Happy Atheist Forum

I do not feel like retyping the entire thing since it was discussed in good length on another forum, so I will link it to that thread:

http://www.sickfucksunited.com/forums/s ... hp?t=19768 (http://www.sickfucksunited.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19768)

Long story short, I have talked about her being threatened to be fired for being an atheist for quite some time. A few people on my board assumed I left something out of the story. But I did not. I'm a pretty open and honest person. Hell, the internet has seen me in drag, seen my peener, seen me drunk failing a sobriety test on youtube, seen my wifes tits, seen my wifes lack of tit now that it's gone. So why would i start hiding details now?

I maintain a website I made for my wife that was to help with money for the time she missed from work due to her mastectomy. www.saveamanda.com (http://www.saveamanda.com) and from that site there is a link to my blog where I detail my point of view through this battle with her breast cancer and because of a select few 'christian' people I rant and rave about anti religious view points, that blog is www.saveamanda.blogspot.com (http://www.saveamanda.blogspot.com) and her boss came across it and threatened to fire her if I did not remove the religious part of the entries. I complied.

Yesterday was her first day back at work since April 14th, she had a mastectomy on the 15th. A few hours into her shift he again brings up that she needs the Jesus in her life and she respecfully declined. He then told her 'Your attitude towards god is no longer welcome in my place of business. He owns the place, and she is the only employee there.

I am seeking legal representation just to see what our options are, but I am not hell bent on suing him or anything. I would just like to inconvenience  him as much as he has us.

Feel free to check out the sites. www.saveamanda.com (http://www.saveamanda.com) and www.saveamanda.blogspot.com (http://www.saveamanda.blogspot.com)


What are your thoughts on this?

My first thought: he's a prick. Take him down.
My second thought: only if Amanda is up for it.
My third thought: if she is, start posting this like crazy on Digg, Reddit, everywhere you can. I'll tweet it like crazy, probably get vjack and some others to pick it up as well. You'll get noticed. I promise.

Just give me the go ahead.

Do what thou wilt. It's all part of gods plan!

I've posted everywhere I can think of thusfar. Most of the forums I go to are not very serious places to begin with so it's hard to get an honest opinion on anything. I can't lie though, I'm just as useless on those boards.

Like I said, I don't want or expect to get monetary satisfaction out of this. Just to know he is annoyed is good enough for me. We have enough problems. I lost my job last week, luckily I got a newer and even better one. Our oldest broke his arm last saturday, she gets fired, etc etc etc. Plus the whole you know being in your mid 20's and having cancer thing.

Brant, welcome back! I was wondering where you'd gone after posting back in February and March. This new development really sucks, and I'm sorry to learn of it.

My opinion is that you should pursue legal action, but it seems that you are not in favor of doing that, at least not to get money. But why not make that doctor's life suck and recoup the financial losses that his illegal firing of Amanda caused?

By the way, did you follow up with any of the information I posted in the other thread (your introductory thread)? If so, I hope it was helpful.

That man should be hung up by his... um... fingers.  ;-)  He's a dick of the highest proportions.  

My first question is... if he owns the business, he can fire someone for whatever reasons he wishes, right?  Just because he disclosed those reasons doesn't mean he can be held liable for it?  I'm just asking, I have no idea.  I know when I worked for the State, we had VERY strict rules about what we could and couldn't discuss or reveal in the workplace... sexuality and religion being the two biggies, followed closely by politics.

But this is a private business owner.  

Doesn't make him any less of a dick, just don't know if you can sue him.

Have you contacted your local ACLU office yet?  They'd be VERY happy to get involved if they can.

As far as I know, there isn't much we can do legally from the attorneys I have spoken with. But I am at work and busy and don't have time to sit on the phone with them and ask all the questions I need to.

In Texas you can be fired at anytime without a reason, but this is clearly a civil rights issue.

Sullying the guy's name will at least be a bit of comfort, right?

