This is a significant win for the freedom of expression against a tide that has been usurping the rights of citizens.
Gerald Dean Morgan merely asked the question in a tweet: “Where’s the evidence that ‘Islam is a religion of peace?” This was a reasonable question about an ideology. His firing sent the message that Islam is off limits and must never be questioned. But of course, criticizing Islam does not in any way imply a belief that all Muslims are evil. If anyone deserves to be fired, it should be disciplinary counsel Sandra Garrett, who was responsible for the firing of Morgan, since she has demonstrated an intolerance to the scrutiny of ideas which some may perceive as “controversial.” Garrett thus revealed her loyalties, which are clearly to the court of public opinion, not to the court of law. In ethics law particularly, the scrutiny of ideas should be impartial, not subject to favor or any attempt to protect the ideologies of special interest groups.
Sandra Garrett has in effect demonstrated unethical subservience to the shenanigans of one special interest group, Islamic supremacist lobbies. Impartiality and the right to criticize are not only critical attributes in ethical law (and in the law overall); they are mandatory.
Let’s hope that Morgan makes a good example out of those who backed his firing. Beyond “backpay,” the reprehensible action of his employer was an assault on Morgan’s reputation. He must now fight to restore it, which includes fight back against the public smear against him as anti-Muslim or “Islamophobic.”
Morgan’s case also transcends him personally. He and is team are now fighting for a whole profession, which has been threatened in the face of damaging encroachments on America’s freedoms. Relevant to Morgan’s case is the fact that recently, Stanford Law School descended into barbarism and refused to let conservative judge Kyle Duncan deliver a speech, because Duncan refused to accept in 2020 that a male sex offender was a woman. The judge faced the roaring wrath of Stanford’s future Leftist lawyers who shouted Duncan down, while the school’s “associate dean of diversity” lectured him publicly. What an ominous sign for the future of law in America. Stanford Law Dean Jenny Martinez eventually apologized after a public outcry. For this apology, “she faced a chilling scene. Hundreds of black-clad students wearing masks over their faces stood menacing around her chanting.”
Garrett and many others like her seem to have given up and surrendered to intimidating Islamic supremacist and woke mobs. This highly disturbing trend needs to stop before its too late. America’s future depends on it.
“Ethics lawyer fired for tweets about Islam can seek damages,” by Mike Scarcella, Reuters, March 21, 2023:
A former Tennessee state legal ethics attorney who was fired in 2020 over social media posts about Islam has won a new chance to pursue employment-related damages, a U.S. appeals court said in an order on Monday.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati said in a ruling that Gerald Dean Morgan could seek back pay and other damages against his former supervisor, the chief disciplinary counsel of the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee.
The three-judge appeals court panel rejected chief disciplinary counsel Sandra Garrett’s claim that she had “absolute” immunity under a shield protecting judicial employees. The panel upheld claims against the board, and reinstated Morgan’s damages bid against Garrett.
“Extending judicial immunity in this case would extend its reach to areas previously denied — namely administrative acts like hiring and firing employees,” Circuit Judge John Bush wrote for the unanimous panel, including Senior Judge Alice Batchelder and Circuit Judge Stephanie Dawkins Davis.
Garrett terminated Morgan in 2020 over tweets in 2015 and 2016, before he was a lawyer for the board, that were critical of the Democratic Party and Joe Biden. In one tweet, he asked: “Where’s the evidence that ‘Islam is a religion of peace'”? A lawyer who was under investigation by the board complained about the posts.
An attorney for Morgan, W. Gary Blackburn, said in an email on Monday that Morgan can now “proceed now with his claim for denial of his First Amendment right to speak on matters of public concern.” Morgan, who had worked for the Tennessee board since 2019, was not immediately reached for comment on Tuesday.
Blackburn, in a filing to the 6th Circuit in May, said that “nothing in the tweets was vulgar, inappropriate, or even embarrassing. Instead, they simply expressed a conservative political viewpoint shared by millions of Americans.”
Garrett and a lawyer for the Tennessee attorney general’s office, David Rudolph, did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment….
mike says
Islam is far from a peaceful people
there rule thru fear and silence anyone who says other wise
with Blasphemy charges false and trumped up claims
Keith O says
At least Christianity has changed since the middle ages, they had such wonderful things like heresy, blasphemy and witchcraft trials as late as the 1900s.
