Canada Journal – News of the World Articles and videos to bring you the biggest Canadian news stories from across the country every day
A Texas Republican senator introduced a measure Monday that would allow businesses and services to openly discriminate against LGBT people on the basis of religious beliefs, Lone Star Q reports.
The proposal, issued by Sen. Donna Campbell (R), would strengthen “existing protections for the ‘right to act or refuse to act in a manner motivated by a sincerely held religious belief.’”
Proposals of a similar nature were ultimately struck down in Kansas, North Carolina, South Dakota, Arizona, and Oregon. And this isn’t the first time Campbell has tried to pass discriminatory legislation; she tried to get a similar proposal through the state government last year, too.
But as Texas Monthly reported, it was met with some somewhat odd resistance, even from those who hold the same extreme right-wing beliefs as Campbell. Joe Pojman, executive director of the Texas Alliance for Life, said in a meeting over the resolution in 2013 that his group opposed her resolution because they were afraid “abortion would become a religious right and taxpayers would be forced to pay for abortions.”
Supporters of Campbell’s proposal, of course, have played the “war on Christians” card as justification for what is being called a “license to discriminate” by its detractors.
“There is a war raging in our country right now that threatens to eradicate religious freedoms,” said Jeff Mateer, general counsel for the conservative Liberty Institute last year. “The hostility against religious liberty has reached an all-time high. The attacks are increasing, and they are unprecedented.”
They are also imaginary. The beauty of the US Constitution is that it grants all Americans religious freedom, as long as those religious beliefs do not 1) influence the actions of the government, and 2) infringe upon the rights of others, which Campbell’s proposal clearly would.
Any rational person can see that Campbell’s plan is simply another attempt by the GOP to use religious freedom as a guise to discriminate against anyone they don’t like, which is everyone who isn’t white, heterosexual, and Christian. But like they say, everything is bigger in Texas, including hate.
Agencies/Canadajournal
I normally do not respond to reports but I must make a statement in this case. If a person chooses to be gay that is their choice. If a person chooses to be Christian that is their choice. Neither should be allow to FORCE the other to do what they want. Gay people have been sueing Christians over petty issue, like baking them a gay decorated cake or take their pictures while the Christian photograhy must watch and film their gay actions. This is clearly infringing upon the rights of the Christian to force them to do something that is against their fundimental beliefs. If gays want a cake decorated let the Christian decorate it like any normal wedding cake and they can purchase their gay figrines separate. Then both are able to do as they please without stepping on the toes of the other. It would be well for our nation if people would think first of their neighbor and then seek their own happiness by means of compromise rather than force. Whichever side is forcing the issue is showing a sign of self-centered agression.
I understand where you are coming from, however you don’t choose to be gay. You can choose to come out of the closet. However, the claim of someone from the LGBT community suing someone over a petty issue isn’t very common. However, a lawsuit/law regarding Christians against the LGBT community is typically more predominant. It’s not usually regarding not having same-sex figurines, but the refusal to even decorate it as a regular cake. Both sides are at fault, that’s what the problem in life is. No matter which side I would stand for, I’ll have someone angered with me. I am truly not trying to come off as harsh or narrow minded, I really don’t. If I did, I’m sorry.