Freedom of Speech

[Roamy]

Ok guys and gals - does the following breech the right of freedom of speech or is it a threat.

What say you all?


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Airport officials have fired a luggage attendant who admitted playing a Bible verse that offended a gay couple over an public speaker system.

Jethro Monestime, 23, who had worked for Superior Aircraft Services at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, acknowledged that he played the message twice early May 1, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.

Monestime said he used his cell phone to play a recording that said, "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, they should be put to death." The announcement came from Leviticus 20:13.

He told investigators Sunday that it was a prank.

"I just want to apologize to everybody who was involved, especially the couple," Monestime told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Monday. "I didn't think it was going to hurt anybody."

Broward County sheriff's officials will turn the case over to state prosecutors to determine whether criminal charges should be filed, county Mayor Josephus Eggelletion Jr. said.

Danny Pyne, co-owner of Superior Aircraft, said Monestime was fired Monday, and the company had issued an apology to the couple.


Anthony Niedwiecki, who had been with his partner Waymon Hudson when he heard the message, said he didn't consider it a prank.

"It was a death threat," Niedwiecki said. "I appreciate the fact that police followed up on this."

Niedwiecki and Hudson filed the complaint to airport officials that started the investigation.

[Eki]

I don't know, but it probably wasn't part of the duties the luggage attendant was hired to do. I think they should be polite to customers.

[BeansBeansBeans]

It's not really a Freedom of Speech issue though is it? It's an issue of employee behaviour.

[Dave B]

Exactly. Freedom of Speech is a complete red herring in this case. He was on private property and contracted to do a job with certain responsibilties. He's perfectly free to hold religious beliefs, even if that means decrying homosexuality, but not free to use the airport's PA system to offend passengers.

However to treat the bible passage as a death threat could be seen as an over-reaction.

[BDunnell]

Exactly. Freedom of Speech is a complete red herring in this case. He was on private property and contracted to do a job with certain responsibilties. He's perfectly free to hold religious beliefs, even if that means decrying homosexuality, but not free to use the airport's PA system to offend passengers.

However to treat the bible passage as a death threat could be seen as an over-reaction.

I agree. I would have found it amusing rather than offensive, and I'm gay, though I can totally understand why others may be offended. However, it certainly wasn't right.

Neither would it have been acceptable if he had used the PA system to express a political opinion — though I bet that if he had expressed his support of the Democrats or a view against the Iraq war and the story had reached the media, the person who started this thread, for one, wouldn't have even thought about the notion that sacking the man was in any way an attack on freedom of speech.

[Eki]

John Gibson has been foaming about Muslim taxi drivers refusing to take alcohol on board their taxi or cashiers refusing from handling pork. I think it's an analogous case. They have a right for their religion but they shouldn't let it interfere with their job:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,259914,00.html

JOHN GIBSON, HOST: First, Muslim cabdrivers at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport caused controversy when they refused to drive passengers who were carrying bottles of alcohol. Now some Muslim cashiers at a Minneapolis Target store object to ringing up pork products, because even running a package of bacon under the grocery price scanner is against their religious belief.

Now, the Target store says those who do not want to ring up pork will be moved to other positions.

[Jaws]

I put a notice on our work noticeboard that I was putting my daughter up for sale for slavery as allowed under Exodus 21:7 and was happy to receive offers.

Some of my workmates said it was in poor taste, but I told them to get nicked and I am allowed to express my Freedom of Speech because if it's in the Bible, it can't be wrong.