My husband was "forced to resign" today from an NRA call center for being an atheist.

My husband was "forced to resign" today from an NRA call center for being an atheist. I'm pretty much only writing this because I'm quite mad about this and needed to let off some steam. Thus, the call center/area where this happened will remain anonymous except for the fact that it was an NRA call center.

I think some background information is necessary to understand why this is pretty absurd. My husband and I have recently moved to a different area of the state. We've only been here for two weeks and we are still looking for employment. My husband has previously cold called for the Republican party without issue some years ago and his previous job was a hymn and gospel host for two years for a local radio station. He really has no problem with doing this kind of work (and none of his bosses ever had a problem with him being non-religions) because he respects other peoples religion/ideology even if it conflicts with his own. To him its just a job and as long as hes getting paid, no issue.

When he applied for this job he didn't know he would be working for the NRA because the call center in question has three different divisions and the NRA just happened to be the place that they ended up putting him. The person who interviewed him knew that he was non-religions and a liberal, and they themselves admitted to him that they had the same views, so he felt confident that this would be a non-issue. The job required about a week of full time job training, and today was actually his first day of training. This is where the story begins.

He sat in the class for 5 hours, and everything was going well until the old woman who was in charge of the class mentioned that they all had to become members of the NRA in order to work for them. I feel that they probably should have told him this information before he agreed to take the job. Anyway, my husband (admittedly, probably very stupidly) asked if there was any way he could "opt out" of having to do this. The old woman became very mean and asked "Why would you ever want to do that." My husbands response was that the NRA was a lobbyist organization and while he had no problem working in a call center for them, he really did not want to have to become member. She said "Yeah, so?" and pretty much told him that there was no way out of having to become a member, and my husband conceded that he would do so if he must.

Later in the day, while they were on break, the old woman asked everyone to say what they did for Easter, and they all when around the room and told their stories. When it came to my husbands turn, he simply said "I didn't really do anything." and the old woman walked up to him, put her face in his face and said "Now, why is that?". My husband replied and said "Well, I am non-religious, and I don't really celebrate religious holidays." The old woman's face turned very red and she stormed out of the room.

Here is where it gets interesting.

A while later they called him into the managers office to confront him about his beliefs. The old woman, still obviously angry was sitting in a chair in the corner with her arms crossed, and the call center manager did the rest of the talking. My husband explained that he had previously worked for the Republican party as fund raiser, and that he was a hymn and gospel host at his previous job and never let his own personal beliefs interfere with his job. The manager explained that my husband may occasionally lead potential donors in prayer over the phone and my husband said that he wouldn't have an issue with this if it was part of the job. The manager then said that they didn't want him walking around the call center spreading his "radical" beliefs, and that they didn't appreciated the "lies" he said about the NRA in front of the other trainees, even though it was the old woman trainer who had prompted him to answer in front of the class. Again, my husband explained that this would not be a problem. I really think they were just trying to get him to quit before they resorted to what came next.

This back and forth when on for a while and they eventually presented him with a letter of resignation and asked him to sign it. My husband at this point called them out and said "I know why you are doing this. You don't want me to sue you over firing me for being an atheist." The call center manager simply asked him again to sign the resignation. They wouldn't let him leave. He sat in the office for over an hour after this point, trying to be strong but eventually he decided that he would sign the paper and avoid dragging his family though the nightmare of trying to sue the NRA. Personally, I was kind of mad about that, but after thinking it through, it was probably the best course of action.

So, there you have it. Religious prejudiced from an organization that claims to fight for the constitutional rights of all Americans.

Also, Mods, I put this into "The Gray Area" because this is a personal story, and I do believe there was an conspiracy exposed here, but if you need to you may move it to the "Rant Forum".

Thanks for reading.

he should have joined and attacked from within !

just kidding

they probably have a 50% drop out rate, and that is why they don't mention the membership ahead of time, they are relying on you feeling like you've invested time and effort, you might as well just join

kudos to you hubby for not giving in

He should not have signed the letter. He should have walked out and called the local chapter of the ACLU.

