Rocketown in Nashville. No Gays Allowed!

[Guest]

from propertyofzack:

 

 

An employee was fired at Rocketown in Nashville, TN was fired for wearing a Hostage Calm “I Support Same-Sex Marriage” shirt. The band has released a statement on the incident and you can read it below by clicking “Read More.”

Today, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a longtime supporter of Hostage Calm and marriage equality was fired from his job at the Nashville music venue, Rocketown, for wearing his “I Support Same-Sex Marriage” shirt to work. A friend from Nashville contacted me about the situation and told me of Wes Breedwell, this seven-year employee of Rocketown who now finds himself the victim of discrimination. We called this brave man to hear his story, demonstrate our support, and figure out how we can help.

What I heard from him was a long pattern of discrimination against him for not being Christian and for supporting marriage equality. Rocketown is a Christian-owned non-profit community center and venue: not a church. And yet, over the seven years he has worked there, he’s been denied opportunities for advancement and salary based on his non-Christian beliefs. Today, Rocketown fired him for wearing this shirt commemorating equality (along with his non-Christian activity on social media pages). Wes emphasized that employees routinely wear band shirts at Rocketown. So why did this shirt cause such a problem?

It’s important to note that they didn’t fire him for wearing A SHIRT. They fired him because of what that shirt stands for. For what that shirt threatens.

This shirt represents an idea that all people have the right to live their lives without being told who to love and whose love is more valuable. It represents equality under the law. It represents the freedom to choose.

So how could a youth center not support such a vital, foundational understanding of human freedom and equality as part of their social mission? Hostage Calm has played Rocketown multiple times. In my prior visits, I was under the impression that Rocketown was a positive force in this Nashville community: they had a music venue, skatepark, and other outlets for Nashville youth. But a youth center and music venue cannot be a positive force in the community if it degrades and belittles the value of some of our people based on sexual orientation or gender identity. That is the force that tears communities apart, not that enriches them.

I originally planned to make a post today about Dr. King, the status of his Dream, and how we can all work together to realize equality in modern America. This unfortunate event demonstrates that Dr. King’s Dream is still under threat, and that the struggle of the LGBT community for equal standing under the law is a Civil Rights issue of our time.

Hostage Calm promises to do everything in its power to raise awareness and challenge this injustice in Nashville. We will certainly never play Rocketown again. We’ll continue to post more information as Wes and H.C. take further action. For now, you can help by reposting his story to shine a light on this injustice, and by boycotting the venue. Most of all, please send all your support to Wes Breedwell and his fight for justice.

May Love Prevail,

Cmar, Hostage Calm

http://propertyofzack.com/post/41137793964/employee-fired-for-wearing-hc-i-support-same-sex

[Emo Revival]

Saw that's on the HC Facebook. So messed up, they're gonna have a hell of a lawsuit on their hands as well as a ton of kids/bands that won't go there because of this.

[Guest]

Sad. I really, really hope I see homosexuality become a non-issue in my lifetime.

[Emo Revival]

Sad. I really, really hope I see homosexuality become a non-issue in my lifetime.

Same, I talk to some childhood friends in Canada and they don't understand how it's still an issue here.

[hudsoncomplex]

Same, I talk to some childhood friends in Canada and they don't understand how it's still an issue here.

Yeah. Up here in the great white north same sex marriage seems A LOT more acceptable.

[Emo Revival]

Yeah. Up here in the great white north same sex marriage seems A LOT more acceptable.

Where's Woodstock, ON Hudson, cause I'm from Hamilton.

[hudsoncomplex]

Where's Woodstock, ON Hudson, cause I'm from Hamilton.

1/2 way between London and KW my friend!

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

I posted on HC Facebook about it, don't know how much of a lawsuit he has outside of discrimination on the basis of religion, the shirt and saying no gays allowed is very wrong, but is yet to be a protected class under title VII, so his lawsuit, if he files, would have to be based on religion and shoul go through the EEOC in Nashville... We'll see if that happens though

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

Fuck this place

[adamrfox]

They blocked me from commenting on their facebook, thats cool

[yocaseycasey]

From a source that is close, Wes is apparently a ding dong and made my wife clean up a homeless dude's poop while she interned there. For all I care, let the dude file unemployment. I am guessing he lost his job because for seven years, he was a ding dong that made interns clean up homeless people's poop. 

[adamrfox]

isnt that something an intern would normally do? 

I mean just saying

[yocaseycasey]

Come intern at my Hot Topic. While you are there, working for free, and trying to get a good reference on your way up the "retail douchebag clothing" ladder, I will make you clean up homeless people's poop.

 

Then you can call me Wes, and I'll raise a stink when I get fired for wearing a Paramore shirt.

[adamrfox]

I mean being an intern is doing what is asked of you, she could have refused to do it? I would have. Not saying im cool with making somebody clean up a homeless mans shit but I have cleaned up much worse working for free at a venue....

