GOP US Senator Introduces Anti-Gay Pro-Discrimination 'Religious Freedom' Amendment

[DonViejo]

Source: The New Civil Rights Movement

U.S. Senator James Inhofe has just introduced a federal version of the anti-gay laws currently flooding state legislatures.

by DAVID BADASH
March 25, 2015 1:32 PM

-snip-

Yesterday, Senator Inhofe joined the ranks of those who claim to be oppressed, or fear being oppressed, for merely living by their deeply held religious beliefs – to be anti-gay and to discriminate against LGBT people.

Inhofe introduced a federal version of a bill currently making its way around state legislatures, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The state versions mandate that no person or business shall be forced to serve anyone, as long as they can claim that doing so would violate their sincerely held religious beliefs.

Pharmacists who don't want to issue contraception or HIV/AIDS medication? Covered. EMTs who don't wish to help gay heart attack victims? Covered. Insurance sales agents who don't wish to sell policies that include abortion coverage? Covered. And of course, bakers and florists who don't wish to work with same-sex couples who are marrying? Covered.

Inhofe's Amendment 381 "would seek to prevent the federal government from discriminating against individuals, businesses, or organizations based on their sincerely held religious beliefs regarding abortion or marriage."

-snip-


Read more: http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/davidbadash/gop_senator_introduces_anti_gay_pro_discrimination_federal_amendment

[uppityperson]

1. k&r for wider exposure of these asses.

[underpants]

2. Oh FFS! These pandering asses know full well any court throws this out due to public accomodation

What a waste of time.

[stillwaiting]

23. But then they get to be the persecuted victim in an evil society!

That's a huge benefit for them.

[underpants]

33. Yes that is the point

[BlueMTexpat]

3. Have the GOP hit bottom yet?

Their pit of ignorance is apparently bottomless, with a new low reached every day.

Their ability to do nothing but obstruct progress is only surpassed by their ability to wreck anything and everything that might possibly improve the world for everyone.

They also excel in their attempts to institutionalize bigotry, misogyny and racism. What sad pathetic morons they are!

[thecrow]

31. They would, like you said,

if only they would stop digging.

[Colorado Vince]

4. a king canute for all issues

gay rights, global warming, spin the Wheel of Ignorance!

[Laurian]

5. Which right wing "think tank"/organization is coordinating this shit?

It's popping up everywhere.

[underpants]

9. Usually Inhofe takes his orders from oil/gas/"energy"

[slumcamper]

11. Since cookie-cuter copies of this are being introduced in state legislatures

across the country, it suggests the hand of ALEC. Hate is very well organized and coordinated in this country.

You raise a question worth answering definitively, however. I'm merely speculating.

That aside, this evil is exactly the kind of nation we will live in if the Democratic Party cannot excite and rally sane voters to the polls. The lack of strong, public push back by our party's elected officials astounds me. Complacency amopunts to complicity, and silence is our enemy.

[erronis]

16. ALEC or another brand of cancer

They can metastasize into multiple infections. All getting nutrients from external hosts in order to cripple and kill the body.

Unfortunately the liberals, freethinkers, progressives, open-minded individuals of conscious are no match for the single-minded parasites.

Sorry - I got carried away - but only a little.

As long as our forums and conversations are willing and desirous of a free flow of ideas we are not going to be able to combat the propaganda corps of the RW. They will insinuate their tentacles into our discourse and pollute the discourse.

Sorry - I got carried away again.

[arcane1]

6. Why stop at abortion or marriage? There are other religious beliefs out there.

Why not allow EMTs to refuse service to Jewish people, or gamblers, or adulterers?

Answer: religion has nothing to do with it. It's hate.

[erronis]

17. Or Those poor Chosen people that put Their faith in Christ?

But then they wouldn't be asking for emergency medical services since Their Lord will solve all of Their Problems.

Funny how These people want Government to stay out of Their affairs unless government directly benefits Them.

If you detect some bitterness there's a reason.

[LibertyLover]

41. That's not going to happen - heck

I just read an article about that fraudulent faith healer Benny Hine. Apparently he's in a hospital down in Brazil for heart problems. Doctors and medical care for me, but not for thee.

[Iliyah]

7. History repeating itself in the USA

Jim Crow under another name.

[marym625]

8. Sometimes I just want to scream

[Delphinus]

10. Indiana

just passed this - waiting for Pence to sign.

[awoke_in_2003]

35. I see Pence is republican...

is he going to sign this thing?

[TheMastersNemesis]

12. Complete And Utter Insane Bullshit. Such Laws Should Be Unconstitutional.

Give me a Godamned break. Where will all this crap end and when will the public start getting into the face of an ass like Inhoff. This kind of demeaned religiosity will tear this country to shreds. We will be no different than the Middle East where even being the wrong sect of a religion will get you beheaded.

Refusing vital public services based on religious conscience is social anarchy that will actually get people killed or people will die. What if the only responder in a life threatening crisis denies service and the person dies because their is NO other responder available. What if a Christian refuses to treat a Jew or Moslem or a Jew or Moslem refuses to treat a Christian. Or a Christian has to ask if a person is an atheist before they respond.