Short of restraining him, I'm at a loss how they could have prevented him from leaving. Really though, he should have gone back to his desk - making them escort him off the premises if they wanted him gone or at least finishing the day so they could not say "job abandonment".

How were they forcing him to stay? Physically? Threatening him? He should have just left after a certain amount of time. They can't hold him there forever, that would be kidnapping.

And, he shouldn't have signed that paper. My friend recently got fired from a job she was at for many years. Her company had been bought out by another and the new managers wanted to get rid of her for pretty arbitrary reasons without having to pay her severance and such, so they did everything in their power to make her life miserable so she would quit. Finally, when it was clear she wouldn't give in they just fired her and ate the severance they owe her, but she had to basically fight for it.

This story of yours, assuming its true, is terrible. The worst kind of abuse of this sort of thing. The NRA is supposed to be all about the 2nd Amendment, but if they are then in the business of denying peoples' 1st Amendment rights, then they (or at least this cadre within it) are being total hypocrites. Also, since when has the NRA professed any specific religious affiliation?

I am a Christian, and have been an on and off member of the NRA.

However, I would consult a lawyer and see if you have grounds for a lawsuit. What you believe is your business. Frankly, a person's religious beliefs have no bearing on gunrights and the 2nd Ammendment.

Having such conversations at a place of employment are a NO-NO. Having been in public work and management for more tham a few years, 3 things you never, never, never talk about at work is Religion, Sex, and Politics.

I think you have good grounds for a lawsuit.

Your husband is an atheist how about you? I have no problem with a person being an atheist. I would still feed you, clothed you, and shelter you if I could because god gave us all free will to do what we want, but I will pray for your husband and you to accept the lord into your heart and life.

That's illegal, period. If he wants to pursue it, he will win a discrimination suit. It's a Civil Rights case.

I also doubt the call center was part of the NRA. They just shill for the NRA. It's like when you call Verizon Wireless. The people you talk to do not work for Verizon Wireless. They work for a sub-contractor. That's very likely the case here given the "three divisions" you described.

It depends on how much energy you have to pursue this, but you have acase if you want to make it. As a long-time NRA member myself, I have never encountered any religious bias on their part. I doubt they have a clue this is the policy of the sub-contractor. One way to pursue it would be to wrote to the NRA itself with a factual, non-emotional account of what happened.

You could also visit an attorney specializing in employee discrimination. Many lawyers will give you a free time up front to explain your case.

reply to post by syrinx high priest


Yes, you are probably right about the drop out rate. Some of the other trainees approached my husband after the whole Easter fiasco and expressed their concerns about working for a organization that was so intolerant of there employees beliefs. I'm hoping that many of them will chose to seek employment else where.

I think this is a reoccurring trend as of late in the Republican party and their associated organizations. If you are not a christian then you are NOT welcome. Wasn't it G.H.W. Bush who allegedly said that atheists aren't American citizens for not believing in god? Sad, sad.

reply to post by ProjectBlue


I think it's extremely admirable that he stood up for his non-beliefs. Just kidding. Sorry he lost his job. Probably for the better.

IF this is true, the call center did so many illegal things - or at least the angry lady did - that if he can document them, he can sue the shirt off of them.

You cannot discriminate against someone's religious beliefs, and you cannot require someone to join an organization as a condition of employment. The only exception being a union, and I'm pretty sure you're made aware of the fact up front.

This could be a renegade lady doing this without the NRAs knowledge or consent. You should write a letter to the NRA describing what happened - name names also. Also inform them that you are retaining an attorney. That will get them to respond to you.

reply to post by ProjectBlue

My husband was "forced to resign" today from an NRA call center for being an atheist.

While I can see that the NRA's callers might not appreciate talking to an atheist, nobody can be "forced" to do anything. Your husband should have made them fire him. If he was fired, he could have drawn unemployment, and he could have sued for wrongful termination, and he could have sued for religious discrimination. If what you say is true, then your husband should never have gone along with it.

Now, I hate to ask, but are you entirely certain your husband isn't just telling you a story? Perhaps he was in danger of being fired for more mundane and normal reasons, but he didn't want those to come out and hurt him in your eyes, or in future job opportunities, so he resigned to save his own reputation? That seems a lot more likely than a large corporation setting their self up to multiple lawsuits and violations of federal laws.

reply to post by ProjectBlue


If this is true I am going to drop my NRA membership and tell them to stick the card where the sun doesn't shine.