[steviex2shoes]

I've been seeing this all day long, but I've seen none of the story, basically just Hostage Calm saying he got fired because he wore the shirt. Seems very one sided at the moment and second hand information. I feel like there's a good portion of the story missing. I doubt he got fired solely for the tshirt he was wearing even though it may have conflicted with Rocketowns Christian beliefs.

[somethingvinyl]

Obviously Rocketown disagrees, but firing a guy over wearing a shirt and holding different beliefs is so short-sided they're clearly imbeciles.

[sharkticon]

Where's Woodstock, ON Hudson, cause I'm from Hamilton.

 

Anything cool to do in Hamilton? I'll be there for a day in February at Molson Canadian Studio.

[adamrfox]

[steviex2shoes]

Ok, so first and foremost Rocketown is a religious establishment, it was founded by Michael W. Smith as a Christian outreach to bring kids to Christ in alternative ways. Obviously most Christian non profit business will have conflicting world views, but will not discriminate when hiring the positions they have. I'm sure this employee would have had to receive an employee handbook and most likely signed something stating they received the handbook. In it I'm sure it discussed many things two of those things being what you can not wear to work, and the other is how you present yourself to your customers. Once you are in the Rocketown establishment as an employee you are no longer representing yourself you are now a representative of that company, therefore you need to follow the rules laid out. I'm sure if he was wearing a pot leaf tshirt the same end result would have happened. It clearly goes against what the organization stands for, but most likely they would get a warning and be asked to change their clothing or be sent home and be requested never to do it again or further punishment could be taken. While I don't know any of the exact details I feel as though this not a first time fireable offense. Either the employee has had issues in the past not specific to the tshirt wearing and this was a final straw or he had been reprimanded not to wear this type of clothing while working and continued to wear the shirt he was there for being insubordinate to his superiors which would be grounds for firing. I don't claim to know the specifics of if they have a handbook or what the general practices are of Rocketown, I'm only making assumptions. But I know I wouldn't go to my job if I truly liked working there and wear something contradictory to what that company believes or wants represented for their company.

[harryq]

if you're claiming that your employer has been discriminating you based on your religious values and/or believes, why the hell would you wear a shirt proclaiming your religious values and/or beliefs to work?  I'm all for gay rights and same sex marriage and whatnot, but I'm also for common sense, and this guy seems to be lacking in that department...

 

also, newsflash: just because a shirt is rad doesn't mean that it's appropriate for work.

[harryq]

Ok, so first and foremost Rocketown is a religious establishment, it was founded by Michael W. Smith as a Christian outreach to bring kids to Christ in alternative ways.

 

you may be confusing the record label (the wiki page you got this from) with the venue.  I could be wrong though

nevermind

[jhulud]

Ok, so first and foremost Rocketown is a religious establishment, it was founded by Michael W. Smith as a Christian outreach to bring kids to Christ in alternative ways. Obviously most Christian non profit business will have conflicting world views, but will not discriminate when hiring the positions they have. I'm sure this employee would have had to receive an employee handbook and most likely signed something stating they received the handbook. In it I'm sure it discussed many things two of those things being what you can not wear to work, and the other is how you present yourself to your customers. Once you are in the Rocketown establishment as an employee you are no longer representing yourself you are now a representative of that company, therefore you need to follow the rules laid out. I'm sure if he was wearing a pot leaf tshirt the same end result would have happened. It clearly goes against what the organization stands for, but most likely they would get a warning and be asked to change their clothing or be sent home and be requested never to do it again or further punishment could be taken. While I don't know any of the exact details I feel as though this not a first time fireable offense. Either the employee has had issues in the past not specific to the tshirt wearing and this was a final straw or he had been reprimanded not to wear this type of clothing while working and continued to wear the shirt he was there for being insubordinate to his superiors which would be grounds for firing. I don't claim to know the specifics of if they have a handbook or what the general practices are of Rocketown, I'm only making assumptions. But I know I wouldn't go to my job if I truly liked working there and wear something contradictory to what that company believes or wants represented for their company.

 

This! My thoughts exactly.

 

if you're claiming that your employer has been discriminating you based on your religious values and/or believes, why the hell would you wear a shirt proclaiming your religious values and/or beliefs to work?  I'm all for gay rights and same sex marriage and whatnot, but I'm also for common sense, and this guy seems to be lacking in that department...

 

also, newsflash: just because a shirt is rad doesn't mean that it's appropriate for work.

 

Exactly as well!

[element101]

if you're claiming that your employer has been discriminating you based on your religious values and/or believes, why the hell would you wear a shirt proclaiming your religious values and/or beliefs to work?  I'm all for gay rights and same sex marriage and whatnot, but I'm also for common sense, and this guy seems to be lacking in that department...

 

also, newsflash: just because a shirt is rad doesn't mean that it's appropriate for work.

 

This is exactly what I was thinking.

