rrizzo@bbncca.ARPA (Ron Rizzo) (10/05/84)
Here's an interesting news item for netters outside eastern Massachu- setts (from PBS' "All Things Considered", WBUR radio, 10/4/84): Lawyers for the Christian Science Church introduced a motion in court today to throw out the lawsuit of ex-CSC employee Christine Madsen, who was fired from her job by the Church 2 years ago because she is gay. The lawyers claimed 1st amendment protection for the CSC! The reasoning seems to be as follows: "free speech" insures free exercise of religious beliefs and THAT includes freedom of action to enforce beliefs even when a church acts as an employer. Marian Triantifilou (?), Madsen's attorney, countered with this ex- ample: What if "idle hands are the devil's work" is considered a belief, and the church forces employees to work under sweat- shop conditions, with managers making hourly rounds to rap all employees on the knuckles? In other words, does "freedom of speech" permit abuses, gross viola- tions of other laws? And can actions, enforcing belief (here irre- gardless of the law), be considered instances of "free speech"? The judge repeatedly asked the CSC lawyers about what motivated the firing, pointing out it was relevant to the case if discrimination occurred. Church lawyers refused to discuss motivation, claiming it was irrelevant (thereby implicitly arguing that even blatant discri- mination is legal if enforcement of religious belief is involved. How low Mother Church has fallen! What would Mary Baker Eddy say about the utter lack of morals her spiritual descendants have dis- played here?). Ms. Triantifilou said that a favorable ruling means the right of gay people to hold jobs and be free of job discrimination, will finally be recognized legally, not special rights, but basic civil rights, like everyone else.
rap@oliven.UUCP (Robert A. Pease) (10/05/84)
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So keep us informed of the outcome, Ron.
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Robert A. Pease
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