Thread: Arapahoe Co. Colorado Threatens Employee Promoting English

(CBS4) DENVER Arapahoe County is threatening to fire a veteran Public Works employee for promoting the fact that he is an English speaking American.

"They claim it's offensive and I've been accused of discrimination and harassment, believe it or not, because of this," said Mike Gray, a heavy equipment operator with the Arapahoe County Road and Bridge Department for 16 years.

The problems began last spring. Gray, 50, owns a lawn service business on the side. He was routinely driving to work in his pickup truck towing a trailer that he uses to carry lawn mowing equipment for his business. On the side of his trailer, the married father of two affixed a sign that reads "Lawn Services Done With Pride!! By An English Speaking American."

The sign also gives Gray's phone number and the lettering is over a background of an American flag.

"There are a lot of people in the lawn service that are non-English speaking," Gray said. "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."

Gray also wore a hat to work that says "U.S. Border Patrol," which he says was a gift from his son.

Arapahoe County officials told Gray the sign and hat must go or else. In a Nov. 10, 2005, letter, his supervisor Monty Sedlak wrote 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."

Andrea Rasizer, spokesperson for Arapahoe County, declined to answer questions, saying the matter was a "personnel issue."

Gray said he believes his First Amendment rights are at stake, and he said he is "not about to surrender."

"I got a new supervisor," said Gray. "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."

In response to the County's firing threat, Gray stopped wearing his Border Patrol hat to work and partly covers his business sign at work so that the American flag and the words "English speaking American" are the only things still visible.

The County says that's not enough, but it's as far as Gray is willing to go.

"Why would any American do such a thing as cover up the American flag and something that says you're an American? Its 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 resume wearing his hat on the job and fully display his sign.

"What is of concern to me is whether the government of Arapahoe County is violating his Constitutional rights under the First Amendment," Lane said. "When the government tries to put a gag in people's mouths because they don't like the message that's being delivered, I'd do everything in my power to stop that from happening."
http://cbs4denver.com/local/local_story_061125200.html

I'd like ALIPAC to help Mr. Gray with a barrage of phone calls about this but we will have to put him in the que if anyone can find the appropriate email, phone, and address contacts.

W

I found his att infomation:

http://www.killmerlane.com/index.html
http://www.killmerlane.com/lane.html
Email: dlane@killmerlane.com

Employer:

http://www.co.arapahoe.co.us/Departments/PW/index.asp
Maybe we could send him a letter or something at his employer?
could his email address be: mgray@co.arapahoe.co.us worth a shot.

I tried a trade name search for State since he has a lawn service buisness, couldn't find anything.

Well look like Tancredo has come to support Gray in this.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/l ... 49,00.html

Tancredo weighs in
Arapahoe County worker's right to sign, hat defended
By Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News
March 4, 2006

U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo has come to the defense of Mike Gray, an Arapahoe County employee who claims the county is violating his free speech rights by not allowing him to display a sign on his personal truck describing himself as an "English Speaking American" or to wear a cap that says "U.S. Border Patrol."

The 50-year-old, who works for the county's road and bridge department, drives a truck with a sign advertising a side business that reads: "Lawn Services Done with Pride!! By An English Speaking American."

"The sign on his personal vehicle cannot be fairly categorized as violating any one else's rights," Tancredo wrote in a letter to Rod Bockenfeld, chairman of the Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners.

"It is an expression of his own opinion and interferes with no one else's right to express their own opinion," the letter continues.

The Colorado Republican, who has earned a national reputation for his crusade against illegal immigration, said he could not understand why anyone would object to Gray's hat.

"How can a hat saying, 'U.S. Border Patrol' be offensive?" he asked in the letter. "As long as the hat's wording is not obscene, his right to wear a hat of his choice ought not to be in danger in Arapahoe County."

Gray said he received a letter in November from his supervisor, Marty Sedlak, warning him that if he did not cover up the sign or stop wearing the hat, he might lose his job of 16 years.

"Some of your conduct . . . is reprehensible and discriminatory to our non-English speaking and/or Hispanic work force," Sedlak wrote.

Tancredo agrees with Gray that it is a free speech issue and urged the commissioners to restore that right to Gray.

"It will be a sad day in Arapahoe County, where I have two congressional offices and where thousands of my constituents live, if county employees have to bow their heads to the winds of political correctness with regard to their personal transportation," he wrote. "What is next - a ban on American flag bumper stickers?"

Arapahoe County released a statement later Friday.

"In this case, Arapahoe County has received several complaints, not only from Mike Gray, but also from some of his co-workers who complained there has been a pattern of disruptive behavior," county officials wrote.

"In this case, there are complaints from both sides. It's important for the county to find out what the true facts are; therefore, we are in the process of hiring an independent professional experienced in these types of matters to investigate both sides of this conflict.

https://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-86658-.html#86658

Duplicate. This story is on another post too. I just noticed because I posted a response today.

Well, it hasn't come back in 2 hours, so I guess it's a valid e-mail address

msedlak@co.arapahoe.co.us

Tell him what you think, folks...

We neef 50,000 military veterans to muster in front of that scum vile bureacrat's office.

I would drive that far to muster in the ranks.

I have said before that bureaucrats are a greater threat to our freedoms than all foereign terrorists combined.

We MUST fight the enemy.

Political Korrectness is an infringement on our freedom of speach and our right to self-expression. This is why multi-culturalism does not work.

Countries other than say, Canada, Japan, England and some of Europe didn't go through the social enlightenment of the 60's. They don't think like our liberals do, so how can our liberals expect people from these other countries to be as socially enlightened as they are? Our liberals are FOOLS. They treat all immigrants like a brother, but that repect is not returned by some of the immigrants because they didn't experience a social change like we did. When it comes to the Mexican illegal immigrants, they're less educated in the first place and don't give a damn about us becuase they're still pissed off about how their war with us ended. I wish anybody who is pro-illegal could see this.

We need a complete list of people to contact. We can launch an effort Thursday but we must have a very complete contact list.

W