Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Newspaper Editor Claims Firing Over Anti-Gay Rant Violates His Religious Freedom

Remarks made on his private blog were at issue, not statements made on the job

An Iowa journalist is suing his employer for discrimination after being fired over anti-gay remarks on his personal blog. Robert Dale Eschliman was editor-in-chief of the Newton Daily News, which fired him following a post alleging the Bible compelled him to fight against "the LGBTQXYZ crowd and the Gaystapo" because they were God's enemies.

A conservative Christian group called the Liberty Institute -- formerly the Free Market Foundation —- helped Eschliman file his suit. "There is no question that I was fired for holding and talking about my sincerely held religious beliefs on my personal blog during my off-duty time from the comfort of my own home," wrote Eschliman in his lawsuit. "I would like to have obtained a religious accommodation for my sincerely held religious belief to share my Biblical view with the few family members and friends who read my blog."

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) does prevent employers from rejecting, punishing, or firing individuals soley based on their religious beliefs or affiliation.

SOURCE

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

An employer is entitled to fire someone deemed to have extremist views, whether political or religious that might reflect on the employer -(eg. "God's enemies" is puerile at best, and insane at worst).
Sometimes US Christians sound no better than Middle East Muslims.

Anonymous said...

Why are Liberals(or Progressives)so much enamored of homosexuals ?

Anonymous said...

3:01 AM, Yes, the fascist mindset is the same. Fortunately secular societies in the West have gradually removed the religious laws, whereas they are still strong in muslim countries.

Anonymous said...

3:31 Pity you don't know what Fascist means. For you libs it's just another buzz word to throw around.

Use the Name, Luke said...

3:01's sarcasm detector is clearly broken; as is his ability to understand differences.

Use the Name, Luke said...

Oops, I meant 3:31's.

stinky said...


This involves a private decision, but US civil rights law does not distinguish, else the same editor could be fired for being white/black, male/female etc.

Ans that brings us full circle to an old argument: should civil rights law be enforced on private decisions, such as in this case? Or should it be enforced solely as equality under the law per se?

I favor the former myself; witch burnings fade away on their own in a free society. But many people prefer the latter. Those who do need to state their limiting principles as to how, structurally, cases such as this will not over time get out of hand.


Anonymous said...

4:37 - Clearly you don't either.

Luke doesn't understand how to comprehend comments, maybe too subtle for him.

stinky said...


Fascism: You have two cows. The government confiscates both, hires you to take care of them, and sells you the milk.



Anonymous said...

5:07 The only thing clear is the airspace between your ears. Subtle it's not, true it is.

Malcolm Smith said...

It is interesting that the headline refers to his comment as a "rant". Was it? Do we have the comment in front of us in order to form our own judgement, or is this just the writer's attempt to manipulate us?
Apart from that, the obvious question arises: if an employee can be fired for publishing a "rant" against homosexuals on his own website, in his own time, can he be fired for publishing an opinion in favour of the Republicans, or the Democrats, or any other cause his employer doesn't like?

Bird of Paradise said...

So i guess these big time liberal chief editors of the daily Birdcage liners dont beleive in Free Speech or Freedom of Relegion just typical leftists. I hope this man wins his case and has the big hancho eating crow

Anonymous said...

6:15's response is as infantile as it is unsubtle!

Go Away Bird said...

Liberals shine a light in one ear and the light comes out the other ear since liberals have no brains oviously