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Dear John,
What has living out your faith cost you?
In America, we often believe that our faith can be lived out quietly and peacefully.
But the rising tide of woke employers are proving that assumption wrong.
The resounding message from woke employers is crystal clear: leave your beliefs at home or we will fire you.
Stand against cancel culture in the fight for faith >>
These outrageous demands aren’t just being made by corrupt corporations. Even public servants like Fire Chief Ron Hittle are being impacted.
Ron Hittle faithfully served his community as a firefighter for 24 years in the all-American town of Stockton, California.
When he became the Fire Chief in 2006, he worked hard to improve and lead the department which he cheerfully and humbly served.
When his supervisor, the Deputy City Manager, asked Chief Hittle to attend leadership training, he researched conferences and decided to attend a church-hosted leadership seminar, the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit.
The Summit is a renowned conference featuring speakers from multiple worldviews and is attended by people from all walks of life, such as former CEO of General Electric, Christine Caine, director of Equip and Empower Ministries, and Tony Dungy, winning coach of the 2007 Super Bowl.
Chief Hittle allowed three of his staff members to join him and put his attendance on the public city calendar so his supervisors would be aware. The conference tickets were also privately paid for, saving the city money.
“I’ll drag your name through the mud.”
But this choice of leadership training was unacceptable to city officials. They told Fire Chief Hittle that his attendance of a Christian-affiliated leadership summit was completely out of line.
The City Manager bullied Hittle, trying to force him to accept a demotion. He discriminated against this public servant and tried to intimidate him, saying “I’ll drag your name through the mud.”
They threatened to conduct an investigation that, “will be embarrassing for you and your family.”
Another supervisor disparagingly referred to Ron and other Christians in the office as a “Christian Coalition” and “church clique.”
He was threatened, mocked, investigated and eventually FIRED. In America, no one should be fired for their faith.
Our response to these imminent threats is critical. We can’t afford to sit quietly while theses enemies of faith whittle away at our First Freedom.
That’s why we are taking a stand against toxic cancel culture in the workplace. There are millions of jobs and reputations on the line—including yours—if we don’t fight these battles in the courtroom.
On March 27, we’ll argue Ron’s case at the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, fighting to correct the blatant religious discrimination he endured for living out his faith.
As we prepare for this argument, we need YOU to stand with us.
Will you help this fire chief with your best gift to First Liberty today?
Winning this case could protect you and every person of faith who faces serious threats to their employment because of their beliefs.
Yes, I am standing with Fire Chief Hittle in the fight for his faith! >>
Grateful for your support,
Kelly
Kelly Shackelford, Esq.
President, CEO & Chief Counsel
First Liberty Institute
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