Fired & Furious [Because She Can't Speak Spanish]

(WSVN) Zita Wilensky loves to help people. In fact she is a foster mother to kids with special needs.

Zita Wilensky, a victim of discrimination, says "Right now we have a little boy. We are in the process of adopting and he is learning delayed, but he is coming along great."

Professionally, Zita is not doing so well. She says, "I really do feel I was discriminated against and if I didn't I wouldn't be telling you."

Zita worked for Miami-Dade County for 16 years. The last two in the Domestic Violence Unit.

Her file is full of letters of praise, but she began to encounter one major problem.

She says, "I was referred to as the gringa, the Americana. Did they mean it in a polite way or a deragatory way? In some ways at times it was joking. But then it was like every single day and you know what? I have a name."

Zita was the only Anglo in the County Unit. All of her co-workers were Hispanic and she says they liked to play tricks on her.

She says, "My boss presented me with an envelope one day when the anthrax was going around and told me "come here could you smell this? This just came in the mail." Big joke in front of the whole department. Made me look like an idiot."

Then Zita was told she had to speak Spanish in the office. She was given 60 days to learn. After 30 days her boss disguised her voice and called her.

Zita says, "So she called pretending to be someone who didn't speak English. And when you could not communicate she fired you? Yes...that's how it happened."

According to a county document, Zita was fired for transferring the call to the clerk's office. Zita said she transferred it because she wanted what she thought was a Spanish speaking caller to talk to someone.

Either way, despite her protests, after 16 years with the county, Zita was fired and replaced by an Hispanic.

Howard Finkelstein, 7News Legal Expert, says "The Florida Constituion says that English is the official language of the government. So you can't fire someone simply because they don't speak Spanish and you can't fire them simply because they are Anglo. That's discrimination. That's illegal."

Howard says you cannot be discrimated against based upon national origin, religion, sex, and race. Such as blacks, whites, hispanics, asians, and on and on.

and howard says that includes the treatment employees like zita receive on the job.

"An employer cannot allow an employee to be subjected to racial slurs like gringo, or to be ridiculed or intimidated...thats called a hostile work enviroment and thats illegal."

Zita would like to go back to work for Miami-Dade County, not in the same office, but in a place where no kind of discrimination is tolerated.

When we talked to a county official, we were told Zita was fired because she transferred calls improperly.

They also deny she was fired because she was an anglo and she was not required to speak Spanish.

Her boss just requested that she learn Spanish. But contradicting that, this letter from her boss says its a necessity that she speaks Spanish.

Problems don't discriminate - so race to the phone. We'll have an answer clear in any language.

"Oh yeah, we know all about you heroic cubanos. You never mustered the courage to throw off Spanish rule, even in its decrepitude. You had to wait for McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt to free you."

Ah yes! Your public school education shining through, barely literate and most of your knowledge of history comes from Hollywood and television.

McKinley and Roosevelt STOLE the victory out from under the Mambises (name for the Cuban rebels who banrupted Spain with the cost of the war, and had all but defeated them when Teddy Roosevelt decided to pull a Larry Klayman) for personal gain. Then set themselves up as the new rulers. Look it up Jethro, if you know how to use a library card index.

"You couldn't make democracy work. You had a string of corrupt goverments. And then you lost your country to a small band of bandidos spouting Marxism. Instead of fighting Fidel and his ratty band to defeat, you all cut and ran."

I guess you forgot hat this was supposed to be a representative Republic, but your left-wing mind is busy thinking "democracy". The "bandidos" were not spouting "marxism", they were promising free elections, and the re-instatement of the constitution. They lied...and as a matter of fact, they had the full support and co-operation of the US government and the american media in their lying.

Thanks to the US government, and its arbitrary decision to stop the sale of munitions and arms to the Cuban government, the glowing praise heaped upon Fidel by this country's marxist media and members of congress (that hasn't changed much in 40+ years), and Kennedy's betrayal and subsequent sellout to Russia, Castro is still in power today. As far as having corrupt governments...well, ain't that the pot calling the kettle black.

"Laugh all you want, loser. I'm just thankful I come from stock that fought the British Empire to a standstill. And you ought to be too, or you wouldn't have had somewhere to run away to, where you could display your lack of gratitude and lack of breeding."

My breeding is impeccable, and what your diminutive mind calls a "lack of gratitude" is simply my exercising the rights guaranteed under the constitution to all Americans, I am freely speaking my mind...which really bothers the hell out of relics like you who think that "some people" ought to mind their place.

You miss Jim Crow, don't you?

BTW, the American revolution required the military help of the French, and financial aid from Cuba to overthrow the British. Do try to learn the History of this great nation.

BTW, as for running away...other than sitting on your a$$, and bitching about the so-called invasion and reconquista of the American southwest by Mexican campesinos, what are you doing to stop them?

Not a dammed thing...I know, now you're going to tell me how "others" are responsible for stopping that. You may come from good stock, but it's been seriously watered down.

Get yourself a raft, you may need it soon.

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