I'd love to know if he was held against his will or just sat there waiting for something to happen and could have walked out at any point. He has a lawsuit anyways, but holding him in a locked room or something of that sort is a whole 'nuther ballgame.

Time to lawyer up and possibly file a police report and complaint. He needs to get the names of as many witnesses to what happened as possible and his lawyer should take depositions under oath of everyone involved including 'angry lady' and the other one. The 'under oath' part makes it fun.

I actually doubt if the NRA has a religious component and 'prays with its contributors' to any extent over the phone. Sounds instead like angry lady was a complete religious nutjob and let her delusions of religious persecution get in the way of legalities. You probably have a lawsuit both against her and the other woman, as well as the NRA for employing them and allowing this to happen.

Wonder how it woulda turned out if you'd had a gun available at the time?

I totally agree with what everyone is saying about how they couldn't force him to do anything. That's the reason its in quotes, because he could have gone back to his desk and made them escort him off the premises. To be honest, it was just a call center job. There are a million and half jobs like that in this area, and it wont be too hard for him to find a new one. He's not looking to get all caught up in a long drawn out legal battle, he just wants to work and support his family like everyone else. But, I don't think that justifies how they singled him out for pretty much telling the truth, or how they pried into his personal life and beliefs.

Originally posted by mikellmikell
Well dump his butt and get a man with a real job unless you like your life, but what do I know. It's not about the NRA it's about working in a call center. Is he working his way through high school. One of you can do better. the best rise to the top. I really don't maen to be rude our company has several hundread people that work in their call center but it's not a career it's extra income when your bored.

Yes I'm a NRA lifer but come on call centers are not carrer paths unless well you have other talents????

edit on 2-4-2012 by mikellmikell because: JUST CRAZY JUST CRAZY

Excuse me, but this thread has nothing to do with my husbands choice of job or the way we chose to live our lives. Like I said, we just moved here and we are still getting established. Just because he accepted a job at a call center does not mean he intended to stay at a call center forever. What it does have to do with is how these managers treated an employee who did not believe what they wanted him to believe. It is about religious prejudiced in the work place.

I wasn't aware the NRA was a religious organization. He might have to lead a donor in prayer over the phone?
What if the donor doesn't want to pray? Do they refuse donations from people that claim no religious beliefs? I doubt it.

If I were you, I would consult a lawyer and tell them exactly the same thing you said here.

reply to post by getreadyalready


I suppose that is a fair question, but I can assure you that my husband and I have a very good relationship and I don't think he would lie to me about this, even if he had done something that would cause him to get fired. In all the time that we have been together he has never been terminated from a job, and he is a dedicated employee, never late, never calls off. He takes his job seriously, even if it is something as mundane as a call center.

Originally posted by N3k9Ni
I wasn't aware the NRA was a religious organization.

Me either! That's why it was kinda shocking to me. I could understand if it was the Catholic Diocese or something like that. I really think they said the "prayer" thing to try to make him uncomfortable with the job and want to quit.

I'm going to talk to him about contacting his lawyer and at least talk with him about it to see if anything can be done.

Am I mistaken that the NRA is the National Rifle Association???

Am I the only one lost as to why someones religous preference matters to this group???

Or when people say "God and Guns"...are they literally talking about the NRA?



And how did the people tell stories about what they did for Easter...on my Calendar that isn't until the weekend.

Originally posted by OutKast Searcher
Am I mistaken that the NRA is the National Rifle Association???

Am I the only one lost as to why someones religous preference matters to this group???

Or when people say "God and Guns"...are they literally talking about the NRA?

And how did the people tell stories about what they did for Easter...on my Calendar that isn't until the weekend.

Yeah, I know, I don't understand it either. It was the belief of the center manager and the old lady that you had to be a christian to work there. It boggles the mind.

And I suppose the question was "what will you do for Easter." I don't really keep track of religious holidays. I knew it was one of these weeks. Sorry for the confusion.