Dion's random ramblings

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Quaker fired from American University for being non-violent.... go figure!?


This story is both sad and disturbing... How far do you go, as a Christian, to stgand for your faith convictions?

This woman simply made her beliefs known, and stuck by them, and so she was fired. I guess it is a little more complex (in that while individuals should have the right to freedom of conscience, that right should not infringe on the rights of others). For example, many Americans believe that it is their religious right to wage war for their way of life! Should one allow those persons the right and freedom to exercise their religious will!? What do you think?

Here's the story:

A Quaker math teacher at California State University East Bay has been fired for inserting the word "nonviolently" into the loyalty oath that state employees are required to sign. The woman, who works with young people who need remedial help with math, has always made this change in the loyalty oaths she's signed throughout her long teaching career, but the CSU East Bay administration fired her for refusing to pledge to violate her religion's tenets to in defense of the Constitution (a document that guarantees religious freedom).

Each time, when asked to "swear (or affirm)" that she would "support and defend" the U.S. and state Constitutions "against all enemies, foreign and domestic," Kearney-Brown inserted revisions: She wrote "nonviolently" in front of the word "support," crossed out "swear," and circled "affirm." All were to conform with her Quaker beliefs, she said...

Modifying the oath "is very clearly not permissible," the university's attorney, Eunice Chan, said, citing various laws. "It's an unfortunate situation. If she'd just signed the oath, the campus would have been more than willing to continue her employment."...

"All they care about is my name on an unaltered loyalty oath. They don't care if I meant it, and it didn't seem connected to the spirit of the oath. Nothing else mattered. My teaching didn't matter. Nothing."

Link

Technorati tags: , , ,

1 Comments:

  • hiDion! At Coronation Ave, we have been praying for God to lead us in a new direction, to show us what He wants from us. We have realised that we have to become "all inclusive", not just colour or sexual persuasion but ALL ways. So this post really hit home for me.
    Hope your leg is improving HOURLY! Any news on Mertyl?
    Love and blessings to you all
    Janet

    By Anonymous Janet, at 8:36 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home