In the real world, especially the criminal justice system real world, when a person concludes that the law does not apply to them and acts accordingly they are a criminal. In America, specifically in religious Republican America, when a person decides that the law, the U.S. Constitution, and a ruling by the nation’s highest court does not apply to them and acts accordingly they are just persecuted Christians exercising their religious freedom. Of course, if evangelical Republicans had their way, America would be governed by a Christian theocracy and despite the Founding Fathers’ best efforts to forbid a theocratic government, Republicans are pushing legislation to impose evangelical laws on the nation.
Even before the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of equal, civil, and due process rights applies to all Americans, evangelical fanatics and Republicans claimed they would never accept the High Court ruling according to the Constitution as law of the land; according to their special “religious freedom.” After the High Court’s ruling, the same evangelical fanatics and many religious Republicans lambasted the Court for adhering to the Constitution as judicial tyranny, and still claimed they would never accept that the 14th Amendment prevented them from discriminating against gays. Republicans and Christian fanatics were intent on exercising their religious liberty to discriminate against gays with impunity one way or the other, and they were very serious. So what evangelical Republicans in Congress came up with this week is a “ *novel*” piece of federal legislation that mirrors the rash of religious Republican state schemes to legalize discrimination against the LGBT community. The new legislation is a religious measure with one of those clever Republican titles, “*The First Amendment Defense Act*;” because calling it a Christian ‘*license to discriminate*” against LGBT Americans likely would not go over too well with anyone outside of their theocratic cabal. The legislation originating in the House protects bigoted Americans who oppose same-sex marriage according to their religion’s dictates, and according to language in the religious legislation, that license to discriminate also allows evangelical bigots, including for-profit corporations, to fire any woman who gets pregnant without being married…to a man. The law specifically prohibits the federal government from enforcing the Constitution, or anti-discrimination laws, against any religious fanatic, including for-profit corporations, who cites immunity from the law based on religious grounds. There is also a little section that forbids the federal government from revoking a non-profit’s tax exemption, or terminating any company’s federal contract for discrimination based on religious liberty. The specific language in the bill is written to protect evangelical bigots “*who believe that marriage is between one man and one woman*,” and that “*sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage*.” Simply put, religious Republicans are Hell-bent on forcing the federal government to toe the theocratic line and legalize evangelical discrimination. The oath of office they took to support the Constitution as the law of the land be damned. A legislative representative with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Ian Thompson, said that “*in addition to targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, the bill clearly encompasses discrimination against single mothers*.” As Thompson noted, the Republicans’ religious legislation specifically forbids the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) from protecting women from sex-based religious discrimination. Thompson said the Republican bill is also a theocratic maneuver to “*eviscerate anti-discrimination protections*” for LGBT federal contractors that President Obama signed <http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/212822-obama-signs-order-banning-lgbt-discrimination-by-contractors> into law just last year, and “*allows federally-funded grantees to turn away LGBT people from* (taxpayer-funded) *homeless shelter services or drug treatment programs*.” According to Thomson who stated the glaringly obvious, “*This bill is ‘Indiana’ on steroids*” in reference to the so-called “*religious freedom*” bill in Indiana that incited a national and corporate backlash. The Christian extremist who authored the House version of the theocratic edict, Representative Raul Labrador (R-ID), denied that the legislation has anything whatsoever to do with giving evangelical fanatics a license to discriminate against gays or unwed mothers. He lied like evangelical Republicans are wont to do and said <http://www.npr.org/2015/07/09/421528477/gop-pushes-first-amendment-defense-act-after-same-sex-marriage-ruling> oh heavens no, “*It’s just allowing people to continue to believe the way they do*.” One of his evangelical cohorts, Representative Bill Flores (R-Texas), said “*We’re not going to try to dance on the head of a pin here. This legislation protects an institution (*or for-profit corporation*) based on its sincerely held religious beliefs from persecution*.” It is, no matter how theocratic Republicans spin it, a religious license to violate the 14th Amendment. Senator Mike Lee, another theocratic Republican from Mormon Utah, introduced a companion bill in the Senate and said that if a business or university fires an unmarried woman for having sexual relations out of wedlock, “*they ought to be protected in their religious freedom*.” Lee also said that there are plenty of businesses, colleges, and universities “*that have a religious belief that sexual relations are to be reserved for marriage*,” and Lee understands that as good Christians it is their religious right to punish any employee who fails to adhere to the employers’ religious beliefs. The theocratic legislation is gaining momentum among Republicans who are mounting <http://thehill.com/homenews/house/247599-religious-freedom-bill-picks-up-momentum> pressure on Republican leaders in Congress to call a vote on the evangelical bill this month; before Republicans have to face religious fanatics at home during their recess. Speaker of the House, opponent of same-sex marriage, and ‘devout Catholic, John Boehner said that “*The Supreme Court’s decision on marriage raises a lot of questions and a number of members have concerns about the issues it raises. No decision has been made on how best to address these*.” Boehner is a liar; the decision has been made to address the High Court decision with legislation to prohibit government from enforcing Constitutional