Posted on 02/14/2014 7:48:21 PM PST by SeekAndFind
This week, the Kansas House of Representatives passed House Bill 2453, "An act concerning religious freedoms with respect to marriage." Despite its name, this bill isn't about religious freedom. It's about creating new special rights (yes, those dreaded special rights) for people with anti-gay views.
The bill would protect the ability of any individual, government agency, or "religious entity" (which includes a business operated in accordance with owner's religious views) to refuse service based on sincere religious beliefs about sex or gender, and to refuse to recognize any marriage or similar arrangement for those reasons — even if such service would otherwise be required under Kansas law.
In other words, a special new right to discriminate on a particular basis.
Republicans aren't normally keen on creating special workplace rights for public employees, but this bill would let government workers refuse to do their jobs if doing so conflicted with such sincere religious views. Let's say you work for the Kansas Department for Children and Families and you don't want to process a foster care application from a same-sex couple, even though that's within the agency's policy. Or you're a police officer and you don't want to respond to a domestic abuse complaint from a same-sex couple. If this bill becomes law, that will become your right.
The bill even creates a special new employee right for anti-gay people working in the private sector. Let's say you work for a national chain supermarket with a policy against discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation, and you're asked to make a cake for a gay wedding. Now, you can refuse, and your private employer "shall either promptly provide another employee to provide such service, or shall otherwise ensure that the requested service is provided, if it can be done without undue hardship
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
Freedom of association is not a “special right.”
Ping.
Good for Kansas! We all know where this immorality is heading-revoking the tax exempt status of Churches that won’t marry homosexuals.
Now they’re calling the First Amendment “special rights”. Turnabout is fair play, yes?
As if discrimination were a bad thing. The Constitution is a discriminating document. Deal with it.
Its not like we asked for affirmative action or anything.
The left is throwing monkey wrenches into good order and decency. Rebuke and ridicule are their just reward. Under no circumstances should we allow them in places of authority.
“Freedom of association is not a “special right.””
Bingo, spot on.
This is a GOD-GIVEN right of very basic liberty being reinforced due to corrupt judicial decisions elsewhere. Let these geeks whine while they suck each other in their highrise. Kansas does not give a damn.
Like pro-abortion activists do successfully?
The Kansas law is absurd. We don't need more laws. We 'should' already have the ability to pick and choose who we provide service for. This law only 'provides' protection based on views toward sex, gender, marriage etc. That is a very limited amount of empowerment.
Doesn’t sound like a special right to me. Sounds like they don’t want to be trapped by new special government powers that will force them to violate their conscience.
We like to call it "FREEDOM".
The bill would give employees the right to refuse to serve customers their employer wants to serve. Do you really think everyone should have that right?
freedom association is a horrible thing?
*grumble*
Poster AAC nails it right away.
If that is the case, then I’m mistaken.
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