, your going to die and spend eternity in hell.” And I’d say “please dude, you guys have no clue what your talking about when it comes to religion. No hand me the cheetos, and go Terps.”

If she was espousing a certain religious belief, then I could accept whatever she said. it was the manner she said it that was an issue, not what she believed. It gets dicey when the topic comes up, and a person has to make a decision about whether or not to enjoin the conversatiopn, for fear of retribution if they are honest.
 
**Thanks to S 909 and HR 1913, pedophiles and bestialists will also enjoy the same benefits as Gays.

I’ve worked with all 3 of them, and I don’t think it violated my religious rights. I’m not obligated on the job to tell them they’re in jeopardy of damnation.

How unfortunate that anyone would consider freedom of religion a problem,. It’s a right that our country was founded on. **
 
We read a short excerpt from a media report. We did not read court transcripts nor know the issues. I can’t help but wonder if she was the only one yelling. It says they were in a lengthy argument. Did one keep her/his cool and not the other, or were they both yelling? If they were both yelling does homosexual rights come before religious rights or speech rights? Or are employer rights supreme? Did one ask another a question which began the discussion? What brought up the subject? Were any insulting comments made from the other side? Did the manager just fire the person, or was a complaint filed? Has this person religiously condemned other co-workers before? Did Wal-Mart feel obligated to fire the person so a civil rights complaint wouldn’t be filed against them, or the incident used in another civil rights case Wal-mart is fighting?

Are companies obligated to fire anyone who does not embrace a legally protected minority/person? Can they offer them psychological counseling, will that satisfy government tolerance laws?

🤷
 
incense said:
Are companies obligated to fire anyone who does not embrace a legally protected minority/person? Can they offer them psychological counseling, will that satisfy government tolerance laws?
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Companies are obligated to monitor their employees to ensure they are being productive and adhering to company policy in a good work environment. If these two women had the time to stand around arguing with eachbother then they clearly were not being productive. They aren’t being paid to debate gay rights, they were disrputive, and both parties should be diciplined at the very least.
 
curlycool89 said:
I think Walmart was justified in this case based on the above paragraph.

If this had been something like quiet banter or trying to explain the Catholic viewpoint on homosexuality, then I would say no. In this case though, it seems that Ms. Matthews was way over the line. Yelling at people that they’re “going to hell” or that they shouldn’t “be on earth” (which is essentially “I wish you were dead”, a death threat) is not an acceptable Christian practice (that’s what that crazy church does, whose name I don’t remember).
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Exactly. There is a difference between explaining one’s religious beliefs and verbally assaultng someone and dehumanizing them by questioning whther they should be on earth or not. 👍
 
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