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Posted on 03/30/2012 7:40:54 AM PDT by TexasConservativeRepublican
Wow, this appened right here in southeast Texas.
A theater arts department professor, Linda Ozmun, at Lamar University in Beaumont, TX had no problem doing her job. She was teaching kids about theater arts. That was her job and she was doing it just fine. The school wanted more than that though. According to a lawsuit that the terminated professor filed, the school chairwoman Judith Sebesta, and eventually the Dean, told her that she had to attend a vulgar gay pride play, by Tim Miller, or else she would be terminated. The professor is a Christian who did not want to go to a vulgar gay pride play. It was not part of her job and she would not be working at the gay play. The school just wanted her to personally go see the play. This gay play had been planned once before at the college but it was cancelled after the community complained that it would be too offensive and vulgar. The play was brought back though and the professor requested a reasonable accommodation to be excused from attending this offensive production. The dean of her college refused this simple accommodation and threatened plaintiff with disciplinary action if she failed to attend the performance. Because of her religious beliefs, plaintiff failed to attend the performance and as a result she was disciplined for her religious beliefs. Lamar University has discriminated against this professor on the basis of her religious beliefs in violation of the Texas anti-discrimination laws.
As Americans, we should tolerate other lifestyles. If someone wants to be gay then that is up to them and we cannot force them not to be gay. on the other hand, Americans should never be forced to accept an alternate lifestyle as normal or be forced to go to a gay play in violation of that person's Christian beliefs. That is the homosexual agenda though. They claim they just want to be tolerated but in reality, they will not be happy until they have forced Americans to accept their lifestyle as normal and right. They will not be happy until they force Christian organizations to provide health coverage that includes sex changes. They will not be happy until they have indoctrinated out children that they are bad if they do not agree with homosexuality, like this Fort Worth, TX kids who got suspended for simply BELIEVING that homosexuality is wrong. They will not be happy until they have forced states to recognize their relationships as a marriage even though the people have voted that marriage is only between a man and a woman.
from Courthouse News Service: Gay Dances Were Too Much, Professor Says By CAMERON LANGFORD
BEAUMONT, Texas (CN) - A former tenure-track theater and dance professor claims in court that Lamar University administrators unfairly reprimanded her for refusing, for religious reasons, not to attend a gay performance artist's show on campus.
Linda Ozmun sued Lamar University and its Theater and Dance Department Chairwoman Judith Sebesta, in Jefferson County Court.
"In the fall of 2010, the Department of Theatre and Dance wanted to bring to campus an 'artist' named Tim Miller," Ozmun says in her complaint. "Mr. Miller is an openly homosexual man who advocates for normalizing sexuality and for homosexual marriage.
"His one-man show is about his homosexual lifestyle using obscene language and sexual gestures. As a result of complaints from the community, his visit along with his performance was canceled. "In response to the cancellation, several theatre students organized a show called 'Coming Out Collective.' It was billed as a celebration of homosexuality.
"Because of her religious beliefs, plaintiff did not attend the show. After the show in December 2010, defendant Judith Sebesta, chair of the department questioned plaintiff as to why she failed to attend the event.
"Plaintiff explained to Mrs. Sebesta that her religious beliefs prevented her from attending the event." Ozmun, who was in her fourth year teaching at the university, says that in her annual review, Sebesta "included plaintiff's failure to attend the event as part of her evaluation, and gave her a grade of 'unacceptable.'"
Ozmun claims she then "followed university policies and filed a grievance, which was returned and noted 'unheard.'"
When the university decided to bring Tim Miller back to perform his show, Ozmun says, the college dean "threatened plaintiff with disciplinary action if she failed to attend the performance."
"In the fall of 2011 semester, the University did bring Tim Miller ... to Lamar," the complaint states. "The purpose was two-fold: Perform his show 'Glory Box,' and conduct a workshop and student performance with students of Lamar 'to help them find their voice.' Plaintiff contacted defendant and requested a reasonable accommodation to be excused from attending this offensive production. The dean of her college refused this simple accommodation and threatened plaintiff with disciplinary action if she failed to attend the performance.
"Because of her religious beliefs, plaintiff failed to attend the performance and as a result she was disciplined for her religious beliefs.
"Defendants have discriminated against plaintiff on the basis of her religious beliefs in violation of the Texas anti-discrimination laws."
