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Maine counselor's career threatened for support of marriage
Alliance Defense Fund ^ | October 30, 2009

Posted on 11/02/2009 4:03:55 AM PST by Man50D

AUGUSTA, Maine — A high school counselor who supports marriage between one man and one woman has been reported to a Maine licensing board because of his views. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund represent Donald Mendell, the subject of a complaint filed with the Board of Social Worker Licensure by a co-worker because he expressed support for marriage and the "Vote Yes on One" campaign.

"No one should have their livelihood placed in jeopardy because they believe marriage is the union of a man and a woman," said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Austin R. Nimocks. "This threat to Don, his family, and his career makes clear that those in favor of redefining marriage also want to penalize and silence those who don't agree with them. So, the definition of marriage is not the only thing at issue here. Free speech, freedom of conscience, and religious liberty are also in danger."

The complaint attacking Mendell, a licensed counselor at Nokomis Regional High School, accuses him of violating the state's code of ethics for social workers because of his expressed position on marriage.

The complaint cites his appearance in a "Vote Yes on One" television ad that encourages citizens to vote in favor of Ballot Question 1, which would allow Mainers to repeal a recent law that imposed a redefinition of marriage on the people. The complaint fails to mention that the ad was created in response to a "Vote No on One" ad that featured a Nokomis teacher encouraging a "no" vote on Question 1 from a classroom at the high school itself. The complaint is not critical of that ad or the teacher featured in it.

Mendell has 30 days from the date he received a copy of the complaint to respond to it.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Maine
KEYWORDS: gaystapo; homosexualagenda; me2009; samesexmarriage

1 posted on 11/02/2009 4:03:55 AM PST by Man50D
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To: Man50D
Calling ACLU, Hello, Hello!
Anybody there?
2 posted on 11/02/2009 4:05:31 AM PST by AU72
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To: Man50D

Why would any decent, moral person live there? Flee.


3 posted on 11/02/2009 4:20:57 AM PST by rae4palin
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To: rae4palin

I have lived in nj,pa,ga,fl and tn. maine is by far the most beautiful state. Of course I live on the coast.


4 posted on 11/02/2009 4:25:45 AM PST by mirkwood
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To: Man50D
...violates the state's code of ethics for social workers...

So if you stand up for what you believe is morally and ethically right, you violate the state's code of ethics. What a sick, perverted world we have allowed our enemies to create over the past four decades.

5 posted on 11/02/2009 4:26:07 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: Man50D

This discussion is on talk radio right now. Call 1-800-966-1039. George Hale-Ric Tyler show.


6 posted on 11/02/2009 4:28:12 AM PST by mirkwood
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

Anyone can express any viewpoint they like, as a private citizen. If, however, you express an opinion in your professional capacity, or in a manner that uses your professional status to validate or enhance what you are saying, that could indeed be construed as a breech of ethics.

So, the issue here is not the validity of this person’s opinion, but how that opinion was expressed. And more importantly, why someone who in the same job who expressed a contrary opinion on the same subject was not reported as well. Reading between the lines, it seems the only difference was that one of his co-workers complained about him, but no-one complained about the other person, probably because no-one on our side of the argument is so pedantic.

It illustrates a nice distinction between Conservatives and Liberals. We believe in freedom of speech. They believe in freedom of their speech.


7 posted on 11/02/2009 4:42:35 AM PST by Vanders9
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To: Man50D

It was only a matter of time:

Massachusetts man fired from job over Christian belief in traditional marriage.
“Get used to it ... it’s the law”, he was told.

Could this happen to you?

http://www.massresistance.org/docs/gen/09d/vadala/index.html


8 posted on 11/02/2009 5:36:25 AM PST by massmike (...So this is what happens when OJ's jury elects the president....)
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To: massmike

Who was the person who filed the complaint? Isn’t the complaint itself an example of “hate speech”?


9 posted on 11/02/2009 5:57:01 AM PST by Melchior
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To: Melchior

The person who filed the complaint, Ann M Sullivan, works for Randy Gould, who is the principal at Newport/Plymouth School. Mr. Gould’s wife, Sherri Gould, appeared in a NO on 1 campaign commercial.

http://www.asmainegoes.com/content/yes-1-situation-guidance-counselor-worse-we-thought


10 posted on 11/02/2009 8:50:59 AM PST by truthfreedom
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