Editor who used 'gaystapo' claims religious discrimination

[rug]

12:39 p.m. CDT July 23, 2014
Daniel Finney, Des Moines Register

An Iowa newspaper editor fired for publishing his views on gays says he was the victim of religious discrimination by his former employer.

Former Newton Daily News Editor Bob Eschliman filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission office in Milwaukee arguing his May 5 termination was because of his religious beliefs.

In late April, Eschliman wrote a personal blog post criticizing "Queen James Bible," a website which rewrites the Christian Bible to be friendlier to gays. Eschliman accused "the LGBTQXYZ crowd and the Gaystapo" of trying "to make their sinful nature right with God."

Media writer Jim Romenesko reported on Eschliman's post and questioned whether Eschliman would be able to fairly cover issues involving gays with his publicly stated views.

http://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2014/07/23/editor-who-used-gaystapo-claims-religious-discrimination/13049109/

[Xipe Totec]

1. Teh stupid are not a protected class. nt

[thucythucy]

2. But wouldn't the government interfering here be a violation

of the editor's political and religious beliefs?

So to be clear: when someone writes vile and hateful things about gay people, that's freedom of the press.

When an editor objects to such vile and hateful writings, and uses his role as the editor of a newspaper to insure such objectionable crap doesn't appear in his own publication, that's NOT freedom of the press.

The First Amendment protects journalists (and others) from government suppression of speech and writings. It doesn't mean that every hateful bigoted screed has to be tolerated by the owners of any particular publication.

You think a "journalist" would know this.

[okasha]

3. Lemme guess.

He's a fan of Rush "feminazi" Limbaugh.

[cbayer]

4. Religious discrimination? Is he kidding?

He can claim it's about his religious beliefs all day long, and his bigotry may be encased by his religion, but he was fired for being a flaming bigot.

[cbayer]

5. You've got to the read the Fox news version of this. Hilarious.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/07/23/lawsuit-newspaper-fires-editor-for-criticizing-gay-bible/

[rug]

6. They're shameless.