There has been some protests to my former postings on this subject, and the protests goes on "freedom of religion". The fact that someone do get a job because his emplyer expects his employee to actually do the job, doesn't seem to worry much.
How come the JWs are unreliable? Why can't anyone trust them? Why can't they tell employers about their weird views?
Here is a story of a JW who obviously feel he can use guns, but he makes a lot of fuzz about other things. Just another example it's utter stupid to hire a JW!
Would-be trooper sues State Patrol for religious bias
by The Associated Press
OLYMPIA - A would-be state trooper is suing the Washington State Patrol, contending he was forced out of the Patrol academy because he could not bow to "idolatry."
Assistant Attorney General Carol Smith-Merkulov said yesterday the assertion of religious discrimination brought by Jehovah's Witness Gregory Lawson, 26, of Shelton doesn't jibe with the facts of the case.
The lawsuit, filed Aug. 10 in the U.S. District Court for Western Washington, has yet to be set for trial. In it, Lawson is seeking reinstatement with back pay and unspecified financial damages.
Lawson is declining comment, said a woman who answered the telephone at his home.
In his lawsuit, Lawson contends that as a Jehovah's Witness, he cannot comply with two requirements at the academy: that he salute the U.S. flag twice a day and take a commissioning oath pledging allegiance to the nation and state.
"I cannot salute a national emblem, as this constitutes idolatry according to my religious beliefs, (and) it would violate my conscience to take the commissioning oath which states that one will `bear true faith and allegiance to the United States of America and the state of Washington.'
"It is against my religious beliefs to pledge my allegiance to any entity besides God," Lawson said in papers filed earlier with the state Human Rights Commission.
Lawson said he withdrew from the academy July 15, 1998, after deciding he could not remain due to his religious beliefs.
He said he asked if there was an alternative way he could be accommodated, but no accommodation was offered.
In a written response to the commission, Patrol Chief Annette Sandberg told a different story.
First, she said, when Lawson applied to the academy, he said yes to the question: "Are you willing to take an oath to support" the state and federal constitutions?
"It was only after he gained employment (as an academy cadet) that Mr. Lawson told anyone connected with the WSP of his inability to take an oath because of his religious beliefs," Sandberg said. "It is important to note that Mr. Lawson gained his employment based on his application and background questionnaire."
Moreover, she asserted, "At no time during his employment did Mr. Lawson request an accommodation based on his religious beliefs from anyone at the WSP."
That was a crucial mistake, Smith-Merkulov said.
"There have been a number of situations where the Patrol has made accommodations because of particular religions," she said.
"The State Patrol did a fairly good job documenting all this, and I feel the state will prevail in this case," she added.
But Lawson's attorneys, Hugh McGavick and Shawn Newman of Olympia, say there is plenty of evidence their client's First Amendment right to religious freedom was violated.
McGavick said the Patrol was required to find ways to accommodate Lawson so he could have remained, adding that accommodations are not uncommon, in courts of law and elsewhere. For example, he said, atheists have been accommodated by swearing to uphold all state and federal laws without invoking the phrase "so help me God," he said.
As for the requirement that troopers salute the flag, Newman said, "I believe it's not an essential element of the job to salute the flag. Can you mandate any public employee to salute the flag? You should not be able to mandate it."
The Human Rights Commission did not take action, so Lawson filed the lawsuit.
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[blue]Why would a JW want to be a state-trooper, and then making problems because of things like this? Honestly, is this so unexpected? What would this guy do if he had to shoot or kill someone? blue]
Yakki Da
Kent
"The only difference between a fool and the JW legal department is that a fool might be sympathetic ."
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