Unconscionable

[The Philosopher]

from Equality Matters

The Heritage Foundation is pushing so-called "conscience rights" as "the new frontline in the culture war" — a sure sign that the right knows it is losing the war, for "conscience clauses" are a surreptitious attempt to limit freedom under the guise of protecting it.

Conservatives have lost or are losing debates over whether abortion should be a legal medical procedure, marriage equality, and whether it should be legal to fire someone simply for being gay. So now they're perversely trying to frame their oppressive agenda as the preservation of freedom. Heritage, for example, describes the legalization of same-sex marriage as "government overreach," a threat to "liberty," and an example of the government becoming "increasingly intrusive in society's moral deliberations."

How does Heritage justify describing the removal of government barriers to a loving couple freely deciding to marry as a threat to liberty? Simple: Heritage worries that if gays are allowed to marry, florists who hate gays might face sanction if they discriminate against gay customers who want flowers for their wedding. Seriously.

But Heritage knows it's a losing argument to say it favors the rights of bigots to discriminate. So instead it disingenuously claims to be concerned with defending "individuals' right of conscience." In Heritage's telling, this means three things: Protecting the "rights" of medical professionals to refuse to provide family planning and abortion services, protecting the "rights" of Christian businesses to discriminate against non-Christians, and protecting the "right" to discriminate against gays.

http://equalitymatters.org/blog/201104210003">Click Here To Read More

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Conservatives have no business in talking about "government overreach."

That's the business they're in.

More of their incredible hypocrisy.

Recommended.

[wakemewhenitsover]

3. Exactly.

This is classic Republican doublespeak. Like the pollution-promoting "Clear Skies Initiative", this latest load of crap uses deceptive language to disguise its nefarious intent. Really pisses me off, I'll tell ya. :mad:

[Faygo Kid]

2. Yeah, and supporting the "consciences" of lunch counter owners in the South in the '60s.

Haven't we already resolved this? Apparently not.

[RetiredTrotskyite]

4. Conservatives Talking about "Conscience"...

Ha! Now that is rich. This is an effort by them to continue to be able to push their policies.

[plantwomyn]

5. Individual rights?

Really?

How about MY individual rights? Oh ya, denying MY rights is okey dokey.
Seriously, if a right is sanctioned by the state they have NO legs to stand on. Once you require a state sanctioned license in order for an contract to be recognized every citizen of this nation has the Constitutional right to equal protection of the laws and due process.

I have a marriage license, certified by the state of Iowa. The second my wife and I crossed the Mississippi we LOST our rights ONLY because of our genders. How can that be right under the Consitution?

BTW we cried.