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Maureen Martin

As is typical for my Sunday blog, I highlight individuals who are worthy of our praise. My new hero is Maureen Martin.

While working for housing company L&Q, Maureen Martin, 57, had risen from a temp position to become a manager overseeing staff.

From Epoch Times –

The views that got her in hot water with the company had less to do with the insights she drew regarding the challenges facing minorities, including her own demographic, and more to do with the solution she proposed, as a mayoral candidate interested in bettering the lives of Londoners.

What insights were those? She cites that a staggering 75 percent of black children in the UK are born out of wedlock, which she calls “atrocious.” Similar statistics in the U.S. show some 73 percent of black children grow up in unwedded households. “We have more of our young black boys in prison, joining gangs, knife crime, failure in the academic arena—it shows in the results,” said Martin, president of the Christian People’s Alliance political party.

And her solution? This naturally concerns Martin, who aspires to represent London’s constituents. As a Christian minister, she credits the traditional family model—the nuclear family—with producing the most favorable results in raising children. “That model was created by God. He knew what he was doing,” she said, adding that this model is “the foundation of our Western culture.” “Any society where the family is broken down is doomed to failure.”

During her mayoral campaign, Martin published the following statement in her “six-point plan” leaflet:

I pledge to cut through political correctness and simply state the truth that natural marriage between a man and a woman is the fundamental building block for a successful society, and the safest environment for raising children.

That didn’t go over well with heads at L&Q.

Shortly thereafter, despite her exemplary performance in the workplace, Martin was handed a letter of dismissal for “gross misconduct,” resulting from the statement in her manifesto. Rather than back down, though, Martin doubled down. Recanting her words didn’t even cross her mind. “It was a no brainer. They violated my rights on every level,” she said, citing the European Court of Human Rights’ enumeration of religious expression and free speech rights. “They’ve violated both articles—Article 10 of the European Human Rights Act.”

Lacking means to mount a legal solo offensive, she allied with Christian Concern, an organization that offers legal support in cases of religious discrimination. They put L&Q on notice that they would be defending themselves in court. “I accused them of unfair dismissal and discriminating against me because of my religion,” Martin said, adding that political speech in the UK is also protected. “My statement comes out in the category of political speech, because I was running legitimately in an electoral campaign.”

Ultimately doubling down proved very effective. The company folded. In January, L&Q chose an out-of-court settlement rather than battle it out—it would cost far more to litigate in the long run—in particular because Martin’s case was so strong.

Martin calls it “a massive win” for Christians. “If I hadn’t launched a campaign and just walked away, there’d be nothing,” she said. “So it’s important to challenge these cases and make sure that the perpetrators are put on notice: ‘You’re not going to get away with this.’”

Maureen Martin is my new hero!

5/28/23

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