UM employee fired over Sept. 11 remarks

The Miami Herald ^ | November 16, 2001 | GAIL EPSTEIN NIEVES

[Luis Gonzalez]

When terror struck America on Sept. 11, a University of Miami medical technician who was turning 22 that day said aloud, ``Some birthday gift from Osama bin Laden!''

Mohammad Rahat says he made the remark ``in a sarcastic way.'' But it caused enough of a stir that the university fired him -- an action that Rahat blames not only on his politically charged words, which also criticized U.S. foreign policy, but on his citizenship: Iranian.

``If the same thing had occurred with someone of a different background, it would have resulted in a different outcome,'' Rahat said Thursday outside his former job site on UM's Jackson Memorial Hospital campus. ``This was discrimination.''

Paula Musto, UM's vice president of university relations, confirmed Thursday that Rahat was fired in September because of what he said at work. But she denied that discrimination was at issue, saying that UM has ``many, many Arab and Muslim students, faculty and staff.''

Rahat's ``comments were deeply disturbing to his co-workers and superiors at the medical school,'' Musto said. ``They were inappropriate and unbecoming for someone working in a research laboratory. He was fired because he made those comments, certainly not because of his ethnic background.''

Rahat's lawyer, Andrés Rivera-Ortiz, protested the firing in a letter to UM President Donna Shalala sent last week.

Musto -- Shalala's spokeswoman -- said she did not know if Shalala was aware of Rahat's case, though the president typically is not informed of every firing decision.

Asked to contact Shalala, Musto said, ``I don't think she has a comment on it.''

Rahat is the second person known to have been fired from a job in Miami after expressing critical views of U.S. foreign policy in the wake of Sept. 11.

In October, Michael Italie, a Socialist mayoral candidate in Miami, was fired from his minimum-wage job as a sewing machine worker at Goodwill Industries of South Florida.

GOODWILL JOB

The termination took place after the local head of Goodwill learned that, during debates and forums, Italie was critical of U.S. military action in Afghanistan and supported the Cuban revolution.

Private employers -- including Goodwill and UM -- have a right to fire employees if they don't like their political beliefs, said Lida Rodriguez-Taseff, president of the Miami chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. They cannot fire employees based on race, religion, national origin, sex or sexual orientation.

Rodriguez-Taseff said the firing is part of a disturbing trend. ``It's bad policy to silence people just because you don't like what they say,'' she said. ``What we need to remember as a community going forward post-Sept. 11th is that the biggest damage we can inflict upon ourselves is to destroy the freedoms that are the hallmark of our country.''

Rahat worked as a research technician in two departments: microbiology and immunology, and surgery/transplants. In 13 months, Rahat said he received only positive evaluations and had an excellent relationship with his colleagues. They even threw him a small birthday celebration despite the tension of the day, he said.

Musto declined to discuss Rahat's employment record, calling it ``immaterial'' to his firing. He was suspended on Sept. 20 and fired on Sept. 25.

WORDS UNPOPULAR

Rahat acknowledges his comments on Sept. 11 were largely unpopular. But not all colleagues were offended and several have spoken on his behalf, he said.

He said he opined that the ``tragic events'' were predictable because U.S. foreign policy in Afghanistan had created anti-American sentiment, and because the United States had previously provided arms and training to the terrorists.

He said the United States was not sympathetic enough to the Palestinian cause and was too cozy with Israel.

And he made the ``birthday gift'' remark -- not out of sympathy with bin Laden, he says, but in a sarcastic attempt to say the attacks would ``be associated with my birthday.''

``I'm not sure of any other way I could sugar-coat it if I had that conversation again; we have to change our foreign policy,'' said Rahat, who said he is in the United States as a legal permanent resident. ``I am an opinionated person, but for them to fire me because of that, it's too unfair.''

In the letter to Shalala, Rahat's lawyer also raised another issue, saying ``the fact that the decision-makers in this case are apparently of Jewish ancestry is certainly evidence that would seem relevant, and which I would be remiss not to point out.''

Rivera-Ortiz did not name the UM officials involved in his client's firing whom he believes are Jewish. But he said that one of them stated in front of two witnesses: ``Mohammad is probably working at a lab from his kitchen now, making biological warfare.''

``I don't think that kind of comment would have been made had a Cuban or Anglo made the comments my client made,'' Rivera-Ortiz said, calling the remark evidence that Rahat was ``singled out because of his actual or perceived national origin.''

Rivera-Ortiz said a university should never ``quash dissent or unpopular views.'' He is asking Shalala to reconsider the firing because, he says, it was wrong, not just because there could be legal liability.

``We're just hoping that she will do the right thing and correct this injustice,'' he said.

[hellinahandcart]

I'm tired of these folks cheering for Bin laden.

So do I. In fact, I believe that forcing the other employees to work alongside this piece of dung would constitute the creation of a "hostile atmosphere" in the workplace, and we sure can't have that. I'd have fired him in a heartbeat.

[Willie Green]

UM is a private University,

Actually, Luis, UM is a public (state) university.

Source

But then, you never pay much attention to facts anyway.

[el_texicano]

This moron confounds the right to free speech with some supposed right to a job of his choice. He has not had his right to free speech abridged, curtailed or inhibited in the least by his firing. He can continue to to shout to the high hills if he wants. He can go buy airtime on tv/radio if he wants. No rights have been violated. But he don't have a right to a job.

I agree with others here that they should deport his Iranian butt back to Iran and further, let him see what kind of right to free speech he has in Iran.

