President Johnson signs into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Posted on 11/12/2015 4:08:22 PM PST by markomalley
The White House is endorsing pro-gay legislation that would prohibit discrimination toward the LGBT clique.
Known as the Equality Act, the bill would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964, extending protection to those in the LGBT community from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
At Tuesday's White House press briefing, press secretary Josh Earnest stated that the Obama administration "strongly supports" the act.
"That bill is historic legislation that would advance the cause of equality for millions of Americans," Earnest said, "and we certainly are pleased with the many legislators in Congress that have stepped forward to try to advance a bill that would deliver comprehensive equal rights for LGBT Americans."
Earnest asserted that the legislation would not infringe on "the religious liberty that we hold dear."
"By endorsing the Equality Act, the White House sent a strong message that it's time to put the politics of discrimination behind us once and for all," said Chad Griffin, the president of gay advocacy group Human Rights Campaign. "Now it's time for Congress to act. Everyone should be able to live free from fear of discrimination and have a fair chance to earn a living and provide for their families, including people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender."
The White House had for months delayed endorsing the Equality Act as it was being "carefully reviewed by the administration." Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O'Malley have all endorsed the legislation. In an address at the Human Rights Campaign national dinner, Vice President Joe Biden also demonstrated support for the act.
The bill would provide protection in employment, housing, public education, public accommodations, federal funding, jury service, and credit, as well as legal protections. It also includes a provision that states the Religious Freedom Restoration Act cannot be used in defense of discrimination toward members of the LGBT community.
One of the more controversial portions of the bill would broaden the definition of "public accommodations" to include banks, retail stores and transportation and health care service providers. The additions would insure the law's provisions cover almost every category of business.
The definition would provide a federal answer to the ongoing debate over the rights of business owners — particularly florists and bakers — to deny providing services to individuals based on religious freedom.
The act also declares that "segregation" within sex-separated facilities — i.e., restrooms, locker rooms, etc. — is prohibited and that such establishments must admit individuals based on their gender identity.
President Johnson signs into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964 |
The Civil Rights Act, signed into law by President Johnson in 1964, currently prohibits, in Title VII of the bill, discrimination in employment based on religious beliefs, race, sex, color and national origin. Planned amendments would extend such protections to sexual orientation and gender identity.
It is claimed, though, that the bill will not alter religious exemptions for corporations, schools and other qualifying entities to hire based on religious beliefs if the position requires work in connection with religious activities.
The legislation is sponsored by Senate Democrats Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Cory Booker of New Jersey, as well as House Democrat David Cicilline. As the GOP controls both the House and the Senate, it is expected that Congress will reject the bill.
The White House endorsement coincided with the announcement that President Obama will be featured on the cover of gay publication Out magazine's "Out 100" issue as the periodical's "Ally of the Year." This marks the first time a sitting president will be photographed for the cover of an LGBT magazine. The cover features a black-and-white portrait of President Obama with the headline and subtitle: "Our President: Ally. Hero. Icon."
According to Out editors:
"The 44th President of the United States is our Ally of the Year — a president who came to office on a wave of euphoria, appeared to lose momentum halfway through, and has since rallied, helping us secure marriage equality, among other landmark initiatives that are transforming our place in America."
The above-mentioned edition is scheduled to be released next week.
Based on pass performance republicans in Washington are stupid enough and liberal enough to fall for this.
The Bung Hole president building his legacy.
I would imagine this will pass with huge Republican support too.
But Goldwater like John Tower later changed his mind and became largely totalitarian with a “libertarian” flavor.
I thought the magazine’s title was “OUT loo” as in all the “out” people having rendezvous in a restroom.
Yeah. Something weird happened to the world in the 1960s.
The only constitutionally enumerated protection relating to sex is voting rights, evidenced by the 19th Amendment. And since pro-LGBT agenda issues have nothing reasonably to do with voting rights, corrupt Congress and the lawless Obama administration have no express constitutional authority to promote vote-winning LGBT civil rights.
But we certainly cannot trust the post-17th Amendment ratification Senate to do its job to protect the states by killing constitutionally indefensible LGBT civil rights legislation.
“health care service providers”
This would mean an IVF clinic would have to provide fertility treatments for a female - male transgender who still had a uterus.
I understand the strategy. This is not about getting the gay vote, which is a tiny minority that does not even register in the national population or the voting population. This is about introducing a wedge issue to polarize the electorate. With gay marriage off the table the single issue voters who voted in 2012 have no incentive to vote in 2016. This is about rekindling that segment and it’s a significant percentage of the population.
Discrimination being anyone who says something like, "Well I don't thinks it's natural or healthy"......
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