7-Eleven fires clerk ( Border Patrol baseball hat latest )

Aspen Times ^ | July 10, 2007 | Scott Condon

[george76]

Corporation tells Kirchenwitz dismissal unrelated to shooting incident.

Bruno Kirchenwitz was fired Monday from his job at the Basalt 7-Eleven.

The firing came nearly two weeks after Kirchenwitz may have been the target of a person or persons who fired five shots from a rifle into the store. Kirchenwitz said a 7-Eleven official who called to inform him of his dismissal claimed it was unrelated to the shooting incident.

He isn't buying it. Kirchenwitz believes he was fired because his presence as a clerk at the store could be bad for business. He is an outspoken critic of illegal immigration.

"Freedom of speech takes a back seat to profits,"...

Kirchenwitz started as a cashier with 7-Eleven on April 18. He said he never received a written or verbal reprimand and was complimented for his performance by the Basalt store's manager.

The firing didn't surprise him. "In the back of my mind, it was expected,"...

On one hand, it makes sense, he said. About 75 percent of 7-Eleven's customers in Basalt are Latino...so his presence could be bad for business, at least among anyone in the country illegally.

But Kirchenwitz was angry that 7-Eleven wouldn't admit what he believes is the obvious reason for his firing. "That sucks canal water," he said.

When asked if he would appeal within 7-Eleven's system or discuss his firing with the American Civil Liberties Union, Kirchenwitz said he would like to seek help from a different source - conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh.

Kirchenwitz, an outspoken critic of President Bush, said illegal immigration is about the only issue where he sees eye-to-eye with conservatives. If he got a chance to speak to Limbaugh, he said, he would sum up his situation as: "Poor white boy get shot at then gets fired."

[george76]

"Poor white boy get shot at then gets fired."

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[Red Badger]

Being fired from a 7-Eleven job is a good thing. Now he can move up in the world............

[TChris]

I don't think this is unreasonable.

If the guy is a bullet magnet, I sure wouldn't want him working in my store.

Businesses aren't required to protect your rights (with some exceptions), as your employment is voluntary.

[Man50D]

Why do I get the feeling Rush will want to interview this guy?

[PBRSTREETGANG]

He was fired upon...whereupon he was fired.

[george76]

[Jaysun]

He isn't buying it. Kirchenwitz believes he was fired because his presence as a clerk at the store could be bad for business. He is an outspoken critic of illegal immigration.

I don't understand. Does he rant about the subject while checking out customers? Anyway, now he can go and get a better job.

[lesser_satan]

ROFLMAO, that shirt is awesome.

[Man50D]

If the guy is a bullet magnet, I sure wouldn't want him working in my store.

Punishing the victim for the acts of the perpetrators simply because the victim's belief not only is ludicrous but more importantly violates the first Amendment.

[george76]

Kirchenwitz was on duty as a cashier June 26 when two Latino men entered the store and asked if he is the man who wears a "U.S. Border Patrol" baseball hat. He acknowledged he was, although he wasn't wearing it at the time. He said he wears the hat to and from work but never on the job.

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[Issaquahking]

Rush and Colorado...they got a thing going...last time it was a newsletter (bakesale). Now Rush has something to put into the newsletter!

[george76]

Kirchenwitz got off duty at 10 p.m. and left the store to catch a bus about 15 minutes later. The shots blasted through a front plate glass window in front of the cashier's station at about 11:10 p.m.

Another cashier and four customers, including a family with a baby, escaped injury. Basalt Police Chief Keith Ikeda said it was fortunate no one was killed or hurt.

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[Cuttnhorse]

What a great shirt!!! LOL!!!

[TChris]

Punishing the victim for the acts of the perpetrators simply because the victim's belief not only is ludicrous but more importantly violates the first Amendment.

But it's perfectly OK for your employer to "violate" your First Amendment rights at work. Employers do it all the time.

From 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday, I'm required to work, not campaign for my favorite candidate. I can't stand in the lobby and bad-mouth the CEO. I can't "express myself" by wearing a swim suit to work.

The First Amendment is a restriction on the government, not my employer.

Finally, letting the guy go has nothing to do with "punishment", but with solving a serious, practical problem in a very direct way. If the employment of this guy is likely to result in increased vandalism and crime in my store, I have every right to find another employee.

If the roles were reversed, and the employee found that working for this particular employer exposed him to greater risk of assault, etc., it would be perfectly reasonable for him to quit and work somewhere else. Why shouldn't the employer have essentially the same options?

[ishabibble]

Here is what you can do:

7-Eleven, Inc.
Corporate Headquarters
P.O. Box 711
Dallas, TX 75221-0711
Phone: 972-828-7011

If I put up the entire page, you could easily see how this corporation entices illegals. Just read it for yourself.
Then call them up and let them know that dying of thirst no longer exists in the U.S.A. and we don’t need their crummy products. If you want the illegals out of this country, you have to work hard at it. Just like they do.

[george76]

Paging Rush...

[Pontiac]

The men said they would wait for him outside to get off work. They left a short time later, at about 6:30 p.m.

Kirchenwitz got off duty at 10 p.m. and left the store to catch a bus about 15 minutes later. The shots blasted through a front plate glass window in front of the cashier's station at about 11:10

Sounds to me like he was not in the store at the time of the shooting.

While he may have been the intended target he can’t honestly say that he was shot at then fired.

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

Kirchenwitz believes he was fired because his presence as a clerk at the store could be bad for business.

OK. There are lots of jobs...dare I say most jobs...where you keep your politics to yourself, or leave.

[TheShadows]

Paging Rush...

what does Rush care, as long as pedro gets him a 9 iron while golfing

this has DR Savage all over it.

[2ndDivisionVet]

I just spoke with the head of media relations at 7-11 corporate office (Margaret) and she explained to me that the shooting & border patrol hat were not the reasons for his dismissal, at all. Bruno would pester and harangue customers and had other violations of corporate policy unrelated to this incident.