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Mike
Gray, has been a heavy equipment operator
with the Arapahoe County Road and Bridge Department
in Colorado, for 16 years.
He says, "They claim it's offensive and I've been accused of
discrimination and harassment, believe it or not, because of this". |
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Gray's bosses are
threatening to fire the
Public Works employee because he promotes
the fact that he is an English-speaking
American and features this
fact in signage for his privately-owned lawn service business. |
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In a old-fashioned capitalistic
spirit, 50-year-old Gray
operates a lawn service business
as a side job. He routinely
drove to work in his pickup truck towing a
trailer he uses to carry lawn mowing equipment for his
private business. The married
father of two has a sign on his trailer
that reads "Lawn Services Done With
Pride!! By An English Speaking American." |
| Gray
said, "There are a lot of people in the
lawn service that are non-English speaking...
Customers and different people were telling me that they have
a hard time trying to communicate with them about the work they want
done on their yards. I just want to let people know they at least
can communicate with me when I do work on their property." |
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A Nov. 10, 2005, letter
from his supervisor, Monty Sedlak,
contained the following:
"Some of your conduct... is reprehensible and discriminatory
to our non-English speaking and/or Hispanic workforce. You are in
violation of... guidelines which ensure a workplace free from
harassment and sensitive to the diversity of employees...
You are required to permanently remove your cap from the
workplace. It is offensive and harassing. Your business sign, if on
work premises, must be completely covered at all times. This
behavior is inappropriate and any further incidents of this nature
may result in further disciplinary action up to and including
termination of employment." |
| Gray
had been wearing a cap given to him by his son which reads, "US
Border Patrol". Gray said, "I got a new supervisor.
He's a politically correct, bleeding heart liberal. I believe
in what I'm doing. I got to stand up for what I believe in and I
don't think I'm doing a thing wrong. Of course I don't want to lose
my job, but I can't back down from something I believe in. Like I
say, they're just chipping away at our rights and freedoms." |
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Gray, in
response to the County's threat, has
partly covered his business sign
and stopped wearing his cap to work. The
American flag and the words, "English
speaking American" are the only elements
visible. The County has
told him that that is not enough. |
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However, that is
as far as Gray is willing to go. He asks,
"Why
would any American do such a thing as cover up the American flag and
something that says you're an American? It's
beyond me that anyone could expect me to do that like my employer
is." |
| Gray
has hired attorney David Lane, who plans to file an injunction to
allow the County worker to fully display his sign
and wear his cap. |
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How fast can Americans give away
America? Government offices and private businesses across America
are allowed to proclaim in advertising and display signage that
states the fact that, "Se habla espanol". When did it become
discriminatory to announce that English is spoken? Speaking English
is not discriminatory. It is a wise choice made over the last 500
years by the greatest people of literature, science, the arts, and
technology. Viva' English! |
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