anti-discrimination laws. The bill has been referred to the Oversight and Government Reform committee that should be a red flag to any American that “*reforming government*” into a theocracy is the primary goal of evangelical Republicans. It is really unclear where in the Christian bible, or the U.S. Constitution, evangelicals find an edict authorizing them to punish Americans who fail to conform to their religious extremism. It is highly likely that they are adopting practices of Muslim extremists in the Taliban and ISIS who cite their “*religious freedom*” to punish non-compliant people. It is fortunate that Americans have a secret weapon to thwart evangelical extremists in Congress in President Obama’s veto pen, because it is apparent that they believe the U.S. Constitution does not apply to them and they are acting accordingly. The wave of anti-LGBT bills filed across the country continues to swell. As of today, lawmakers have introduced more than 85 anti-LGBT bills in 28 state legislatures. Some state legislative sessions have already drawn to a close, but other state legislatures will be in session for several more weeks or even months. So far this year 34 anti-LGBT bills in nine states have been defeated or failed to meet key legislative deadlines, but two have passed -- one in Arkansas <http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/hrc-arkansas-to-governor-hutchinson-veto-sb202-its-bad-for-arkansas-future> and one in Indiana <http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/indiana-house-passes-anti-lgbt-religious-discrimination-bill> . Among the recently introduced anti-LGBT legislation is a pair of bills in Nevada <http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/anti-lgbt-legislation-in-nevada-threatens-jobs-economy-and-minorities> that would allow individuals and businesses to use religion to challenge or opt out of laws, including laws that protect LGBT people from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations. Similar legislation was also recently introduced in Montana and is still pending in Arkansas, Georgia, Missouri, Texas and elsewhere. Bills that would allow adoption agencies to use religion to discriminate against eligible parents and guardians have been newly introduced in Alabama <http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/pair-of-bills-in-alabama-impede-adoption-of-children-in-need-of-loving-home> and Florida. These new bills are similar to a series of bills moving through the Michigan legislature <http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/michigan-advances-discriminatory-adoption-legislation> . Even in states with long traditions of support for equality, anti-equality lawmakers are introducing anti-LGBT bills. Massachusetts, for example, is the latest state with a bill that would criminalize transgender people for using appropriate restrooms. Anti-transgender "bathroom surveillance" bills have are nowpending in Florida <http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/anti-transgender-bill-in-florida-continues-to-advance-in-house>, Texas and a handful of other states. Collectively, this rising storm of anti-LGBT legislation underlines an increased effort to deprive LGBT Americans and other minority groups of basic protections. Across the country, HRC is joining state-based LGBT equality organizations and other allies to stanch the tide. Learn more about the current landscape of anti-LGBT legislationhere <http://hrc-assets.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com//files/assets/resources/2015_StateLegislation-Document_3_23.pdf> . [image: Anti-LGBT Legislation 2015] <http://hrc-assets.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com//files/assets/resources/2015_StateLegislation-Document_3_23.pdf> On Tuesday, November 17, 2015 at 9:54:46 AM UTC-6, KeithInTampa wrote: > > During one of your many wardrobe changes, you might point out just one of > these "created laws" that persecute Republicans, Christians and > Conservatives? > > On Tue, Nov 17, 2015 at 10:51 AM, plainolamerican <[email protected] > <javascript:>> wrote: > >> Typical hatred and goofiness from far left hate filled extremists who >> have no clue. >> --- >> says a religious myth believing zionist xian homophobe. >> >> Republicans, Christians and conservatives in general could care less >> what one does behind closed doors. >> --- >> so that's why they create laws that persecute lgbt's. >> >> It's your parading down our city streets clad only in assleess chaps >> and boas that we find troubling..... >> --- >> freedom and liberty doesn't just belong to religious myth believers. >> >> On Monday, November 16, 2015 at 9:19:07 PM UTC-6, KeithInTampa wrote: >>> >>> Typical hatred and goofiness from far left hate filled extremists who >>> have no clue. Republicans, Christians and conservatives in general could >>> care less what one does behind closed doors. It's your parading down our >>> city streets clad only in assleess chaps and boas that we find >>> troubling..... >>> >>> On Mon, Nov 16, 2015 at 6:55 PM, plainolamerican <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> xians and republicans would outlaw these if they could. >>>> >>>> On Monday, November 16, 2015 at 7:50:33 AM UTC-6, Travis wrote: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> http://www.buzzfeed.com/adamandeve/sex-toys-that-will-ignite-the-intimacy-like-whoa?utm_term=.rezqxRn0n#.dy6ZlK2L2 >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>> -- >>>> Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. >>>> For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum >>>> >>>> * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ >>>> * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. >>>> * Read the latest breaking news, and more. >>>> >>>> --- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups "PoliticalForum" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>> an email to [email protected]. >>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>> >>> >>> -- >> -- >> Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. >> For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum >> >> * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ >> * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. >> * Read the latest breaking news, and more. >> >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "PoliticalForum" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected] <javascript:>. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > > -- -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "PoliticalForum" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
