I'm fired for speaking to Rev. Jesse Jackson about the Iraq war+NAACP.

[JohnOneillsMemory]

I was the sound engineer for the prominent African American singing group the Three Mo'Tenors (now called Cook, Dixon, and Young) for over two years. They performed in Chicago this week for the 2004 Rainbow/Push Coalition Annual Conference.

Rev. Jackson's group has the same official stance on the Bush* admin. that Martin Luther King had on the Vietnam War. Namely, that the 'defense budget' comes from the poor and the US military prevents democracy in places like Haiti.

After the show I talked to Rev. Jesse Jackson about the NAACP's annual tribute dinner to the US military that the Three Mo' Tenors just attended (I refused to go near it) and suggested he talk to Kweisi Mfume about the contradictions inherent in supporting the 'War on Terror' sponsored by Lockheed Martin aka Operation Global Lynching.

The NAACP has become complicit in the economic draft since 1975 when the compulsory draft had just ended.
http://www.naacp.org/programs/armed/asvadinner.shtml
http://www.naacp.org/programs/armed/arms_history.shtml
>snip<
"...the Annual Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Awards Dinner has become an integral part of the delicate working relationship between the world’s oldest and most influential civil rights organization and the Department of Defense of the world’s most formidable military power."

"Today, partially as a result of the efforts of the NAACP Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Department, the NAACP has noted significant improvements in the status of African Americans serving in defense of our country. Approximately 30% of the working population is directly or indirectly employed by the Department of Defense (DoD) as uniformed military personnel, federal employees, or DoD contractors/sub-contractors. African Americans compose significant percentages of this work force. For example, in the military departments, approximately 19% of the service men and women are black. In the United States Army alone, 40% of the female population is black."


" large proportion of the African American population is involved in military service because these occupations offer employment, training, and educational opportunities that are lacking in private industry. Since 1975, the NAACP has formally recognized men and women who make significant contributions to the defense of our country through the coordination of an elegant annual awards dinner."


"The dinner is the culmination of a year-long search for the individuals most worthy of such prestigious recognition. employed by the Department of Defense (DoD) as uniformed military personnel, federal employees, or DoD contractors/sub-contractors."


The ex-military company manager of Three Mo' Tenors found out I spoke to Jesse and fired me for not staying in the back of the bus and shutting up.

On the bright side, I met Dennis Kucinich who was there to speak and got to tell him how much I admired his integrity on all issues, especially the illegal war. Very inspiring to shake the man's hand without any reservations.

Goes to show you what happens when you try to have both your conscience and your dinner without the former being the latter.

[Bunny]

1. Wow. I'm so sorry to hear that.

You lost your job over this? That is cold. My condolences.

[XNASA]

2. I suggest that you contact Rev. Jackson.

I'm sure he would be concerned about your situation.

You might contact his son's office as well. Congressman Jackson would be very interested, I'm sure. (BTW- JJJ is my Rep here in IL-2nd).

I think you got yourself a case against your former employers.

[Just Me]

3. Geez. That is outrageous.

The crap that is happening in this country is truly making me crazy.

I hope you find a replacement position right away. Perhaps you'll land something even better.

[Wind Dancer]

4. That is terrible! I am sorry

to hear that you could lose your job of 2 years for speaking to a public figure, honestly, I fear for all of us.

I am glad you were able to meet and speak with Dennis Kucinich, he is such an inspiration.

[wryter2000]

5. Damn

I love the Three Mo Tenors. I'm so sorry to hear this.

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. Man, I am sorry. Did you contact the ACLU? And thanks,

for telling Dennis, "Thanks". :)

[mzmolly]

7. What were the grounds for termination?

This sounds completely ridiculous. So sorry for what has happened to you :(

[mstrsplinter326]

8. PARDON, but that is against the law

You CANNOT be fired for your political beliefs.

I'd probably sue the pants of off 'em, then give the money to Kucinich for Prez.

[MUSTANG_2004]

9. Sure you can

That might be the case in some states, but in the ones I'm familiar, the only restriction is discriminatory firing of people in protected classes.

Besides, it doesn't sound like he was fired for *having* his political beliefs. It sounds like he was fired for bringing them up to Jesse Jackson while he was on the clock.

[mstrsplinter326]

10. alright, the on the clock thing sounds right,

But I'd bet you could still make some noise.

[JohnOneillsMemory]

12. There is no implied gag obligation in a verbal service contract.

I didn't have a written contract with the group, just verbal which is still legally valid.

There is no obligation to keep my mouth shut for any reason on issues of principle such as torture, murder, rape, and eugenics. Especially lately.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." -Martin Luther King Jr

[prolesunited]

13. I really think you have some recourse here

I would start with contacting Jackson himself.

[JohnOneillsMemory]

14. I just got the sympathetic ear of a Rainbow/Push exec. director.

But Jesse Jackson just spent months helping Three Mo' Tenors with a lawsuit against their criminal former management so he'll probably ignore my labor issue and look out for his own pet project.

Kicking in outrage but glad to still be kicking. Now I'm gonna go catch F911 with my activist girlfriend and consider which act to join next in this circus.

[mstrsplinter326]

15. Good Luck and you should love the movie! n/t

[prolesunited]

16. Hey, if he's in that tight

No need for a lawsuit, just drop a kind word and nudge. He didn't earn his reputation as a negotiator for nothing. If he's helped them out that much, perhaps he could ask for a favor.

[enough]

17. Yes, this is the right approach.

If you can get his attention, I think Rev. Jackson would be supportive of your position, and your right to speak even when on the job.

[Baltimoreboy]

21. They could argue you were representing them

Or in this case misrepresenting them.

Or simply you had not done as they wanted, which was stay on the bus out of the way.

[billybob537]

11. File a suit

they will probably want to settle quickly and avoid publicity.

[JohnOneillsMemory]

18. Kicking my own little drama for the evening.

I just came home from seeing F911 and was glad to see the issue of the economic draft of people of color prominently presented.

It strikes close to home obviously.

[Zinfandel]

19. Fucking , where's union?

Dismantle by the fascist! No support....these fucks need to be booted out. (ASAP).

[AP]

20. HRW,HRC,Amnesty,NAACP -- the bigger these organizations get, the more...

...entwined they get with the people they're supposed to holding accountable.

It's really fucked up.

In an ideal world, the government would be doing the jobs these organizations should be doing, and we'd hold them accountable with our votes, and they wouldn't be responding to the money.