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photo found at salon.com
After speaking with Amanda Donaldson (in part one) I decided the only fair thing to do would be to contact Dr. Scott Dawson of Eldorado Chiropractic and get his side of the story. I wrote down his words during our conversation.
I called his place of business leaving a message with the woman who answered the phone including my name, title and number. In about five minutes he called back and I let him know I was hoping to talk with him about a former employee. He asked if it was Amanda and when I said, “yes” he immediately began to defend himself before I could ask a question or get another word in.
He started off saying “I didn’t fire her,” “she stormed out,” “it certainly was not about religion,” “they’re trying to hurt me,” “it’s all a fabrication,” rewording and repeating himself often until I could stop him and let him know I wasn’t calling to accuse him of anything or pick at him, I was calling to get his side of the story to try and find out where the truth lies.
When I asked him about Amanda’s performance he said, “She was good, but defensive when I would correct her work.” He stated that he thought this situation was a “simple misunderstanding” due to “poor communication.”
He claimed Amanda’s “attitude wasn’t good” and said, “her head’s not right.” When I asked him just what that meant he said, “Her mind wasn’t on her job.” When I asked him if he thought she might have been distracted due to her situation dealing with cancer he said, “I don’t know, maybe.”
When I asked Amanda if her situation distracted her at work she said, “No, my work was more intense and organized due to my situation, it helped me not to focus on the cancer, an escape kind of.”
He said that Amanda and her husband are just “bitter and angry” and stated that he thinks none of this would be happening if it weren’t for her husband’s influence. He claimed that he always knew Amanda to be a “woman of God” and that the idea she is an atheist was “new” to him. He said, “They were damaged before they met me,” because they had “hatred for the world.”
I asked Amanda if she humored the idea that she was a Christian while working there and she said, "No, I respected his belief but never humored the idea I was a Christian."
He further claimed, “Amanda prayed with me and the patients.” When I asked her about this she said that the only time something of this sort happened was when Dawson and the patients would pray over her and for her in regard to her cancer, but that she never actually participated other than allowing it to happen out of respect for his office.
Eventually Dr. Dawson mentioned not being happy with what Amanda’s husband was writing. When I asked him what he was referring to he said, “I found a blog 6-8 weeks ago. I wasn’t happy about the negativity in it and was afraid patients would be deterred. Amanda said she was keeping it ‘out of here’ but I didn’t want negative stuff associated with the office.”
He went on to make two other statements that are very important to Amanda’s story. He said, “It’s a Christ-oriented office, they (meaning employees) need to be on the same page I am.”
I asked if the orientation of the office meant he only treated certain people and he said, “No, I treat anyone, but I’m a person of faith, connected to God, and I’ll hire anyone who is qualified.” However, he then immediately added, “but I do not want to hire anyone with a different world view.”
Dr. Dawson often repeated that he wanted "it to all go away."
To be honest it was difficult for me to get a direct answer from Dr. Dawson and he stuttered often on his words. He went on to say he wishes Amanda the best and claimed he did everything he could to help her by holding her position while she was gone for surgery and providing a positive environment for her to work in.
My analysis is that his words matched up with Amanda’s story and his immediate exploding defensiveness says something about his claims. He couldn’t keep his story straight from one sentence to the next, yet the three times I’ve talked with Amanda via email and phone her story is always the exact same.
Comments
Hello my name is Fred Leary with Soul Family United, the second largest Soul Family next to the Jeffersons, and we find this doctor to be a disgrace, and going against his Hippocratic Oath, and should therefore be disbarred from owning a practice.
To the best of my knowledge, chiropractors don't take the Hippocratic Oath. That belongs to medical doctors...
Maybe the Hippocritic oath?
Personally, I think religion causes a wide spectrum of mental disorders; Dawson sure appears to be overwhelmed with anxiety. Sure, he'll administer to the pagans, but draws the line at employing a non-believer. Why is that, do you suppose? What is he afraid of? Hmm, paranoia, anxiety, associates with people who hear voices, perhaps hears them himself, and stutters. Can't you just feel the love?
