Yet again The Oregon Family Council is spreading false statements about Senate Bill 2. Senate Bill two, which will be voted on tomorrow (Wednesday) in the Oregon Senate, is a comprehensive, statewide anti-discrimination bill that would outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation (yes our straight friends too!) and gender identity. It is expeccted to pass tomorrow as well.

So what is the Oregon Family Council saying? Well since you asked!

OFC claims:

SB 2, will grant special minority status protections to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals.

What I have to say about that...
If getting NOT getting fired from your job SIMPLY based on being gay or lesbian is a special right... then you are right, OFC. If being kicked out of a restaurant SIMPLY because you are gay is a "special right" then I sincerely apologize to the OFC. If being denied an apartment SIMPLY because you are a lesbian should be legal, then I apologize to the OFC.

Give me a break. If you for a second think that these three above things are "special rights" then you are severely mislead and frankly your arguments do not stand the rational basis test.

Second, the OFC claims:

They claim "The bill contains an inadequate religious exemption, and organizations such as churches, rescue missions or private schools could be legally forced to hire people based on their sexual orientation. What’s worse, the bill ultimately leaves it up to a judge to decide the “primary purpose” of a church, mosque, synagogue or other religious organization. Shouldn’t any group be free to decide their own purpose?"

What I have to say about that...
Give me a break. Read the bill bigots. The bill clearly states the opposite of what you claim and it is one of the broadest religious exemptions in the U.S.

Senate Bill 2 STILL protects bona fide churches and sectarian institutions in their employment practices; SB 2 would NOT force churches to hire an employee if that employee's sexual orientation is in conflict with church tenets-as long as the employment is related to the primary purposes of the church or religious institution.

AND.

Senate Bill 2, DOES NOT as The Oregon Family Council claims, creates new language in statute "leaving it up to a court to decide what is or is not 'closely connected with the primary purposes of the church.'" This exact language already exists in Oregon's current anti-discrimination statute (ORS 659A.006, Section 2, Sub C).

So stop whining, Christian extremists, about not being allowed to deny GLBT people basic human rights. Don't worry, you still have the full constitutional right to discriminate on any grounds that "do not meet your religious tenants".

Labels: discrimination, gay rights, legislature, oregon

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at 9:52 PM. Want to discuss? Leave a comment below.