It has come to our attention that on October 22, 2001, Mike Italie was fired from his job as a sewing machine operator for Goodwill Industries. Dennis Pastrana told the Miami Herald that Mike Italie was fired because "we cannot have anyone who is attempting to subvert the United States of America."

Mike Italie was a candidate in the Miami mayoral race, and as an expression of his freedom of speech, he expressed his opposition to the US war in Afghanistan. For this he was fired. Black telephone workers in New Jersey, along with all supporters of democracy and free speech find this firing to be unjust and abhorrent.

Since when does a person's political beliefs become criteria for one's right to work? And who anointed Dennis Pastrana as the arbiter of "what is politically correct to believe or not to believe?" No, this firing is an unjust infringement of our constitutionally protected right to free speech. Today there are millions of people who support the war in Afghanistan and millions of people who do not. We all have a right to believe what we want to believe. This debate will continue and will be fierce, as it should be, because of the life and death questions that are involved. This debate is constitutionally protected. It is the activity of persons like Dennis Pastrana that is not. Must we repeat the worn slogan of "although not agreeing with you, I will defend your right to say what you want?" As Dr. King said, an injustice to any one of us, is an injustice to all of us. Therefore we demand that Goodwill Industries restore the job of Mike Italie and make due any and all monies that he may have lost. In addition, as a civic lesson for Dennis Pastrana we demand a written apology for his undermining of the constitutional rights afforded everyone in this country.
 
 
Related articles:
Help deepen support among workers for socialist fired for political views
Fired socialist worker wins new support in Illinois and Indiana
Italie interviewed by Ball State college paper
 
 
 
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