Posted on 02/04/2015 12:20:36 PM PST by wagglebee
DETROIT, MI, February 4, 2015 (LifeSiteNews.com) -- A former contractor with Ford Motor Company has sued, saying the auto giant and contracting firm RGBSI violated his civil rights when he was fired for his religious opposition to same-sex "marriage."
In a complaint filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and provided to LifeSiteNews, Thomas Banks said that he was fired after commenting on Ford's policy related to same-sex relationships. According to Banks, Ford invited employees to comment on the policy, which Banks -- who was an employee of RGBSI at the time -- did.
Within two weeks, Banks had met with a Human Resources employee of Ford and been fired by RGBSI. His complaint, which was filed on January 28, 2015, is being represented by the Christian-oriented Liberty Institute.
According to the complaint details, Banks' wrote his comment on Ford’s policy that the company “should be thoroughly ashamed.”
“Endorsing and promoting sodomy is of benefit to no one,” he continued. “This topic is disruptive to the workplace and is an assault on Christians and morality, as well as antithetical to our design and our survival. Immoral sexual conduct should not be a topic for an automotive manufacturer to endorse or promote. And yes-this is historic-but not in a good way. Never in the history of mankind has a culture survived that promotes sodomy. Heterosexual behavior creates life-homosexual behavior leads to death."
According to an e-mail from a RGBSI employee who formally relieved Banks of his job, Ford's Human Resources representative said that Banks' comment violated the Ford anti-harassment policy related to sexual orientation. That policy outlines behaviors that are considered harassing, including but not limited to "jokes or stories that are derogatory toward someone's membership" in a specific group, as well as "degrading comments" or "demeaning or criticizing an individual because of her/his membership in one of these groups..."
Banks was also told in an e-mail that he was "in violation of the RGBSI harassment policy," which says that "harassment of any other protected status...is also prohibited." As part of his complaint, Banks noted that "a careful reading of RGBSI's own policy confirms that its own policies do not even prohibit what it claims is the policy basis for its decision. RGBSI only has a ‘sexual orientation’ policy that applies in New York City, New York. No such policy exists in Michigan, or for Michigan employees."
"It is undisputed that I performed my work, live in, and sent my e-mail while in Michigan. Thus, RGBSI terminated me for stated reasons that have no basis in RGBSI policy," write Banks.
An examination of the e-mails provided to LifeSiteNews about Banks' claims related to RGBSI policies verified the fired employee's statement.
According to Liberty Institute Council Cleve Doty, who represents Banks, both Ford and RGBSI are included in the complaint because "it was Ford that initiated the meeting with Thomas Banks, and said that his comment may have violated company non-discrimination policies."
"He was later informed by the contracting company that he was being released by Ford," said Doty. "[RGBSI] could have kept Mr. Banks on staff, but chose instead to say he violated their non-discrimination policies, and fired him."
"This one is particularly troubling because the guy works for three years, with a clean record, but then gets fired for making one comment in an area asking for comments about company policy -- and he stated his religious beliefs," explained Doty. "Therefore, he was fired for his religious beliefs, which is in violation of federal civil rights law and the U.S. Constitution."
It is not known how quickly the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will respond to Banks' complaint. The Commission's standards on what qualifies as religious discrimination are spelled in detail here, and "religious discrimination" is defined as something that "involves treating a person (an applicant or employee) unfavorably because of his or her religious beliefs."
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I think most longtime jobbies in Metro Detroit still enjoy the work but over the past 25 years or so, theyve grown to hate the business.
We no longer have 1st Amendment rights in this country; at least not on this particular subject.
According to an e-mail from a RGBSI employee who formally relieved Banks of his job, Ford’s Human Resources representative said that Banks’ comment violated the Ford anti-harassment policy related to sexual orientation. That policy outlines behaviors that are considered harassing, including but not limited to “jokes or stories that are derogatory toward someone’s membership” in a specific group, as well as “degrading comments” or “demeaning or criticizing an individual because of her/his membership in one of these groups...”
They asked for his written opinion on a subject and he sent to them his written opinion on the subject.
And the content of his test is not harassment of anyone. He is stating his SOLICITED opinion on the subject and is a victim of civil rights violation.
I really can’t his words could be viewed as harassment without significantly distorting the meaning of english words.
And a question: If a homosexual man asked you what you think of homosexuality, and you told him you thought it was disgusting, would that be harassment on your part? Of course not.
Exactly! The man was being asked for his OPINION and nothing more.
When I ask for someone's opinion it is because I am genuinely interested in hearing it, not because I just want to be agreed with. Throughout my life I've changed my mind about a lot of things and a lot of this has been because I am willing to consider what others have to say about it.
Henry Ford must be weeping.
Soon we will be like North Korea and not demonstrating the proper level of enthusiasm for the regime's dictates will be a crime.
Don’t fall for the facade.
The homos are just the spearpoint.
The warriors’ cause is criminalizing Christianity.
This is a precursor to “no one can buy or sell without the Mark of the Beast”.
You are correct. The homosexuals have been used as pawns and nothing more, the end game has ALWAYS been about Satan.
Silly me.
All this time, I thought Ford’s goal in life was to make money by selling people cars.
Keep it up, Ford.
I like your cars, but your smarmy fudgepack politics will drive me once again to Japan.
Agree, this is a political beatdown like the ones Paula Dean and that Alberta minister got.
The Alberta minister was vindicated by a Canadian review court, but how many people can bear the legal expense to go there? Is it worth, in dollars and cents, that kind of stretch, to get one's job back? But of course one must fight when rights are clearly invaded by Nazis and thugs.
Does this mean I can now fill up my Ford truck by putting the nose in the tail pipe?
Norway Islamic Leader: ‘Every Muslim’ Wants ‘Death Penalty for Homosexuals’
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3254088/posts
The company asked for *his* opinion. He gives *his* opinion. He’s fired for not having the politically correct opinion. Sounds like entrapment.
Who was this guy harassing; the questionnaire?
Not just “now” - this has been the case for quite some time. The only difference is - disagreement with the Homo-Satanists is punishable as a “hate crime” - termination from your job or worse...
I don’t own a Ford car but if I did, I’d trade it in right now. I destroyed my Penneys card when they began to cater to male homosexuals/lesbians and sent me a catalog with two male homos together on every page, then, sent one with two female lesbians together on every page. I wrote them to remove me from the catalog list because I didn’t want homo/lesbian pictures in my house.
If it comes down to it, I may be put in prison for my Christian beliefs because I’m not changing them. Muslim Obama and his sexual deviants be damned.
There is a larger issue here.
The company SOLICITED opinions and then fired him for it.
He harassed no one. he was asked for his opinion and he gave it.
This amounts to a PURGE.
Imagine if they said YOU MUST tell us how you feel about this issue, and you MUST agree with us or else, which is just one step further down this road.
How about you MUST tell us if any of your co-worker’s ever expressed any ‘impure thoughts”
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