Let's remember folks, he likes to be called 'Doctor Dawson' but is not an actual MD.
Amanda sounds like an amazing person. I wish I had that kind of patience. There is no way I could have kept myself from going off on those bigots. And I've gotta say wow, religion really does turn some people into monsters. I hope everything works out for Amanda.
Bronze-age black and white morality.
Scott Dawson acted in accordance to the ethical system that was supposedly delivered from the same being that commanded the atrocity described in Numbers 31.
By following the advice given in Matt 10:14, Dawson was just doing what he has been taught.
If you want to know the definition of bigot, "I do not want to hire anyone with a different world view" sums it up nicely.
....big shock. Ask me if I'm surprised! So far, in my experience as both a christian and non-believer, it seems that MOST stories regarding christians acting like this doctor- are 100% accurate. People dont make up these stories. And then they wonder why they get a bad rap...
I just wanted to thank you Kacey. You seem to be the only news outlet in the area that will touch this topic, probably due to the fact that we live in the creationist capitol of the world, but if anyone out there knows of an unbiased attorney that would take the case, please post. I can get no one to touch it due to the state laws. I would write more Kc but this chemo is really kicking my ass and I need to rest, but I felt the need to thank you on a public level.
Perhaps some day our civilization will learn to treat people based on their actions and not on their thoughts. In this regard, "Dr." Dawson is the one who should have his livelihood destroyed; but due to the delusional and selective memory of "believers", it's likely he will continue. You go, Amanda!
Would athiests so strongly support a Christian employee fired by an athiest doctor? I hope so.
If someone is a fighter against discrimination in general then yes, they should be on a Christian's side in such a case. Find me that case and I'll report on it, but I haven't heard of one. And it is also hard to want to back up someone whose general idea of "proof and truth" includes an ancient book that claims it's own truth, so therefore believe in the imaginary sky-man or burn.
Judging peoples fitness for work based on beliefs that have nothing to do with the work is wrong. I would support a Christian if s/he were fired for being Christian -- so long as, like Amanda, s/he had kept her views personal and not attempted to proselytize.
Mr Dawson is merely doing what his religion teaches him to do:
Matthew 10:34 "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword. 10:35 For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, 10:36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.
Unlike most Christians, Mr Dawson doesn't seem able to cherry-pick the good parts of his religion, and pretend the
This story is both infuriating and heartbreaking. I really hope things are well for Mrs. Donaldson now. As an increasingly outspoken atheist in the south I often have concerns about my job and the way my family may be treated. That must have been a terrible experience for her.
Does this mean that he would also object to a Jew, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu or Buddhist working for him because they don't share the 'same world view'? Surely you have laws against that in the US! I'm a Brit (and atheist) and you definitely can't discriminate on the basis of religion in the workplace, although there have been some cases that have courted controversy. A British Airways employee was asked to remove her crucifix at work (I don't agree that she should have had to) and a Christian who ref
Sorry, I didn't realise this site was character restrictive. If you are atheist, come visit the (British) Atheist Bus Campaign on Facebook for some often quite lively debate. We also welcome anyone of any religion who wants to talk, too, although we won't be converted. Let's get that clear.
I am just at a loss for words here. That man is demonstrating astoundingly ignorant and unprofessional behavior. Amanda, I am so sorry that you have to go through this, especially at a time when you should be able to concentrate on your health.
showing a little ignorance Brant It's D.C. Doctor of Chiropractic; so technically Doctor Dawson; I would continue to look after your wife she needs all your attention right now. You don't need to worry about semantics especially when your wrong!
It's you're, not your. Looks like you're wrong too.
;)
talking about two peoples lives; focusing on taking care of the young lady, but thank you AHEM YOU'RE CORRECT!:)
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