Islam is still stuck in the barbarism of the middle east 1400 years ago.
gravenimage says
There is another difference, too. Christianity has never preached this violence. Sadly, orthodox Islam does.
maria says
Islam is a nazi “ideology” of war racism and murder
JP Sundharam says
When people claim that “Freedom of Religion” means giving Muslims the space and respect to practice Islam in the manner Allah revealed & Muhammad promoted, then they accept that Muslims can:
▪ practice hate speech on kuffar (Q9:79; Q5:41, Q5:60, Q7:176, Q7:166),
▪ kill kuffar because they do not accept Islam (Q9:73, Q8:39, Q9:5, Q47:4, Q9:29),
▪ encourage religious apartheid (Q60:1, Q4:139, Q32:18, Q5:51),
▪ kill for blasphemy (Q33:57-58)
▪ allow multiple wives AND sex with women slaves (Q4:3, Q4:24, Q70:29-31),
▪ beat wives for mere “fear disloyalty/ arrogance” (Q4:34),
▪ kill homosexuals (Sunan Ibn Majah: Book 20, Hadith 2659),
▪ permit pedophila (Q65:4, Sahih al-Bukhari: 5134)
▪ force women to cover themselves (Q24:31, Q33:59)
▪ allow slavery (Q16:71, Q33:26, Sahih al-Bukhari: 2415)
▪ permit muta-pleasure sex (Q4:24) and prostitution (Q24:33)
… among other things
Any government worth its salt should be willing to figure out if rights under “Freedom of Religion” extend to Islam or should it be treated as a cult of depravity, destruction and death.
Kuffars need to figure out if Islam should get the same protection and encouragement that most secular democracies provide in the following of one’s religion.
ChrisFromCincinnati says
Well Said JP! THANK YOU. I’m borrowing this!
JP Sundharam says
Please go ahead… more people need to know the truth about this evil cult.
Rick says
That one about permitting pedophilia is interesting. One wouldn’t think that any real religion would be pro-exploitation of children and sexual abuse of them. That is a manisfestation of a sick belief. Are Muslims aware of this “positive” view of pedophilia?
gravenimage says
Rick, many Muslims know all about this–*and approve*. This is why child marriage is rife in the Islamic world, and attempts to criminalize it are often stymied by Muslim clerics.
The “perfect man” Proper Muhammed was himself a pedophile, who “married” a child at six, and began raping her at nine.
JP Sundharam says
I have provided Islamic Scriptural references not just for Islam’s justification of pedophilia but for all the other points that I have mentioned. Do take time to research it and come to your own conclusion about the actual truth of Islam.
ChrisFromCincinnati says
A few thoughts.
First off – if Mr. Morgan had questioned anything about Christianity or Republicans – he would never have been fired.
Second – I am GLAD that even a simple and honest and open question about Islam IS and SHOULD BE Allowed!
Lastly – I love that this Judge IS going to be held LIABLE for their POOR and biased Decision.
ALL JUDGES should be held accountable for POOR JUDGEMENT, including allowing people OUT of jail that do harm to innocent victims. Judges should be held as ACCESSORIES to CRIMES committed by people whom they have judged to not need to serve their just sentences behind bars.
gravenimage says
+1
medaber_emet says
islam is a barbaric murderous cult that has become a huge monster that making her way to destroy western civilization by means of Jihad and violent intimidation.
America should wake up and ban this horific desaster called islam
gravenimage says
Tennessee ethics lawyer wins new chance to seek damages after being fired for tweets about Islam
……………………………..
*Good*.
kq6kq6kq6 says
“Where’s the evidence that ‘Islam is a religion of peace?”
Where is the evidence that Islam is a religion of peace?!!! Why, we have Pres. George Bush II’s word for it right after the 9/11/2001 attacks.
Don’t you believe him?!
Neither do I.
OLD GUY says
If you can’t ask the question Where’s the evidence that “islam is a religion of peace” in America without losing your job, we are in trouble.
James Lincoln says
Yes.