Posted on 01/29/2016 8:58:14 PM PST by nickcarraway
This is a fight over âfreedomâ that legislators donât really need. Itâs a fight they could have avoided. But it seems to be a fight that they are destined to have. Weâre talking about the freedom to discriminate against gays if you can convince the authorities that you are doing so out of a sincerely held religious belief.
In last yearâs session, we had the Religious Freedom Act, authored by Sen. Josh McKoon (R-Columbus). The bill says you canât be punished if you run a bakery and, on religious grounds, refuse to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. McKoon says this is merely a protection of religious freedom against government intrusion.
Religious conservatives strongly support McKoonâs bill, but it has generated powerful opposition not just from civil libertarians but also from large business organizations like the Georgia Chamber and dozens of major corporations across the state. Business leaders fear that passage of the law would blow up in Georgiaâs face and bring on the same kind of negative media coverage that a similar law did in Indiana last year.
House Speaker David Ralston doesnât like McKoonâs bill and has his own version, the Pastor Protection Act. âMinisters will not be required to conduct wedding ceremonies if it conflicts with their religious belief,â Ralston said of his bill.
Sen. Greg Kirk (R-Americus) has added the third side to the triangle with his First Amendment Defense Act (FADA), which he introduced late last week. Under Kirkâs bill, if an organization like an adoption agency refused on religious grounds to provide services for a same-sex couple, then local governments could not punish or fine that business.
Kirkâs bill, as with McKoonâs, has the support of conservatives and fundamentalists. Mike Griffin, the head of the Georgia Baptist Convention, attended Kirkâs news conference and looked on approvingly as he talked about his bill.
Gay rights organizations like Lambda Legal, on the other hand, denounced the proposal. âGeorgiaâs anti-gay lawmakers are once again trying to allow religious discrimination in many areas of life for Georgiaâs families, workers and others,â said attorney Beth Littrell. âWe have seen this over and overâbills that say they are about protecting one thing when the real goal is to target and discriminate against gay and transgender people and people of minority faiths, with vast implications for everyone.â
Complicating the debate is the fact that legislators are convening at the same time that candidates are revving up their campaigns for the May 24 party primaries. The key days are March 7â11, which is when candidates formally quality for the primaries. Some lawmakers are afraid they will draw primary opposition if they donât vote for these bills, no matter how they feel personally about gays. If debate on the bills is delayed until after Mar. 11, when candidate qualifying ends, then legislators who donât have primary opposition would have more flexibility to vote their true convictions.
Gov. Nathan Deal doesnât have to worry about primary oppositionâhe says heâll never run for political office again. Deal also loves nothing better than to announce the arrival of new businesses in Georgia. Will he join forces with the business groups and speak out against any of the bills?
âThe legislative process is about compromise,â Ralston said. âIâm hopeful that we will find a path to resolve the concerns on both sides of that issue.â
Kirk said he recognizes that same-sex marriages are âthe law of the landâ but hoped that his bill would encourage the two sides to âlive and let live.â That may be a little too much to hope for.
The same would be true for all-female colleges, except women are such precious little snowflakes that they need to have their safe-space from all those horrible rapist males.
No bar or restaurant can allow smoking even though there are dozens of alternative non-smoking restaurants within driving distance.
No clubs can limit membership based on sex, moral righteousness, or belief in God even though there are dozens of similar clubs that people can join in the same city.
No business can deny services to gay weddings even though there are dozens that would gladly take their business.
etc.
Calling this behavior noble that deserves special "rights" is a scheme from Satan.
Those who fall for it are already on their way to Hell.
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