Yesterday's Los Angeles Times reports that L.A. police officer Sgt. Eric Holyfield, who is also a pastor, has filed a religious discrimination lawsuit in state court against the Los Angeles Police Department and Deputy Police Chief Charlie Beck. Holyfield alleges that he was passed up for promotions and raises after he preached a controversial eulogy at the funeral of another police officer, Nathaniel Warthon Jr. Holyfield, dressed in black clerical attire, identified himself as a police sergeant and Warthon's supervisor as he spoke at the funeral. In his eulogy, he said that homosexual acts are "sinful" and would lead to condemnation in hell if there was not repentance. Holyfield quoted Biblical passages that condemn homosexuality. After the funeral, Deputy Chief Beck filed a formal complaint against Holyfield. Holyfield says that Beck's actions were motivated by "religious biases." The complaint in his lawsuit alleges that LAPD has "historically discriminated . . . and continues to discriminate against officers that cite from the Holy Bible."
Thursday, July 03, 2008
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17 comments:
A funeral is no place to push your beliefs on other people. His actions were completely inappropriate.
I agree, Terrie.
He has the right to his own opinions and beliefs, but he has no right to incorporate them into his job as a police officer and thus force them upon others.
"...officers that cite from the Holy Bible" need to get out of uniform before they do so.
lol you guys are amusing. Holyfield is a Christian pastor who was INVITED to give a sermon at the funeral.
"Holyfield made the remarks in September 2006 at the Whittier funeral of Officer Nathaniel Warthon Jr., whose family ASKED the sergeant to deliver a short sermon."
Inviting a Christian to give a sermon at a funeral and expect him not use a Bible is idiotic. Maybe it's news to folks in CA, but a "Christian" who doesn't believe the Bible is not a Christian. Hence a "Christian" pastor who doesn't preach the Bible is no Christian pastor.
Now for the second point.
"Holyfield ...was clad in black clergy attire rather than his uniform."
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-holyfield2-2008jul02,0,6014408.story
someone has a difficulty with reading huh Chimera?
Three cheers for the Christian police officer. His message is just fine and well-received I believe.
The city desesrves to be sued if it makes being pro-immorality a test of promotion. I hope he scores big.
The cop is a hero to all of us and he is fighting for our rights to speak the truth against homosexuals, rapists, child pornographers, child murderers etc. Good man!
I have no problem with him giving a sermon. I have a problem with that topic, at that time. A funeral, attended by grieving family and friends, is the WRONG place to talk about sinning and going to hell. Holyfield failed as both a police officer AND a pastor when he did so.
According to the article, Holyfield had a position in community relations. Isn't part of the qualifications for that job not to publicly attack and denigrate people in the community because of their race, sex, religion, or sexual orientation?
CMC, you are fabricating facts here. He wasn't on the job as a cop, he merely referenced his workplace relationship with the dead guy.
When you take a job, you are expected to parrot the policy of the employer when working. You are not expected to continue preaching the mantra of the employer when off the job. that is ridiculous and illegal to demand as an employer.
"Before a large audience inside a chapel, Holyfield identified himself as a sergeant and as the fallen officer's supervisor..."
When he identified himself as a police officer, he "put on the uniform." Cops have to be impartial in their official capacities when meeting the public. By identifying himself as a cop, he went on the job. But then he dropped the impartiality, making his pronouncements look like official policy.
In City of San Diego v. Roe, 543 U.S. 77 (2004), the Supreme Court upheld the termination of a police officer for selling a home-made sex tape online. Why? Even though off duty, he was wearing a police uniform (though not his own) (actually he strip-teased it off), and this link was enough undermine the mission and professionalism of the police department. In short, you can be disciplined for speech outside your job.
So now cops are 2nd class citizens who must conceal their employment when voicing their own opinions while clearly off-the-clock?
Asked by the deceased's family to speak at the funeral, this pastor is to be forbiddent to explain how he even knows the dead guy? He can't utter the word's "I'm a cop"?
Incredible.
Look at it this way, Anon: What if the cop were a Catholic priest who wore his uniform to hear confessions...and instead of arresting lawbreakers, he gave them absolution and sent them on their way?
He can only properly do one job at a time. He needs to get it straight which one he's doing when, and not combine them.
Wow Chimera, that was a stretch. Exactly what type of police function did this man perform during the funeral that would cause such a conflict of interest? You just want him to keep his alter-ego a secret?
It was a worse stretch for this guy to use his status as a cop in order to denounce things with which he disagrees as a clergman. As clergy, he is allowed to make moral judgements. As a cop, he is not so allowed.
He identified himself as a cop, and as a cop with rank, no less. That gave him official standing in the eyes of anyone within hearing.
There's a whole goddamn world of room between announcing himself like that and keeping it a secret. It doesn't need to be a secret. It just needs to be kept separate.
Wassamatta with people that they don't know how to differentiate the parts of their lives that are incompatable with some situations? The cop belongs in one place. The clergy belongs in another. They do not belong in the same place at the same time.
Deputy Chief Beck is a disgrace to LAPD. I have had many run in's with him on the Dept. He is rude, unappraochable and acts like he can walk on water. He is wrong is this case and filed a complaint to cover his big fat ass.
Chimera, this guy did nothing wrong. What did his role as a cop have to do with his preaching that homosexuality is a sin? He's not out on the beat preaching or enforcing the law on God's behalf in conflict with the oath he swore to uphold the constitution. If he was, you would have some solid ground for your opinion. He isn't and so you don't.
Do you really think people in that audience were intimidated by his revelation that he has another job as a police officer, and that through that employ he came to know the dead guy? If that situation would intimidate you, you better seek help. Quickly.
This guy doesn't have to conceal half of his life to pacify people like you. He followed the rules here. You are letting your hatred of the religious cloud your intellect. Next you will be supporting courts just to prosecute "hate speech." Oh, wait, you already do that in Canada.
I'm just wondering how it is in his eulogy he came to railing against homosexuals. How does one make that kind of a segue? Was the dead guy's killers gay? Did he die of AIDS?
Any possible scenario doesn't seem particularly respectful of this guy's life or the memories he left behind.
"You are letting your hatred of the religious cloud your intellect."
I have no hatred of the religious. I don't know where you think you read that I do.
"Next you will be supporting courts just to prosecute "hate speech." Oh, wait, you already do that in Canada."
No, I don't.
Look, anon, the problem here is one of public perception. As a cop, he has to deal with all kinds of people, and some of them are bound to be gay. Whether they are perps or victims does not matter. But thanks to his public denunciation of homosexuality, do you really think any of them will trust him to act impartially about their being gay? Do you think gay crime victims can trust him to take their complaints seriously? Do you think gay perps can trust him not to use more force than is necessary? And what about gay-on-gay crime? Can any of them trust him to even see it as a crime?
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