[Jarhead_22]

Message to Mullah Rahat: Life is hard. It's harder when you're stupid.

Semper Fidelis

[wideawake]

Well, Willie Green, I have to first mention that your link provides information for the University of Michigan. Luis' article concerns the University of Miami.

From the University of Miami website

The University of Miami, a privately supported, non-sectarian institution currently enrolls over 13,600 students in approximately 100 undergraduate, 85 master's, and 55 doctoral and professional areas of study. Miami's students represent nearly every state and over 100 foreign countries.

Those are the actual facts, WG.

[MHGinTN]

When Mr. Sh!t used the word 'fair', as in unfair to dismiss him, he assured that the leftist lesbian Shalala would come to his rescue. Oh, she'll do it behind the scenes mostly, knowing leftist PC is uncool right now, but she'll do it.

The sinkEmperor's deviant court continues to spit on America, even as the deviant himself strides the scene as if a good legacy were his for the constructing, after the fact. Makes me sick. Deport the terrorist sympathizer and be done with him. There are plenty of schools in Arab backwaters that will admit him, and his work will be much less strenuous to boot.

[Luis Gonzalez]

"But then, you never pay much attention to facts anyway."

Dear Willie;

Thanks for the information on University of Michigan, it is a fine school.

How that information relates to a story about a University of Miami employee firing escapes me, but hey! Who knows! There may be some Arabs that need firing there as well.

"When terror struck America on Sept. 11, a University of Miami medical technician who was turning 22 that day said aloud, ``Some birthday gift from Osama bin Laden!"

That's the first line of the article, I thought you would like to familiarize yourself with the topic.

BTW, I have always wondered something, was it Brigadiers voting in error for Gore, or the other way around in Palm Beach County? Just trying to figure out who is dumber.

Go Willie, go!

[gatorman]

. . . "Rahat blames not only on his politically charged words, which also criticized U.S. foreign policy, but on his citizenship: Iranian." . . .

Damn . . . where are those military tribunals when you really need them? Why is this bed pan specialist, pig allowed to stay in the US?

DEPORT his sorry a*s, today! Send a crystal clear message to all other Iranians - we no longer tolerate your hateful attitude towards us.

"Watch what anti-American things you say . . . you just may be leaving for Iran today"!

FReeregards . . .

[RightOnline]

Well, they have every right to fire 'im, but I think it's clear that the "birthday present" comment was pure, unadulterated sarcasm. I just don't know 'bout this one, folks.

[itsinthebag]

I'm tired of these folks cheering for Bin laden.

So do I. In fact, I believe that forcing the other employees to work alongside this piece of dung would constitute the creation of a "hostile atmosphere" in the workplace, and we sure can't have that. I'd have fired him in a heartbeat.

Exactly. How does he know that any one of his fellow employees could have had a loved one to die in the WTC attack? That would definitely be a "hostile environment" to that individual.

[Polybius]

UM is a private University,

Actually, Luis, UM is a public (state) university.

Source

But then, you never pay much attention to facts anyway.

Earth to Willie Green. Earth to Willie Green.

The link you posted is to the University of Michigan- Ann Arbor . The "U.M." mentioned in the article is the University of Miami (Florida).

The University of Miami is now and has always been a private University. It is my alma mater for both my B.S. and M.D. degrees.

I think that you owe an apology to Luis Gonzalez.

[paul51]

``If the same thing had occurred with someone of a different background, it would have resulted in a different outcome,''

So what? I wish congress would create a vehicle to change the status of people like this to 'former' resident

[OldFriend]

Context is everything!! And it is clear he was celebrating the attack. BE GONE, AMERICA HATERS........

[dano1]

Anyone who supports Bin Ladden and terrorism ought to leave the U.S. today. All of these selfish and lazy U.S.-bashers, (both the imported and the domestic varieties), simply want to suck up the benefits of living in this country while they egotistically deride everything the country stands for and ignore everything positive about this country. They need to go home, or find new homes more to their liking, now. Maybe Bill Clinton, (now that he seems to have decided that we deserve attack because our distant ancestors allowed slavery), should lead the exodus.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Look for me on TV tomorrow yelling my head off as UM beats up on Syracuse!

Rose Bowl, here we come!

[William Wallace]

Actually, Luis, UM is a public (state) university.

Source

But then, you never pay much attention to facts anyway.

Click

[Nate505]

I'm sorry, but I don't feel that was enough to warrant him being fired. Now, I realize they have the right to fire him over anything they want (more or less), and that they should have that right, but I think it's a bunch of politically correct garbage, which I've always hated before and after 9/11.

[DC native]

"We have to change our foreign policy"? We? We? What is this "we" shite? Someone needs to inform him that he is not part of we. And he needs to become a permanent resident of some other unfortunate country pronto. However, I have faith that Aunt Donna will fix everything for him.

[Un-PC]

Another example of political correctness run amuck. We're rapidly approaching a police state when citizens can be fired from their jobs for harboring anti-government sentiments. (By the way, I vehemently disagree with the fired employee's callous statement.)

It won't be long until "right wingers," "gun fanatics" and anti-government activists are tracked down and jailed as unfit, unpatriotic citizens. Yes, it can happen here, and thanks to the President Bush (isn't he supposed to be a conservative?), the framework is now in place to arrest, jail and put to death anyone who demonstrates malicious "intentions" toward the government. The Patriot Act passed by Congress recently is patterned after the Enabling Act, which gave Adolph Hilter dictatorial powers in Germany.

[Clemenza]

This is a pleasant surprise, considering that "Suntan U" is currently administered by Donna Shalala.