The long of the short is, a bus driver in Texas refused to drive a woman to Planned Parenthood for an abortion. After being fired from his job, he claimed it was due to “religious beliefs.” The driver was Edwin Graning, an ordained Christian minister:
“It’s only because he voiced his religions beliefs that he was canned,” Edward White III, Graning’s lawyer, told CNN. “Employers have a legal responsibility to at least attempt to accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs … the bus company clearly violated Mr. Graning’s religious freedom.”
The bus company CARTS responded:
“While others may wish to make more of it, to CARTS this is just about our expectation that employees perform the duties they are hired for,” David Marsh, general manager of CARTS, said in an email message to CNN.
Hhmm, so what do you think? Do you think the bus driver crossed the line by imposing his beliefs on this woman, or do you feel he was right for not driving her because of his religious beliefs.
I believe Mom Cafe put it best:
Like it or not, abortion is legal in this country and this woman wasn’t even going to get an abortion necessarily. She may have just been going for advice about a pregnancy or other health-related reasons.
What gives this man the right to value his beliefs and moral judgments over hers?
In the end, I’m with the company. They hired him to perform a task he couldn’t perform. The end. That is what firing is all about. Unlike a child in public school with the Pledge, he isn’t compelled to be there. He’s an employee at will, presumably. Therefore, bye-bye.
