DETROIT — A former contractor at Ford Motor Company says he was fired for expressing his religious beliefs when he criticized the automotive company for supporting its LGBT workers.
WXYZ-TV reports that Thomas Banks of Ypsilanti, Mich., has filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleging Ford Motor violated his civil rights and discriminating against him because of his religious beliefs.
At issue is a comment made by Banks on newsletter feedback form by Ford Glode, the company’s employee resource group for its LGBT workers.
The group was celebrating its 20th anniversary at Ford, which Banks said he “found offensive.”
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Banks said that the group’s newsletter was soliciting feedback, so he submitted a single comment, addressed to Ford, disagreeing with the company’s policy “based on his biblical views.”
Following is the complete text of Banks’ controversial comments, according to Liberty Institute, a conservative Christian advocacy and legal defense organization that is representing Banks:
“For this Ford Motor should be thoroughly ashamed. Endorsing and promoting sodomy is of benefit to no one. This topic is disruptive to the workplace and is an assault on Christians and morality, as well as antithetical to our design and our survival. Immoral sexual conduct should not be a topic for an automotive manufacturer to endorse or promote. And yes-this is historic-but not in a good way. Never in the history of mankind has a culture survived that promotes sodomy. Heterosexual behavior creates life- homosexual behavior leads to death.”
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Ford has declined to comment on the complaint, but in a statement Wednesday, Ford said its “anti-harassment policy was created to foster a respectful, inclusive work environment for all, and we expect employees and agency personnel to act in accordance with this policy.”
Banks has also filed a complaint against Rapid Global Business Solutions Inc., the staffing firm that employed him.