WE HAVE TO END THIS SHIT NOW!

[central scrutinizer]

13. And if a gay person wants to buy an assault rifle?

This could be the old irresistible force vs. immoveable object conundrum

[Still In Wisconsin]

14. It is my deeply held religious belief that idiots, dipshits, and morons are evil

Therefore, the next time a known Republican comes to my place of work for anything (I am a university professor) I will tell them to fuck the hell off and send them on their way.

[Martin Eden]

15. Someone should tell Inhofe this bill doesn't have a snowball's chance!

[Politicalboi]

18. Where are the churches to speak against this?

But yet, we Atheist are supposed to have respect for religion. This IS what religion brings us. Crazy religious laws made by crazy religious nuts who got elected by more crazy religious nuts. How much farther will we go? I'm gay and an Atheist.

Religion is a Get Out of Jail card to hate.

[stillwaiting]

24. That's just it, isn't it!

They expect for me (as a LGBT individual) to respect them for their religious beliefs as they continue to attack me and others in the LGBT community.

I fail to meet their expectations daily.

[tanyev]

19. Just wait until some people don't want to sell to or interact with Christians.

"WAAHHHH!!! DISCRIMINATION!!!!!! PERSECUTION!!!!!!"

[starroute]

20. So it's all about sex

Not a word about "sincerely held religious beliefs" regarding war or the death penalty or poverty or animal rights. It's just about letting people finding sex ikky and not wanting to have anything to do with it.

[Beartracks]

37. Yes! Where's the legislation to allow the faithful to not have to pay for wars???

Seriously, Inhofe, put that in as a rider, thanks.

=================

[AngryOldDem]

21. This makes me ill.

Where this all could lead is just truly frightening.

[mountain grammy]

22. Because it's all about smaller government not intruding on our freedoms.

Yeah, right. Senator, you are a hateful and horrible person.

[EEO]

25. Government exists to protect the people from assholes like Inhofe.

[LynneSin]

26. Did I just wake up in 1984 and Reagan's body was exhumed???

God help us all!

[procon]

27. So... could I get paid to work, but not actually do the

job duties as required, just by claiming that doing so would violate my religious beliefs?

[DFW]

28. So this means Inhofe will exclude the senior senator from SC from the Republican cloakroom?

Naaaah, probably not.

[gregcrawford]

29. So what are the criteria for determining "Sincerely held" beliefs?

Or are we just supposed to take their word for it? I've never known a conservative that was capable of sincerity of ANY kind, unless it was a mindless hatred of anything not exactly like itself. They be plenty sincere about THAT shit!

[PSPS]

30. The real eventual goal: My religion says blacks can't sit at my lunch counter.

[Chipper Chat]

32. This means that Muslim-owned businesses could require customers

to wear headscarfs in they want to enter. Or they could post a sign saying "No Christians allowed as they violate my religious beliefs."
Can you hear Pat Robertson howling?

[awoke_in_2003]

34. I am waiting for the big round up of Muslims...

There were a lot of aspects about Nazi Germany I never thought I would see here- I have been unpleasantly surprised.

[Beartracks]

36. Discriminators Feel Discriminated Against, Seek Protected Group Status.

Man, the conservative right hit what they think is a gold mine by subverting the language of the oppressed to cover things like... oppression. That kind of wordplay is the sort of thing Republicans gleefully claim liberals do all the time -- like twisting the meaning of "is" -- so naturally it's something that they themselves are guilty of doing.

Seriously, why didn't the KKK think of this back in the 50's and 60's? "Negroes make me uncomfortable, and I don't believe I should be forced to deal with them. There ought t' be a law protecting my freedom of Christian expression."

Also seriously: If you're in business to sell widgets, then sell widgets. You're exchanging widgets for cash. That's it. You're selling widgets, not your soul.

Notwithstanding rendering unto Caesar (i.e. the state, or the secular world) what is Caesar's, Martin Luther succinctly summarized the duty of a Christian businessman: "The Christian shoemaker does his duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes."

================

[Hosnon]

38. Wait... why am I repeatedly told that the state RFRAs are no big deal because of the federal RFRA?

Hmm...

[blkmusclmachine]

39. Christian Nation The Novel by Fredric C. Rich

"Christian Nation is more than a ‘what if’ – as the ‘theocratic program’ unfolds our usual ‘So what?’ regarding fundamentalism of any variety becomes the real danger. What’s at stake is the heart and soul of American democracy. Philosopher and lawyer Rich has it right: we were not founded as a Christian Nation, but fundamentalists are ready to take on anything secular and progressive, and they see us as enemies who deserve to be vanquished."

—-Dr. James A. Kowalski, Dean, The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine

[davidpdx]

40. Does that mean if some pompous Christian asshole comes in to my store I can tell him to go to hell?

Or is that a special class under the bill?

[Hugin]

42. Boy, just wait 'till I unleash my "deeply held religious beliefs" on those a$$holes.

I've been waiting 30+ years for this...

It'll take their breath away.