XPost: ba.politics, dc.media, soc.penpals   
   XPost: alt.burningman   
   From: jube@milw.biz   
      
   A guard who lost his job after taking a photo during a visit   
   from President Obama has spoken out about being fired - saying   
   it was 'unjust'.   
      
   Kenneth Tate, 47, a security guard who worked at the CDC   
   headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, embarrassed the Secret Service   
   and was thrown into a political firestorm last month - but has   
   said all he wanted out of the encounter was a picture to show   
   his 81-year-old mom.   
      
   He was fired from his $42,000 job after getting too close to the   
   President's security detail during a visit on September 16, and   
   taking a picture of the assembled cars.   
      
   Speaking to the New York Times in the wake of the sacking, Tate   
   called the events which lost him his position 'a nightmare' and   
   'unjust'.   
      
   He also spoke out about the scandal that erupted when it emerged   
   he was armed during the encounter with Obama - contrary to rules   
   which state that only Secret Service agents can have firearms in   
   the President's presence.   
      
   The revelation came as an embarrassment to the service, which   
   was still reeling from accusations of incompetence after letting   
   a man armed with a knife hop the White House fence and charge   
   inside   
      
   Secret Service Director Julia Pearson resigned soon after.   
      
   Tate says he was never told to surrender his gun, and was in the   
   elevator because it was his job.   
      
   He told the Times: 'From the reports, I was some stranger that   
   entered the elevator. I mean, I was appointed.'   
      
   Before it emerged the day had cost him his livelihood, Tate said   
   he was proud to have met the President - who shook his hand and   
   asked his name.   
      
   A Secret Service agent apparently quipped that this was   
   remarkable, as he had never been acknowledged by Obama in two   
   years.   
      
   But speaking later, he said the day tarnished his reputation. He   
   said: 'It's a nightmare. My whole life's been changed upside-   
   down.'   
      
   'How do you go anywhere when it seems like the doors have been   
   closed on you, your reputation tarnished, the embarrassment?   
   Recalling the encounter, he said: 'He [Obama] acknowledged me,   
   he asked me what my name was and extended his hand and shook my   
   hand.   
      
   'I was trying to get a picture of them leaving, and I was   
   unsuccessful.   
      
   'At the end part I tried to take a picture of them leaving. The   
   motorcade was driving, they were parked, getting ready to leave.   
      
   'I tried to get a picture for my mom, she's 81 years old, just   
   to show that I had met the President.   
      
   'When I got back the agents stated that somebody was going to   
   lose their job, because nobody ever got that close to the   
   motorcade.   
      
   'I didn't know it was going to be me.   
      
   'Two days later I was told to bring my statement in - when I was   
   bringing my statement in the captain told me I didn't need it   
   because the CDC had already taken me off the contract.'   
      
   Tate, who is now unemployed, has never been given an official   
   explanation for his sacking. He was not directly employed by the   
   CDC, but worked for a company called Professional Security   
   Corporation.   
      
   His son, who also worked at the CDC headquarters, also lost his   
   job two weeks later - which the organization blamed on   
   'downsizing'.   
      
   A Secret Service source indicated that Tate's account is a fair   
   summary of what happened that day - though an executive at his   
   old company told the Times his description was 'not correct' -   
   but would not elaborate.   
      
   http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2819784/Fired-guard-rode-   
   elevator-Obama-carrying-gun-got-fired-taking-picture-calls-   
   sacking-unjust-says-wanted-photo-81-year-old-mom.html   
      
        
      
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)