Some anti-gay blogs are having a field day with this one, in which Peter Vadala, now a former assistant manager for a Brookstone Book at Logan Airport in Boston.
I’ll write briefly what happened and then in addition to the video below here are two links, one to the anti-gay blog of Mass Resistance and the other to the LGBT blog Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters for you to determine from your own frame of reference who is right.
What Vadala was fired for is Brookstone’s Zero Tolerance Policy of Harassment, which Vadala is accused of when a visiting store manager stopped by the store and discussed with employees including Vadala, her upcoming wedding to her female companion. Valdala made several statements based on his “Christian beliefs” regarding the upcoming exchange of vows and homosexuality which landed him into hot water and out the door.
My own opinion on this Brookstone may have gone to far, with their policy if this is a first time offense. A stern and one time only reprimand and warning was more in order. If there was to be another incident, then by all means show Vadala the door. Having said that, as a member of management Vadala should be well aware of Brookstone’s Zero Tolerance Policy and he should have said little or nothing to the other manager in regards to the upcoming wedding and then if he felt uncomfortable per his personal beliefs take it up with his direct or field manager.
But also Vadala has a lot of growing up to in regards to the real world. If he is so uncomfortable with gays and lesbians, and who knows what or who else, then he should work and surround himself with like-minded people. And certainly not in a retail outlet at an airport where he may encounter all sorts of “deviants” during the work day.
Some “news” organizations and individuals, perhaps taking a lead from Peter Vadala, seem to have taken some liberties. I’d like to clarify a couple of points here:
There is no evidence that the female manager ever discussed her wedding or marriage. The incident began during a normal conversation, in which she said (apparently in response to something someone else said) that her fiancee was going to pick her up. (That isn’t discussing a wedding.) She corrected Peter when he mistakenly used the wrong pronoun. He says he went about his workday.
Peter himself doesn’t say that she talked to HIM about a wedding.
Peter says that he “heard” her “mention her fiancee” four times that day. Again, it doesn’t appear that she was talking to HIM about her fiancee. Also, mentioning a fiancee isn’t the same as discussing a wedding or marriage.
So Peter would have gay people be forced to remain silent about their relationships, while he has no problem with straight people discussing their own. That is inherently unfair, of course.
You say, “Give him another chance.” Well, what’s the point in having a zero-tolerance policy if you actually allow tolerance for that kind of behavior? The company would then be guilty of not even following its own policies and procedures.
Peter’s freedom of religion does not give him the right to impose his beliefs on others. Sexual-orientation is covered in the Massachusetts code. The female manager stated facts, while Peter felt free to insult her with his opinions, calling her “deviant”, and/or “immoral”, and/or “bad. Even without religion or sexual orientation involved, addressing a coworker this way would be grounds for termination in most large corporations, and quite a large number of smaller ones, as well.
This kid knew what he was doing. He has publicly stated that he attended a training seminar in which this topic was discussed. Having seen that he wants to get into the radio business, I’m starting to think this might be staged — he is getting his 15 minutes. Unfortunately, given his poor performance in this video, unless Fox News hires him as a janitor or something, I think his future in communication is limited. Perhaps he can get a job in his fundamentalist church, where he won’t have to be out in public with the gays.
Comment by Scott — November 12th, 2009 @ 12:23 am