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Home Depot Fires Man Over |
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Prayer-Soldier writes "
On 26 Oct 09, FOX News reported that Home Depot fired a Florida man over an American Flag button with the words “One nation under God, indivisible,” written on it. According to the report, Trevor Keezer (20) was terminated by Home Depot after refusing to doff the button. According to Keezer, he had worn the button since for 19 months before it became an issue. Keezer related that it wasn't until he started taking his Bible to work with him that his manager confronted Keezer about the button. Keezer was informed that the button was against the company dress code and that he would need to take it off or would be sent home.
Keezer refused to doff the button and was sent home for six straight days. After several warnings, Keezer was terminated by Home Depot. According to a 26 Oct 09 Sun Sentinel report, Keezer related that wearing the button, with the words from the pledge of allegiance, was his way of supporting the troops along with expressing his Christian faith.
The Sun Sentinel report quoted Craig Fishel, a spokesman for The Home Depot, who said, "The company's dress code policy states that we do not allow noncompany buttons, regardless of their message or content." Fishel also related the Home Depot has a “proud history” of supporting the military, and that it has several of its own buttons that employees are authorized to wear. One such button read, "United We Stand,” but Keezer commented that he wanted to wear his own button because none of the Home Deport buttons mentioned God. Keezer said, "you can't have country without God.”
According to a 28 Oct 09 Associated Press report posted by MSNBC, Keezer was quoted as saying, “I was just doing what I think every American should do, just love my country.” The report also quoted Keezer as saying, “It feels kind of like a punishment, like I was punished for just loving my country.”
The MSNBC report included a poll of readers. As of 28 Oct 09, a total of 24,133 votes were registered. The number that felt Keezer should be fired for violating the dress code was 7,049 or 29.2%. The number of readers who felt Keezer should not be fired because he was simply supporting his country was 16,873 or 69.9%. Only 211 votes were registered for the option of, “I don't know,” or 0.9%.
The MSNBC report also included a poll asking if “In God We Trust” should be removed form U.S. currency. As of 28 Oct 09, of the 17,829,263 respondents, 11% indicated it was a violation of church and state while 89% indicated the motto did nothing to establish a state religion in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
The Associated Press report quoted Michael Masinter, a civil-rights and employment-law professor who said, "Because it's a private business, not one that's owned and operated by the government, it doesn't have to operate under the free-speech provisions of the First Amendment."
FOX News Report
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,569635,00.html
Sun Sentinel Report
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/sfl-button-fired-bn102609,0,3892174.story
MSNBC Posting of the Associated Press Report
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33505354/ns/business-local_business/
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Posted on Wednesday, October 28 @ 21:04:42 MDT by admin
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