Ozmun says the university also retaliated against her for filing a discrimination claim against it. Ozmun no longer teaches at Lamar University.
She seeks, lost wages, actual damages, punitive damages and "reinstatement of her position with any adverse evaluations expunged from her record."
Ozmun is represented by Barry Bennett with Eddins & Bennett and Michael McGown with Benckenstein, Norvell & Nathan, both of Beaumont.
How many Muslims did they try to force to attend
I forget .. what is the punishment for being gay in Islamic countries?
And the Left thinks they are so progressive by pushing this agenda as something new.
These types of forced participation in something you find offensive to your beliefs reminds me of ObamaCare.
You’re minding your own business, not out hunting down and harming gays, when, bammo, your employer requires you to affirm gays by attending something offensive to you that you would normally never attend.
Under ObamaCare, the gov’t plans to force you to buy health insurance they design, but private, just because you are alive and they want you to act in a certain way for THEIR scheme to get off the ground.
That you are minding your own business and not out to hurt anyone and are law abiding, isn’t enough.
Now you are being told what you must affirmatively do, to jump through their contrived hoops, or else.
Too bad she has to call her lawyer, but her employer has no right to force her to this vulgar display as a sudden, new condition of her employment.
And I think that will hold, no matter if she’s at a public or a private university.
She did not sign on with them, for THIS.
I attended Lamar College in the 50’s . It was not yet a university. It was just a commuter college for people who lived in what was known as the “Golden Triangle”, which consisted of Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange.
I don’t know if their mascot is still the cardinal or not—but because it was the cardinal, Lamar was called Pecker Tech—No kidding.
Geeze—what a long ways they have come since I was a student there—and from the looks of it, not all of it’s progress is good..
I couldn’t comment on this at work (military base) but I agree with you, and this homosexual push is one reason why, when, God judges the USA it will be most severely.
The chairman is Judith A. Sebesta—not to be confused with Judith L. Sebesta, a classics professor at the University of South Dakota, currently chairman of the Department of History there.
This is a Human Rights issue. The university kapos don’t care because any financial judgement will just cost the taxpayers. Make it a Human Rights issue and go after the professors and their money.
‘Tolerance’ is liberal code for moral imperialism, us accepting their beliefs. No different than the European colonial powers going into 3rd world countries and forcing them to convert to Christianity, something the liberals have declared over and over was a crime against humanity.
to all those who say they have no problem with homosexuals and their agenda then when the hell are you lot going to wake up?
They used to say it was their private life and in the bedroom but obviously it is not anymore and those who turned a blind eye to their agenda years ago have only helped them in their agenda and now we are at the point of homosexual flags flying at a base in Afghanistan, men and women now having to share showers, rooms etc with homosexuals , cross dressers.
DOMA not being defended and the states which have let the people vote on the issue of marriage have all said no to their agenda and yet all states which have this sham marriage has not let their voters vote.
If the GOP had any guts they would mention this on a local level but of course they put out a north east Gov who was in charge of a socialist state and who has no problem with the homo agenda
I would have shown up, stayed just a few minutes then left. “You ordered her to attend, not stay” would have been my comment.
Sadly, things like this go on far too often, which is one of many reasons I am not teaching at a University anymore.
Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
There is only one way an individual can be separated from the course of this world...see my tag!
The Left IS evrything that they claim to denounce. They think the same evils are virtues if they commit them. They do not wish to understand that evil is evil no matter who commits it.
Most people are tolerant. What we are finding is that once you tolerate gayism, it becomes obligatory.
In the long run, being tolerant buys you nothing. May as well be bold and state clearly, its perversion. If you are over-polite you find yourself being bullied into a corner. If they are going to fire you anyway, there is no point in pulling your punches.
You are right, she could have shown up, worn a blindfold and listened to her ipod through the performance. Push their buttons for a change.
Yours is another great idea. I could have easily done that, throw some praise and worship music (or hymns) or whatever and been praying the whole time. Or brought my Bible with a booklight.
I was the outcast in my department because I would not be silenced or conform.
Oh well, at least I can still write about history. LOL.
And it's going to get worse. Maranatha.
Who can we call, email, and respectfully torment about this poor decision?
Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:
Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of general interest.
I believe we are already under His judgement...
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