Posted on 11/16/2001 1:23:35 PM PST by 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.
I'm throwing #59 in as my "Quote of the Century" nomination!!!
We have a winner!
I am in total agreement with you on this one. Some of his fellow workers even went on to give him a birthday celebration, so obviously not all of them were offended.
Let's face it, we have some very interesting, sometimes heated debates here on FR and in our other lives as we question how we got to where we are now in this war.
Those discussions often bring up mistakes US policy has made -- leaders we have helped to empower who turned out to be bad. It doesn't make us anti-American to have an honest exchange of ideas and views -- unless one is cheering 9-11, which I'm not certain Rahat was doing.
Ah! The magnificent, palm tree-lined streets of Old Ann Arbor in autumn!
Really?? I did not know that. Interesting.............wonder what she'll do about this after popping up out of her gopher hole? Think she'll stick up for the guy or stay out of it, due to today's "atmosphere"?
I'm betting she stays invisible on this one. :)
A "Moderate" American Muslim Parent's View
First, we have to recognize that Islam in America is probably closer to the true teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, may he be blessed, than at any other time in the last five hundred years. No, I'm not saying that Muslims are better believers today. I'm saying that the access to pure Islamic teachings and the ability to live them to their fullest moral and social potential is more pronounced here, in North America, than in Iraq, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nigeria or anywhere else. The Muslim world: forget about it. It's too bogged down in stupidity, corruption, nationalism, racism and every other kind of ailment you can imagine. The light of Islam has been put out in the Muslim world and has been reborn in the heart of the secular, faithless West. (Allah is truly great!)
There is nothing you or I can do to improve the Muslim world. Nothing. Just accept it and get over it. Part of being a Muslim is to choose your battles wisely. Even the Prophet left Mecca when he saw no more change could come. In the open and cosmopolitan society of Medina, the focus of the Muslims was in building a solid community which could live in relative safety. The Medinan situation is where the ideal of the community took form and flowered. We are now in the Meccan times today in the Muslim world and Islam, like so many Muslims, has made Hijrah to safer lands where it can work on regaining its strength.
The head of Goodwill Industries of South Florida has fired Miami mayoral candidate Michael Italie, a member of the Socialist Workers Party, because he is a ``subversive'' presence in the company.
 NO AUDIENCE: Michael Italie, left, stands outside Goodwill Industries on Monday with campaign supporter Heather Page, ready to demonstrate when employees exited. But the workers were sent home early. |
``We cannot have anyone who is attempting to subvert the United States of America,'' Pastrana said. ``His political beliefs are those of a communist who would like to destroy private ownership of American enterprises and install a communist regime in the United States.''
Italie, an obscure candidate for mayor who moved to Miami 18 months ago from Atlanta, says Pastrana is discriminating against him.
Italie had a minimum-wage job sewing jackets for the military. He worked at Goodwill's Allapattah factory for seven months.
``This is an attack on all workers who should not have to fear the loss of their jobs for having an opinion,'' Italie said.
The Miami branch of the American Civil Liberties Union was contacted by Italie and is investigating whether his civil rights may have been violated, chapter president Lida Rodriguez-Taseff said.
``If it is determined that Goodwill gets government funding, he might have a case,'' she said.
William Amlong, a prominent Fort Lauderdale labor attorney, said he doesn't believe Italie has much of a legal case.
``I think it's an outrageous, but probably a legal move,'' said Amlong, who added that by firing Italie, Pastrana may have given him a popularity boost. ``This guy has gone from being a very minor mayoral candidate to a martyr. Anybody who would have given a socialist a snowball's chance in hell in the Miami election would need to have his head examined.''
Pastrana said he researched the matter and fired Italie after receiving legal advice from lawyers he knows. He said he realizes he can't fire someone based on gender, race, religion or sexual orientation, but that firing someone for political views is legal.
Italie is one of nine candidates running for mayor of Miami against incumbent Joe Carollo.
He seldom attends forums and debates, but when he does, he stirs controversy because of his political stance.
He is an outspoken supporter of the Cuban revolution and critic of the U.S. war on terrorism.
At one debate at Miami-Dade Community College's Wolfson campus the week before he was fired, Italie butted heads with Carollo over the U.S. campaign against Afghanistan.
Carollo had few sympathetic words for Italie when he heard that he had been fired.
``I think the man has treasonous points of view,'' Carollo said. ``I think he would have made Benedict Arnold seem like a patriot.''
Italie said he is aware of Miami's powerful anticommunist stance, which is strengthened by large numbers of Cuban exiles -- including Pastrana -- who fled Fidel Castro's regime. But Italie believes he is representing the rights of all workers.
``I was not asked for my political point of view when I was hired,'' Italie said.
He said Goodwill officials began asking him about his beliefs the day after the televised MDCC debate. Three days later, they told him that ``because of your views on the U.S. government, you are a disruptive force and cannot work here any longer. Get your things and go,'' Italie said.
Pastrana said Italie's views are not compatible with Goodwill's mission.
Goodwill of South Florida has a multimillion-dollar contract with the United States government to produce clothes for the military and flags that will be used to adorn the coffins of soldiers killed in action, Pastrana said.
``Goodwill will not allow anyone to bring dishonor to such an important symbol,'' Pastrana said.
Amlong said that while it may not be illegal to fire an employee based on political views, it sets a dangerous precedent of stifling political discourse in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.
``I find it kind of ironic that a company making American flags is firing somebody for having diverse points of view,'' Amlong said.
Funny how these thing loop around the world...
Undoubtably some ancient relative's description from just after the tower of babble...
LOL, it is funny, isn't it? Romanian has some Turkish words in the language. The Turks loved to cross the Black Sea and invade.
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