 

Also I don't know alot about this venue but we have one here in florida and I've seen a more non christian bands there than christian bands. It seems that ours is pretty open to alot of things. But I feel like as people have said this probably wasn't a first offense and it feels like he knew what he was doing

[Emo Revival]

Anything cool to do in Hamilton? I'll be there for a day in February at Molson Canadian Studio.

Not sure man I left 15 years ago and have only been back twice. There were some good record stores back then but no idea if they're still around.

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

if you're claiming that your employer has been discriminating you based on your religious values and/or believes, why the hell would you wear a shirt proclaiming your religious values and/or beliefs to work?  I'm all for gay rights and same sex marriage and whatnot, but I'm also for common sense, and this guy seems to be lacking in that department...

 

also, newsflash: just because a shirt is rad doesn't mean that it's appropriate for work.

 

 Title VII only applies to employers with 15 or more employees, so i dont know if Rocketown applies or not, but just incase they do, here is how employees religious beliefs are protected by federal law, under the Civil Rights Act of 1964:

 

• treating applicants or employees differently based on their religious beliefs or practices – or lack thereof – in any aspect of employment, including recruitment, hiring, assignments, discipline, promotion, and benefits (disparate treatment);
• subjecting employees to harassment because of their religious beliefs or practices – or lack thereof – or because of the religious practices or beliefs of people with whom they associate (e.g., relatives, friends, etc.);
• denying a requested reasonable accommodation of an applicant’s or employee’s sincerely held religious beliefs or practices – or lack thereof – if an accommodation will not impose more than a de minimis cost or burden on business operations; ¹ and,
• retaliating against an applicant or employee who has engaged in protected activity, including participation (e.g., filing an EEO charge or testifying as a witness in someone else’s EEO matter), or opposition to religious discrimination (e.g., complaining to human resources department about alleged religious discrimination).

 

Also, from the EEOC's website in terms of how they define religion:

• Title VII protects all aspects of religious observance and practice as well as belief and defines religion very broadly for purposes of determining what the law covers. For purposes of Title VII, religion includes not only traditional, organized religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, but also religious beliefs that are new, uncommon, not part of a formal church or sect, only subscribed to by a small number of people, or that seem illogical or unreasonable to others. An employee’s belief or practice can be “religious” under Title VII even if the employee is affiliated with a religious group that does not espouse or recognize that individual’s belief or practice, or if few – or no – other people adhere to it. Title VII’s protections also extend to those who are discriminated against or need accommodation because they profess no religious beliefs.

   

  Religious beliefs include theistic beliefs (i.e. those that include a belief in God) as well as non-theistic “moral or ethical beliefs as to what is right and wrong which are sincerely held with the strength of traditional religious views.” Although courts generally resolve doubts about particular beliefs in favor of finding that they are religious, beliefs are not protected merely because they are strongly held. Rather, religion typically concerns “ultimate ideas” about “life, purpose, and death.” Social, political, or economic philosophies, as well as mere personal preferences, are not “religious” beliefs protected by Title VII.

   

  So it all depends on how Wes was fired.  If he feels he was not promoted and fired because he is not a christian, or a practicing christian, or is an athiest, he could have a case with the EEOC in regards to title VII charges of discrimination based on religion.  His shirt, though, would not qualify as protected until the same Title VII case as it would be viewed as a social/political philosophy, or a personal preference.  When they finally include sexual preference (or however they will classify homosexual individuals) as a protected class under title VII, THEN he might have a case to include the shirt, but until then it is only considered a philosophy or personal preference.

•  

  Religious observances or practices include, for example, attending worship services, praying, wearing religious garb or symbols, displaying religious objects, adhering to certain dietary rules, proselytizing or other forms of religious expression, or refraining from certain activities. Whether a practice is religious depends on the employee’s motivation. The same practice might be engaged in by one person for religious reasons and by another person for purely secular reasons (e.g., dietary restrictions, tattoos, etc.).

   

  Discrimination based on religion within the meaning of Title VII could include, for example: not hiring an otherwise qualified applicant because he is a self-described evangelical Christian; a Jewish supervisor denying a promotion to a qualified non-Jewish employee because the supervisor wishes to give a preference based on religion to a fellow Jewish employee; or, terminating an employee because he told the employer that he recently converted to the Baha’i Faith.

   

  Similarly, requests for accommodation of a “religious” belief or practice could include, for example: a Catholic employee requesting a schedule change so that he can attend church services on Good Friday; a Muslim employee requesting an exception to the company’s dress and grooming code allowing her to wear her headscarf, or a Hindu employee requesting an exception allowing her to wear her bindi (religious forehead marking); an atheist asking to be excused from the religious invocation offered at the beginning of staff meetings; an adherent to Native American spiritual beliefs seeking unpaid leave to attend a ritual ceremony; or an employee who identifies as Christian but is not affiliated with a particular sect or denomination requests accommodation of his religious belief that working on his Sabbath is prohibited.