An Okeechobee man said he was fired from his cashier job at Home Depot for wearing a pin that read, "One nation under God."
Trevor Keezor wore the pin on his work apron for more than a year before he was fired Friday, according to an Associated Press article.
Home Depot representatives said Keezor was fired for violating the company's dress code, which only allows employees to wear company-provided pins. Expressing such personal beliefs is not allowed.
When Keezer began bringing a Bible to read during his lunch break earlier this month, a manager asked him to take off the button. He didn't and was fired.
It's true that Keezor broke company rules by wearing a pin that Home Depot did not approve. But the pin was a direct quote from the Pledge of Allegiance, not a Bible verse.
Keezor, whose brother is in the National Guard and has already served one tour of duty in Iraq, said he was wearing the pin to support his country and brother.
The man meant no harm and got away with wearing it for more than a year. We understand the need for rules like this, but we believe in applying common sense in all situations.
Keezor's pin didn't have a hateful or patently offensive phrase on it. It was a simple, unobtrusive personal expression.
We doubt that The Home Depot lost any customers over the piece of flare in question.
Dress codes are necessary in any workplace, but having rules for the sake of rules is just silly.
