There is a growing trend in legislatures to introduce “Religious Freedom” bills,
Some of the proposed laws are so very broad that they cover any law that a person finds offensive, while others just target LGBT non-discrimination laws. Those laws that just target us I think violate the Fourteenth Amendment, “…nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” because they single us out and not provide equal protection for us.
It should be interesting the first time these laws get challenged in court.
Anti-LGBT forces strike back with religious freedom billsThe conservatives have labeled anti-discrimination legislation as “special rights” when all we are asking is to be treated equally, while these bills put people above the law by allowing them not to obey any law just by claiming that it is against their religion. There is no test needed to make this claim, all you have to say is that this violates my religious beliefs and you do not need to prove it.
Washington Blade
January 27, 2015
By Chris Johnson
Amid a series of court rulings in favor of marriage equality, anti-LGBT forces are responding in state legislatures with bills that would allow discrimination to continue against same-sex couples.
The introduction of these bills — which range from allowing businesses to refuse services to same-sex couples to cutting off funds for the purposes of granting marriage licenses — comes as many conservative states are facing the reality of marriage equality delivered through court order and as the U.S. Supreme Court is set to deliver a nationwide ruling on the issue later this year.
Many of these bills, named Religious Freedom Restoration Acts, have the stated purpose of prohibiting the government from burdening an individual’s exercise of religion except to achieve a compelling interest, and only if that burden is the least restrictive means of reaching that interest.
But the wording in such legislation is seen as a thinly veiled attempt to enable discrimination by allowing businesses, such as florists and bakeries in the wedding business, to refuse services to same-sex couples, or by allowing court clerks to refuse to issue them marriage licenses.
Some of the proposed laws are so very broad that they cover any law that a person finds offensive, while others just target LGBT non-discrimination laws. Those laws that just target us I think violate the Fourteenth Amendment, “…nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” because they single us out and not provide equal protection for us.
It should be interesting the first time these laws get challenged in court.
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