Ten African-American employees of Christian
Coalition file suit charging racial discrimination.
| An
update:
Christian Coalition settles
workers' race-bias lawsuits [1-8-02]
We
reported in March, 2001, on a suit filed against the Christian
Coalition by 12 black employees who alleged racial discrimination
by the conservative religio-political group. The parties have
reached a settlement involving a payment of about $325,000 to the
workers -- in exchange for their vow of permanent silence about
the case.
The
full story is in The Washington Times for January 3,
2002.
Thanks to onReligion.com |
Equal Partners in Faith press release for February 27, 2001
[posted here 3-6-01]
Equal Partners in Faith (EPF), a multi-racial national
network of religious leaders and people of faith committed to diversity
and equality, expressed concern and support for ten African American
employees who filed suit against Pat Robertson alleging discrimination
by the Christian Coalition.
According to the Washington Post, ten
African-American employees have filed a suit against Pat Robertson's
political organization, alleging that its Washington headquarters bars
African-American employees from using the front door and forces them to
use segregated eating facilities. The suit also alleges that Christian
Coalition executive director, Roberta Combs, had stated that
African-American employees could not use the kitchen facilities because
"they are talkative and waste too much time in the kitchen."
"People of faith have a responsibility to honor
diversity and combat all forms of discrimination," said Leslie
Watson, Co-Chair of Equal Partners in Faith. "Obviously, the
leaders of the 'Christian' Coalition do not see this as part of their
mission."
"It is an outrage to think that an organization
calling itself 'Christian' would treat people of color in this
way," said Rev. Cedric A. Harmon, Chair of EPF's People of Color of
Faith Working Group. "Perhaps segregation and discrimination is
what the Coalition and its leaders really mean when they talk about
'traditional values'."
The suit, according to the Washington Post,
also alleges that African-American employees were excluded from
important Coalition events (including a prayer breakfast to honor
President Bush) and that no African-American employees are provided with
health insurance.
"No one should be shocked by racist
behavior on the part of Pat Robertson's organization," said Nadine
Smith, a Florida activist and member of the EPF Board of Directors.
"After all, it was this same organization that sent activists and
lawyers to Florida to help the Bush campaign prevent the counting of
thousands of votes cast by African-American voters."
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Now there are reports
that a white employee, a former Republican congressional aide and
Gulf war Army veteran, was fired last week because he refused to spy on
the employees who had filed the suit. The Coalition denies both sets of
charges.
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Equal Partners in Faith is a multi-racial national
network of religious leaders and people of faith committed to equality
and diversity. Our diverse faith traditions and shared religious
values lead us to affirm and defend the equality of all people,
regardless of religion, race, ability, gender, sexual orientation or
gender identity. As people of faith, we actively oppose the
manipulation of religion to promote exclusion and inequality.
Equal Partners in Faith is helping mainstream and
progressive people of faith promote a more inclusive vision of
religion and society.
Equal Partners in Faith 2026 P Street NW Washington,
DC 20036 (202) 296-4672 ext. 14 (202) 296-4673 fax email: EPFNatlOfc@aol.com
http://www.us.net/epf
