Store manager fired for comments on same sex marriage

BOSTON -- A local retail store manager was fired for comments he made about same-sex marriage.

Peter Vidala, 24, was fired from his job as a manager at the Brookstone store in Logan Airport after he made comments against same-sex marriage to another manager.

"The reason wasn't that I didn't do my job correctly, it was because I expressed my belief that homosexuality is wrong," Vidala said in a video on the Mass Resistance Web site.

Vidala had only been working at the store for a couple of weeks when a female manager mentioned she was getting married to her female partner.

The 24-year-old expressed his disapproval of same-sex marriage. The two had a few exchanges, and after their conversation, the female went to human resources.

Vidala was fired.

Brookstone said it stands by its zero-tolerance policy on harassment.

Vidala's termination letter read in part, "...in the state of Massachusetts same-sex marriage is legal...the comments you made...were inappropriate and unprofessional. While you are entitled to your own beliefs, imposing them on others in the workplace is unacceptable..."

The former Brookstone employee does not agree with the company's view.

"Brookstone fired me because I'm a Christian. They got away with it because once upon a time four judges came up with an oxymoron of homosexual marriage in Massachusetts," Vidala said to 7News.

Mass Resistance said it put Vidala's video up to warn other states what can happen if same-sex marriage is legalized in their state.

Brookstone said it just wishes to provide employees with a fair and legal workplace.

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