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Amtrak Employee Suspended for Anti-Kerry Quip
KMOX.com ^ | August 10, 2004 | AP

Posted on 08/10/2004 11:55:38 AM PDT by show me state

Conductor Leslie Farr Running for Congress

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) __ A Republican Amtrak conductor has been suspended for suggesting passengers should vote against Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. Conductor Leslie Farr is challenging Democratic Congressman William Lacy Clay in the November election.

Last week, Farr was on a Kansas City-to-St. Louis train that was delayed several hours while waiting for Kerry's locomotive to leave St. Louis and head to a rally in Jefferson City.

Farr says he told passengers they would be delayed because of Kerry, then quipped that they should vote accordingly in November.

A formal investigation letter by Amtrak alleges Farr violated company rules by being disrespectful to passengers, and behaving in such a way as to prompt criticism of Amtrak.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Missouri
KEYWORDS: amtrak; kerry; lesliefarr
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1 posted on 08/10/2004 11:55:42 AM PDT by show me state
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To: show me state

It's just a joke...


2 posted on 08/10/2004 11:56:46 AM PDT by HitmanLV (I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own.)
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To: show me state

What he did was at the least ill-advised.
And probably against company regulations.

I know we all would be having a fit if the shoe was on the other foot.


3 posted on 08/10/2004 11:57:58 AM PDT by Redbob
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To: show me state

Another reason to defund AMTRAK and let the private sector take over.


4 posted on 08/10/2004 11:58:02 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: show me state

Sounds like good hearted humor to me.


5 posted on 08/10/2004 11:58:37 AM PDT by ClintonBeGone (Take the first step in the war on terror - defeat John Kerry)
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To: Redbob

Since AMTRACK is heavily subsidized by the feds et all, isn't against the 1st amendment to restrict free speech?


6 posted on 08/10/2004 11:58:58 AM PDT by DownInFlames
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To: show me state

In our adult Sunday school class, the remark was made about how many will refuse to believe no matter what amount of evidence is shown them. I quipped up with, "Just like Kerry voters!" and got quite a few laughs. But there were a few in the class who looked as if someone had just hooked lead weights to the corners of their mouths.


7 posted on 08/10/2004 11:59:28 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (Even if the government took all your earnings, you wouldn't be, in its eyes, a slave.)
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To: show me state
I’m not going to say if that’s right or wrong, but I know I, as a customer, would be annoyed if he’d made a comment like that about G Dub.

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

8 posted on 08/10/2004 11:59:36 AM PDT by End Times Sentinel (“Cocaine is a powerful drug, b*tches.” R.I.P. Rick James.)
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To: show me state
A formal investigation letter by Amtrak alleges Farr violated company rules by being disrespectful to passengers, and behaving in such a way as to prompt criticism of Amtrak.

Disrespectful to passengers? Give me a break. Behaving in a way to prompt criticism of Amtrack--now they have him there. This conductor didn't use the best jugdment while on the job.

9 posted on 08/10/2004 12:00:32 PM PDT by Ruth A.
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To: show me state

it would be alright if he was a celebrity, and on the other side of the fence.


10 posted on 08/10/2004 12:02:50 PM PDT by Zeppelin
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To: Owl_Eagle

I’m not going to say if that’s right or wrong, but I know I, as a customer, would be annoyed if he’d made a comment like that about G Dub.

---
I agree with you. The thing that continues to pi## me off is that the only time that action is ever taken, is against a conservative view point.


11 posted on 08/10/2004 12:03:39 PM PDT by downtoliberalism ("A coalition partner must do more than just express sympathy, a coalition partner must perform,")
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To: show me state
. . . behaving in such a way as to prompt criticism of Amtrak.

That's a pretty odd reason to suspend an employee, when you consider that Amtrak's standard approach to doing business does far more to prompt criticism of Amtrak than any employee's actions ever could.

12 posted on 08/10/2004 12:03:54 PM PDT by Alberta's Child ("Ego numquam pronunciare mendacium . . . sed ego sum homo indomitus")
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To: Redbob

My litmus test, whenever I hear of some new kerfuffle, is to reverse the parties and people mentally and honestly ask myself how I would feel. There have been times I have realized my bias, but usually it doesn't change a thing for me.

This one, would irritate me a touch, but it's no biggie. I certainly wouldn't insist one of the "little people" be suspended over it. I guess a working man only gets respect from the liberal elite if he knows his place.


13 posted on 08/10/2004 12:04:08 PM PDT by I still care (Have you heard about the Democrat cocktail? It's ketchup with a chaser.)
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To: show me state
Not an exact parallel but - I was in Frankfurt getting of a flight from Chicago and one of the Flight Attendants had on her luggage a button that said something to the effect of "be patriotic - vote Bush out". She was going thru immigration and dressed in her American Airlines uniform. I thought it was very unclassy, for a number of reasons - including that she was overseas!! I doubt anything happened to her!!
14 posted on 08/10/2004 12:05:58 PM PDT by Murtyo
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To: show me state
Oh, big deal. I flew Continental to Cleveland the day Bush was flying in. My flight had to be diverted to Detroit for security reasons. Someone made a similar comment about who to vote for, and I'm not aware of anyone freaking out about it. We all knew it was a joke.

I guess lefties are so busy looking for reasons to be offended, they don't have time to have a sense of humor.

15 posted on 08/10/2004 12:08:20 PM PDT by MEGoody (Flush the Johns - vote Bush/Cheney 04)
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To: Redbob
"I know we all would be having a fit if the shoe was on the other foot."

Speak for yourself. It was a joke.

16 posted on 08/10/2004 12:08:59 PM PDT by MEGoody (Flush the Johns - vote Bush/Cheney 04)
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To: DownInFlames

I was thinking the same. Are there grounds for a civil rights lawsuit here?


17 posted on 08/10/2004 12:09:41 PM PDT by PA Engineer (Liberalism is a Hate Crime)
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To: show me state

Seems like a strong freedom of speech case.

Interesting how the media is reporting a story which has a negative consequence for supporting Bush.


IOW yoooou villll zaport Kehhhreeee orrr ve vill make you paaaaayeeee!

Democrats = National Socialist Party.


18 posted on 08/10/2004 12:09:54 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE!)
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To: show me state
A formal investigation letter by Amtrak alleges Farr violated company rules by ... behaving in such a way as to prompt criticism of Amtrak.

There has been talk of dumping Amtrak altogether from the Federal budget. Maybe this is the loophole -- suspend all Amtrak employees for "behaving in a way to prompt criticism of Amtrak."

19 posted on 08/10/2004 12:13:55 PM PDT by L.N. Smithee (When it comes to newborns getting stabbed in the head, Kerry cares...about drowning hamsters.)
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To: show me state
Found this in a Google Cache dated 02/23/2004:

The GOP is holding a Republican Minority Outreach Session at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at the University of Missouri at St. Louis.

Among those slated to speak is Republican Leslie Farr, an African-American and railroad conductor who's planning to challenge Clay in the 1st Congressional District. Farr calls for lower taxes, and he is critical of Clay's performance.

20 posted on 08/10/2004 12:16:35 PM PDT by show me state
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