May 6th, 2009
Posted by Chris Hampton, LGBT Project at 5:29pm	LGBT Rights

McDonald's Eats a Super-Sized Order of its Own Words in Kentucky

Nine months after an employee at a McDonald's restaurant in downtown Louisville called a group of gay customers a series of anti-gay slurs – and after the ACLU intervened on the victims' behalf – we're happy to announce today that McDonald's has agreed to a cash settlement and diversity training for management at 30 of its Louisville-area restaurants.

Ryan Marlatt, Teddy Eggers, and three other friends had stopped for lunch at a McDonald's restaurant on East Market Street last July while visiting Louisville for the weekend. While they waited for their food to be prepared, an employee behind the counter referred to them as "faggots" to another employee. When Marlatt and Eggers objected to the slur and asked to speak with a manager, the employee who had called them "faggots" started arguing with them, repeatedly calling them "faggots" in front of other customers and calling one of them a "cocksucker" and "bitch." Here's a video of Ryan and Teddy telling the story of what happened to them:

Please note that by playing this clip You Tube and Google will place a long-term cookie on your computer. Please see You Tube's privacy statement on their website and Google's privacy statement on theirs to learn more. To view the ACLU's privacy statement, click here.

The supervisor on duty refused to refund the group's purchase, and after Ryan attempted several times in the following weeks to contact both the general manager of the McDonald's and the corporate offices with no results, he called the ACLU. We filed a complaint with the Louisville Human Relations Commission. With the public and the commission's eyes on them, McDonald's finally backed down, agreeing to school its managers on Louisville's anti-discrimination law and offering Ryan and Teddy $2,000 each, which they accepted. Originally, Ryan and Teddy had only asked for $28, the cost of the meals they and their friends bought on the day they were verbally abused. Would have been much cheaper and easier for them to just apologize and maybe tell their staff not to call paying customers "faggots," don't you think?

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1. Givemeabreak Says:
   May 6th, 2009 at 9:24pm

   "You call a customer a name, you're fired, on the spot... and that completes your diversity training. Any questions? No? Okay, now get back to work."

   It'll take a much harder life lesson to change the mind of a bigot; a one hour training program at McDonald's certainly won't do it. Then some might say, it's the thought that counts.

2. PedohaX Says:
   May 7th, 2009 at 6:33am

   I did not realize that being called hurtful names by some burger-flipping loser was a serious civil liberties matter, but what do I know? My sexual orientation is a mental illness according to the American Civil Liberties Union, and I have no civil liberties, so I suppose I am not qualified to judge the seriousness of this issue.

   thankyoudrivethru

3. roald Says:
   May 8th, 2009 at 8:24am

   Givemeabreak...I see your point. I have taken several corporate and collegiate diversity training classes. The less open your mind, the harder it is to grow. On the other hand, an hour here, a job loss there, might help.

   PedohaX...The issue goes beyond being called names by an employee. By failing to act, the restaurant owner and the franchise corporation gave their approval to this behavior.

   If your screen name is an indication of what you claim to be your preference, acting on your preference is wrong because the other person cannot consent.

4. Steve Says:
   May 9th, 2009 at 3:39pm

   Roald, I recall a certain teacher out of Colorado who mocked one of his students because of his Christian beliefs. Should he go through sensitivity training? Just a thought. (BTW, I owe you a response from that other thread)

5. Steve Says:
   May 9th, 2009 at 3:54pm

   Pedohax, don't worry, homosexuality was considered a mental illness in the late sixties, now it is "normal" behavior. I'm sure the perverts in the ACLU are working in the bowels of their offices to grant you this "right". Whether the victim likes it or not.

6. Paen Says:
   May 10th, 2009 at 2:09pm

   Actualy Steve the real mental illness is bigotry.

7. Maggie Says:
   May 11th, 2009 at 7:11am

   And maybe they were kids being kids. Still does not make it right but no one mentioned how old they were. I believe if the manager was an adult he/she should have known better.

8. roald Says:
   May 12th, 2009 at 12:47pm

   Steve...can you give me more information about what happened in CO so I can research before I answer?

   Maggie...you are correct and the corporate people contacted certainly were adults.

9. Steve Says:
   May 14th, 2009 at 12:19pm

   I'm sorry you feel that I'm a "bigot" simply because of my views on homosexuality. If being gay is natual, then God owes a public apology to Sodom and Gommorah. Roald, I saw that story on the Fox News website, and also on the O'reilly factor. I may be mistaken about the state in which it took place.

10. Izak Says:
    May 14th, 2009 at 3:32pm

    Steve, being gay is natural. Just ask your gay friends. Or maybe you need some gay friends. Homosexual experiences abound in the natural world, most famously with dolphins.

    God owes the public an apology for most of the Old Testament. Be sure to lay off the shellfish and pork!

11. roald Says:
    May 15th, 2009 at 12:55pm

    Steve - Thanks for getting back to me. I found something that might be the story you mentioned. James Corbett was recently sued after disparaging Christianity in his classroom. A federal judge held that he violated the Establishment Clause of the Constitution. No matter what the eventual outcome, yes he is paying a price.

    http://open.salon.com/blog/corribean/2009/05/09/dr_james _jesus_glasses_corbett

12. Steve Says:
    May 15th, 2009 at 8:57pm

    Izak I respectfully disagree with you. I posted a thread on "your gay christian nieghbor" on this blog you might find interesting. I have two gay friends, one is a lesbian, the other is male. The woman is a high school principal and goes out of her way to accomodate the christian kids when it comes to their Bible studies, ect. The gay man was a friend of mine I roomed with in Palm Desert, CA. What struck me as strange with this man was that he was a white hot hatred nazi. I'm not making this up! Mention the word jew and he would turn red as a beet and say something like "Hitler didn't kill enough of them" REALLY! As for eating unclean foods, if you read the New Testament you will find that they are fine to eat( read Peter's vision in Acts 10). But sexual sins are still covered in various parts of the New Testament. The commandments in the Bible are there to keep us all happy, whole, and healthy. Follow them and you will see for yourself.

13. roald Says:
    May 19th, 2009 at 12:56pm

    Steve...It appears that you know a few gay people who are not stereotypes. Good.

    There are many prohibitions in the old testament that are not considered sinful by christians today. Can we find clear direction in the new testament that we can ignore every one? I would appreciate some guidance on where the new testament explicitly prohibits homosexuality. Every reference I have read to date points to the old.

    Going one step beyond, why should morality defined in the bible be public law in this country?

    Thanks

14. Steve Says:
    May 21st, 2009 at 4:04pm

    Roald, thanks for your response. I find that Message Bible by Eugene Peterson to be very clear, blunt and to the point. Go into your nearest bookstore and thumb through the first chapter of Romans. The verses escape me because there are no verses in that particular translation. The Bible is made to study. For example, Jesus said if your right hand offends you, cut it off. Now before I saw my limbs, I'm going to study that verse to see what it actually is saying. While you are reading Romans 1, keep reading through Romans 2. You might find it interesting. Hope this helps!

15. Hadi Says:
    Nov 23rd, 2009 at 10:55am

    That's really pretty surprising thanks for posting it. Pumphreys Coffee

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