Craig James sues Fox Sports claiming religious discrimination

Harry · August 3, 2015

On August 30, 2013, former SMU Mustang Craig James was hired by Fox Sports Southwest as a college-football analyst. Two days later, after a single on-air appearance, former SMU Mustang Craig James was fired by Fox Sports Southwest.

The cited reason: When he was running for the U.S. Senate in 2012, the former SMU Mustang said during a debate — featuring former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and Ted Cruz — that being gay is a choice, and that “right now in this country, our moral fiber is sliding down a slope that is going to be hard to stop if we don’t stand up with leaders who don’t go ride in gay parades. I can assure you I will never ride in a gay parade.” (Unlike, say, Tom Leppert, who did.) Said Fox Sports Southwest Senior Vice President of Communications Lou D’Ermilio about the network’s decision not to ride with the former SMU Mustang, “We just asked ourselves how Craig’s statements would play in our human resources department. He couldn’t say those things here.”

“Fox Sports fired Craig James because of his religious beliefs about marriage and his expression of those beliefs during a debate when James ran in the Texas Republican primary for United States Senator,” says the suit. It continues:

read more: http://collegesportsblog.dallasnews.com/2015/08/two-years-after-abrupt-firing-craig-james-sues-fox-sports-claiming-religious-discrimination.html/

Got5onIt · August 3, 2015

You would think Fox would proudly put this guy on a pedastal. Too funny....

Mean Green 93-98 · August 3, 2015

Religious discrimination has become very real in recent years. Scary stuff.

drex · August 3, 2015

James is the same guy whose son was supposedly discriminated against at TT and the same James who was supposedly on payroll at SMU...I have a feeling that there might just be more to this story than meets the eye.

97and03 · August 3, 2015

Oh please tell me how this isn't a pie forum thread???

UNTexas · August 3, 2015

Didn't he kill a Hooker? If so, maybe that's why they didn't want him?

ColoradoEagle · August 3, 2015

that being gay is a choice, and that “right now in this country, our moral fiber is sliding down a slope that is going to be hard to stop if we don’t stand up with leaders who don’t go ride in gay parades. I can assure you I will never ride in a gay parade.” (Unlike, say, Tom Leppert, who did.) Said Fox Sports Southwest Senior Vice President of Communications Lou D’Ermilio about the network’s decision not to ride with the former SMU Mustang, “We just asked ourselves how Craig’s statements would play in our human resources department. He couldn’t say those things here.”

He openly equated being gay to having low/no moral fiber. Try saying that in any workplace and see how far that gets you. Also Texas is a right to work state, and unless they can prove that he was fired for being Christian (spoiler: he wasn't) he has absolutely no case.

Mean Green 93-98 · August 3, 2015

He openly equated being gay to having low/no moral fiber. Try saying that in any workplace and see how far that gets you.

He didn't say that in his workplace.

emmitt01 · August 3, 2015

He didn't say that in his workplace.

And much like if I were to say all Christians are rapists (they're not, it's an example so unwad those panties) and the police should randomly arrest them, the Dallas Police Department could reprimand me if I have a picture of myself in uniform on my avatar. Same goes for James since he is an on-air representative of Fox Sports.

UNT90 · August 4, 2015

He openly equated being gay to having low/no moral fiber. Try saying that in any workplace and see how far that gets you. Also Texas is a right to work state, and unless they can prove that he was fired for being Christian (spoiler: he wasn't) he has absolutely no case.

except he didn't say it in the workplace, did he?

Im certainly no fan of this Dbag, but what he said is absolutely NO reason to terminate employment. The gay agendites have made a person with ANY disagreement of their lifestyle free game for bullying, intimidation , and harassment. What's next, banning the bible because it disagrees with their lifestyle?

What's sad is not so long ago gays were the receiptients of some pretty terrible bullying. Short memories, I guess.

But it's ok, because they are gay. And gay is sooooooo in...

James is the same guy whose son was supposedly discriminated against at TT and the same James who was supposedly on payroll at SMU...I have a feeling that there might just be more to this story than meets the eye.

this was my initial thought, also.

Sounds like an entity looking for something to justify his release. And what better than the latest fad.

Mean Green 93-98 · August 4, 2015

And much like if I were to say all Christians are rapists (they're not, it's an example so unwad those panties) and the police should randomly arrest them, the Dallas Police Department could reprimand me if I have a picture of myself in uniform on my avatar. Same goes for James since he is an on-air representative of Fox Sports.

I'm not sure I see the parallel. What was James suggesting that Fox Sports 1 should randomly do to homosexuals?

THOR · August 4, 2015

Freedom of speech doesn't mean you can't be held responsible or fired by a company...you can say whatever the hell you want, but there may be repercussions.

Ben Gooding · August 4, 2015

*yawn* Who cares?

MeanGreenTeeth · August 4, 2015

Meh. The lawsuit is bull, but the firing was bull too. If I understand this correctly, they hired him well after he made the public comments.

They didn't fire him because of what the HR office would think. Somehow I don't think firing people who believe homosexuality is immoral is current best practice. That was a very very stupid thing for their communications head to say (he probably isn't in the right line of work). They fired him because they were scared to alienate a portion of their audience (businesses hate controversy ). It's that simple.

HoustonEagle · August 4, 2015

except he didn't say it in the workplace, did he?

Im certainly no fan of this Dbag, but what he said is absolutely NO reason to terminate employment. The gay agendites have made a person with ANY disagreement of their lifestyle free game for bullying, intimidation , and harassment. What's next, banning the bible because it disagrees with their lifestyle?

What's sad is not so long ago gays were the receiptients of some pretty terrible bullying. Short memories, I guess.

But it's ok, because they are gay. And gay is sooooooo in...
this was my initial thought, also.

Sounds like an entity looking for something to justify his release. And what better than the latest fad.

It has nothing to do with gay bullying or Fox's HR department. It has to do with advertisers and their propensity to not alienate any of their customer base. The all mighty dollar speaks the loudest.

Edited August 4, 2015 by HoustonEagle

aprice · August 4, 2015

Those poor christian white men, always getting discriminated against. It must be terrible

Rudy · August 4, 2015

I didn't know sacrificing hookers was a religious custom.

Army of Dad · August 4, 2015

Those poor christian white men, always getting discriminated against. It must be terrible

Well as long as you don't like the victim or the group(s) they belong to then it's ok right? Either say it's wrong no matter the reason or just allow it for everyone.

TheWestie · August 4, 2015

It has nothing to do with gay bullying or Fox's HR department. It has to do with advertisers and their propensity to not alienate any of their customer base. The all mighty dollar speaks the loudest.

emmitt01 · August 4, 2015

I'm not sure I see the parallel. What was James suggesting that Fox Sports 1 should randomly do to homosexuals?

You're not this slow, I'm sure of it

H-towngreen · August 4, 2015

Where is the justice for the 5 hookers?!

#CJK5H

Ben Gooding · August 4, 2015

Employers and society are so, so, so, so soft. Trump is an idiot and says some stupid stuff, but he talks from the heart without any care of soft, political correctness. He wasn't going to win from the get go, but it's giving him a worldwide platform and he's taking full advantage of it. The softness, as depicted in this Craig James debacle, nauseates me.