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06/19/2006
AFA defends fired board member; fired 'bored' member lethargically says, 'Come on, AFA, defend my ennui-having butt'
In an email wherein they defend Robert Smith, Maryland Governor Robert Ehrilch's one-time appointee on the Metro transit authority board who was recently fired for calling gays sexual deviants, the American Family Association includes a quote in which Smith says:
"Homosexual behavior, in my view, is deviant. I'm a Roman Catholic. The comments I make in public outside of my [Metro board job] I'm entitled to make." His personal beliefs, he said, have "absolutely nothing to do with running trains and buses and have not affected my actions or decisions on this board."
Only problem? He made the comments ON A CABLE TELEVISION SHOW DEDICATED TO POLITICS, on which his sole criteria for appearing was that he works in a political capacity! An appointed official does not become a mere private citizen in this sort of arena. That would be like Condi Rice going on "Meet The Press" and saying that instead of speaking today as Secretary of State, she instead just wants to talk to Tim in the voice of Condoleeza, the "America's Next Top Model"-loving amateur pastry chef. It just doesn't work that way. You take a certain position in certain offices and your public declarations are wholly married to your governmental role. Your remarks are subject to public scrutiny, and any controversial ones are ripe for public outcry. Now, you're of course FREE to say what you want and exercise your speech as fully as you wish. But if you don't agree to the terms that those words and post can be challenged by those who pay the post's salary, then you do not accept such a duty.
Moving on -- in the AFA's email, they conclude:
Smith was fired not because he wasn't doing a good job. He was fired not because of his practice, but because of his thinking! He was fired because he held different beliefs. So much for tolerance!
If this firing stands, it means that any Christian who states publicly that homosexual practice is morally wrong does so at the risk of being fired.
So for the AFA we would like to present a scenario: Say we were an appointed city official, and we went on a television show and said we thought Christianity was all a sham and that those who practice it were "mindless drones." Would you guys just be sitting idly by and allowing us to enjoy that expression of "tolerance?" No, you would not. You would have every right to be offended, you would rally your voices, and you would demand our firing! You would do so on the basis that their is no tolerance for intolerance, and you would have a valid case, as we were a public official spewing a group-stigmatizing position in a public setting. Our publicly-declared bias would have been aired for all to hear, and many of those who are Christians would've never been able to work or feel comfortable with us ever again.
This scenario is the exact same thing! Again, it's not that "any Christian who states publicly that homosexual practice is morally wrong does so at the risk of being fired;" it's that any public official who states publicly a controversial/ group-stigmatizing remark risks being challenged on it! Mr Smith's remarks were met with outcry by an openly gay councilman, and his non-discrimination-loving boss (Gov. Ehrlich) held Mr. Smith accountable for his public remarks. And yes, any ANYONE who says gays are "sexual deviants" can/will/should be held accountable by MANY, MANY places of business. But again, so should a worker who said similarly offensive things about Christians (and that's not, by the way, to say that 'gay' and 'Christian' are mutually exclusive concepts). If people want to be free within their work environment to declare controversial viewpoints and not be held accountable, then they need to get jobs at Thought Processes Convenient For You & Associates. In most non-discriminatory, non-activist office environments, intolerance is never going to be tolerated! When that office is in the arena of governmental service, that concept is tenfold.
'Tolerant' Governor fires 'intolerant' Christian [AFA Action Alert via G-A-Y]
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