Man who burned Qur’an gets pain and suffering fees

Toronto Star… NEWARK, N.J. — The New Jersey Transit employee fired for publicly burning pages of the Qur’an on the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks last year is getting his job back.

A settlement obtained by The Star-Ledger Newark shows Derek Fenton will receive $25,000 for pain and suffering when he resumes his $86,110-a-year job.

He’ll also receive back pay equal to $331.20 for every day since his firing on Sept. 13, 2010.

The state will also pay $25,000 in legal fees to the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed a lawsuit claiming Fenton’s right to free expression was violated.

The 40-year-old was not working when he set fire to three pages of the Qur’an in September in Lower Manhattan to protest a planned Islamic centre near ground zero.

6 Replies to “Man who burned Qur’an gets pain and suffering fees”

  1. The First Amendment of the Constitution of United States, still protecting our God given right to freedom of speech and expression.

  2. Big Frank we will have to wait until the trial of Reverend Jones is over to know that for sure, I do know it is under attack just as the Second Amendment is, and you can add freedom of religious expression to the list of rights under attack.

  3. @big frank: Where in the constitution does it say that freedom of speech and expression is given by God? Or is this right given by one of Gods revelations. I’m not a gospel-nerd, but I sure have never heard anyone mentioning this right is mentioned in one of the ‘good books’ or any other religious scripture. At least not indiscriminately.

    @Richard: freedom of religious expression. What right does that suppose to protect? Putting 10 commandments in city halls? Having mass prayer sessions on the streets? Isn’t building a mosque-learning center a form of expression motivated by religion? And flying an airplane into a building can be a religious expression too, right?
    And where in the constitution is freedom of religious expression mentioned?

  4. Kafironic, try reading The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, better known as the Declaration of Independence. Thank you.

  5. Kafironic it is there in the phrase of free speech and freedom of religion, you are free to practice you religion in public, and you are free to demonstrate against other religions if you so wish, as long as the demonstrations are peaceful. Try reading the Declaration of Independence and the real facts of history, not the PC bull that is ow taught.

    Big Frank he was found guilty, as I feared he would be, granted the $1.00 peace bond said the Judge didn’t agree with the verdict but he was still found guilty.