I'm telling you... call the ACLU.  They'd LOVE to know about this.  

I just emailed the ACLU. Thanks

Quote from: "Wigglez"In Texas you can be fired at anytime without a reason, but this is clearly a civil rights issue.

That's true, we are an "at-will" state but that does not mean that EEOC, FLSA, discrimination and other federal employer laws aren't still imposed in this state.  And although the potential outcome and cost may not be worth it, you can sue anyone you want.  It's just not always feasible, and more handy to have other people do it on your behalf.  Keep us posted.

If Amanda is up for it, make that guy's life miserable.  Have you contacted a news station with your story yet?  I'm sure they'd be more than happy to air the story of an atheist cancer patient who was fired just days after retuning to work.  Just don't go to Fox since they might try to twist it into you doing something wrong.  But the other stations have been fair to atheists (at least they have in Dallas).

Emailed it to just about every local news station I know of.

Quote from: "Wigglez"Emailed it to just about every local news station I know of.

You might also want to contact any local atheist groups in your area; they may have some resources to help with this.

In CA, employment is at will. An employer can fire an employee for any reason they want  so long as there isn't a law against it. But, at least in CA, there is a law against firing people on the basis of their religious beliefs (or non-beliefs). I think it's called a "protected category" or something.

What a perfectly christian bastard that guy is. I hope he gets taken to the cleaners.

I hope it all pans out ok for you Wigglez.

You could try the American Humanist Association for help. They have attorneys. They defend secularism.

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-8948 ... ation-pt-1 (http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-8948-Dallas-Atheism-Examiner~y2009m5d14-Religion-in-the-workplace-an-atheists-battle-against-discrimination-pt-1)

I posted your story on twitter and in the message boards of the meetups I organize.  If nothing else, maybe we can put that doctor out of practice due to people seeing his true colors.

CBS 11 interviewed us today. They only had time for a two minute segment but are waiting to see how things go with the Employment Commission who is going to do a full investigation into the claim that Amanda was fired for being an Atheist.


http://cbs11tv.com/religion/Atheist.Claims.Discrimination.2.1015271.html


They did a lot of interviewing us and whatnot but told us about the time restraints. I think it came off very fair and balanced to both our side and the doctors side.

Since it aired a few minutes ago, we have got calls from several other media outlets wanting to do further investigations. Shits pretty cool.

And apparently the camera adds a couple.... hundred pounds. I was not looking lean. Time to put the cookie down I guess.

Quote from: "Wigglez"CBS 11 interviewed us today. They only had time for a two minute segment but are waiting to see how things go with the Employment Commission who is going to do a full investigation into the claim that Amanda was fired for being an Atheist.


http://cbs11tv.com/religion/Atheist.Claims.Discrimination.2.1015271.html

I'm glad this is finally getting the kind of coverage it deserves and hope the Employment Commission is able to do something about that doctor.

Well done. I'm glad your voices are being heard. It's such an awful situation.

Good luck with everything.

I'd love to see that video, but I'm on dial-up...  
I'm glad that you're doing something about this. That doctor deserves what he gets. It would be even more satisfying if he prays for god to deliever him from these "godless heathens" and ends up getting slammed by the judge. XD

What I've heard about at-will employment is that they can fire you at any time and there doesn't need to be a reason.  However, most employers don't give a reason because some reasons (including religious discrimination) are actionable.  Just to be safe, a place I worked at canned a girl we had on video stealing from our cash register without telling her why she was fired.

About ten years ago a co-worker of mine was fired two days after being outed as an atheist, supposedly for "being late three or more times."  They shouldn't have bothered giving a reason because it was pretty fishy that they were firing her for being late too many times when the last time she'd been late was over a year before.

But regarding this situation, anyone who could fire someone that coldly just after cancer surgery doesn't deserve membership in the human race.

Ah! Kylyssa! Reading your posts is a pleasure.  :lol: