Before going any further, let’s establish a few facts:
I am straight, white, happily-married (for 46-plus years) male, a recovering Republican (40 years was more than long enough), in fairly good health. And while far from wealthy, my home is paid for and we live in reasonable comfort. My children are successful professionals and my grandchildren do well in school.
I am not a malcontent who bemoans every misfortune that comes my way. Linda Ronstadt’s Poor, Poor Pitiful Me is simply not my theme song.
Nor am I one of those oblivious optimists unable—or unwilling—to see or acknowledge the injustices meted out on those less fortunate. I will not allow myself to become blind to the suffering and hardships of others. Just as I do not want others judging me, I am likewise acutely aware that it is not for me to judge others.
I cannot, in good conscience, turn my back on someone because of gender, sexual orientation, economic status, or skin color. To do so would go against everything that the smartest man I ever knew taught me: my grandfather who had only a sixth-grade education but was smarter than any Ph.D. I ever met.
That is why my blood boils when I see those in positions of power deny the creature comforts to the less fortunate, or judge the lifestyles of those who do not think and act the way they do, or reject equal gender pay, or deny adequate medical care for the indigent or to even refuse to raise the minimum wage of the struggling working poor.
Bobby Jindal insists that those coming to live in this country should subscribe to his idea of “American Exceptionalism.”
But for someone who preaches freedom of choice, doesn’t such a requirement necessarily restrict that same freedom?
He even manages somehow to link his opposition to Common Core to the teaching of American Exceptionalism in our schools even though the Common Core curriculum is limited to English and math, not history. http://www.foxnews.com/transcript/2015/03/19/bobby-jindal-responds-to-criticism-from-muslim-activists/
But Bobby, you need to answer this question: where is your ideal of American Exceptionalism when you deny health care to 250,000 Louisianans or when your lap dogs in the Legislature vote to block an increase in the minimum wage so the single mom having to work two jobs can make a decent salary?
Talk is cheap and you, Bobby, are even cheaper. You’ve been bought and packaged by the Koch brothers, Grover Norquist and their ilk. And you know what, Bobby? When they’re through with you, they’ll toss you away like a disposable diaper, which somehow is a uniquely appropriate metaphor.
And lest anyone think that I am singling out Bobby Jindal for verbal abuse, let me assure you there is plenty blame to go around, beginning in Indiana and moving on to Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and to every coward who brandishes a Bible and wraps himself in the American flag in the name or religious freedom.
These are the people who, secure in their own insulated cocoons, insist that others less fortunate should be happy to live on minimum wage, go without health insurance, receive sub-par educations from deteriorating public schools while their own kids go to charter schools and all the while, expect the working poor and middle class to bear the burden of higher tax rates, thanks to generous exemptions and incentives written for—and by—the wealthiest of the wealthy, the membership of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
Indiana unbelievably, has passed a law removing the protection from discrimination by private entities against gay and lesbian citizens of that state—and Arkansas followed in short order.
Are you kidding me? Indiana and Arkansas seriously want to deny basic human rights and protection under the law for people simply because they are gay or lesbian? What’s next, burning witches at the stake?
The act does not restore religious freedom; we already have that. Instead, it rejects other basic freedoms for a class of people. That is discrimination by anyone’s definition.
Indiana Republican Gov. Mike Pence is trying to say the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) was not intended to enable discrimination, but try telling that to the owners of Memories Pizza in Walkerton. http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/04/01/3641622/indiana-pizza-discrimination/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tptop3
Crystal O’Connor, one of the owners of Memories Pizza, in defending the decision to refuse to provide pizzas for same-sex couples’ weddings, sniffed, “We are a Christian establishment.”
Oh, really? Well then, Ms. O’Conner, here are a few Bible verses for you to chew on:
- Matthew 7:1-3: “Judge not that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you.”
- Matthew 25:40: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
- John 8:7: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.”
- John 13:34-35: “As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples.”
The Indiana law comes with a potential high cost. All four coaches of the Final Four NCAA Basketball Tournament, scheduled to be held in Indianapolis April 4-6, have endorsed the NCAA’s position that discrimination should never be tolerated under any circumstances. Joining them are NASCAR, the Big Ten Conference, the NBA Indiana Pacers, the WNBA Indiana Fever, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, UConn Coach Kevin Ollie and USC Athletic Director Pat Haden. http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaabk/final-four-coaches-release-statement-on-indianas-new-law/ar-AAajTKT?ocid=iehp
You’d think that would be sufficient but even as Arkansas legislators were passing their own version of RFRA, major corporations, including Apple, Angie’s List, Cummins, Inc., Eli Lilly, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, and Arkansas-based Wal-Mart have called on Pence to repeal the Indiana law and for Arkansas Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson to veto the law. Hutchinson first said he intended to sign the bill into law though he has since buckled to pressure to send the bill back to lawmakers for tweaking. http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/31/politics/arkansas-religious-freedom-anti-lgbt-bill/
Even Republicans in Indiana have seen the light and are beginning to backtrack on their support of the law. http://www.thenation.com/blog/203001/even-indiana-republicans-are-telling-mike-pence-his-discrimination-law-wrong#
But even as they do so, lawmakers in North Carolina and Georgia have similar bills under consideration and former Florida governor and potential GOP presidential candidate Jeb Bush has expressed his support for the Indiana law. http://www.sfgate.com/nation/article/Jeb-Bush-defends-Indiana-law-as-he-seeks-Bay-Area-6171335.php
All of which begs the question: Have we as a nation gone stark raving mad? What happened to the great melting pot that was once America? This is what Jindal calls American exceptionalism? If so, stop the bus and let me off. I want no part of it.
I have worked with gay people find found them to be exceptionally intelligent and talented at what they do. As a newspaper editor, I once had a lesbian reporter working for me. She never hid her sexual orientation but neither did she flaunt it or let it interfere with her work as a professional reporter and we have remained friends for more than 35 years and continue to communicate by email on occasion. If I were a newspaper editor today, I would not hesitate to hire her. In fact, I would be proud to have her on my team again.
(I would be less than honest if I claimed I always felt this way. The truth is, in high school I joined with others in making life miserable for a gay classmate. He eventually dropped out of school because of our cruelty. I will carry the regret and shame for my act to my grave. That was most definitely not what my grandfather taught me.)
And even as I write this, State Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Bossier City) is considering introducing his own RFRA bill (the “Marriage and Religious Freedom Act”) for consideration during this year’s legislative session. http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/04/lgbt_louisiana_religious_freed.html
And then there is that arrogant Republican State Sen. Todd Gardenhire of Tennessee.
After his committee voted to deny 280,000 state residents access to health care by rejecting a plan to expand Medicaid, a-la Jindal, a play by the way that would have cost the state nothing, Gardenhire, who works as a wealth manager for Morgan Stanley, was confronted by an advocate for expansion.
Asked by one supporter of the expansion, Damien Crisp, if he would be willing to give up his own state-subsidized health insurance, Gardenhire responded by calling Crisp an “a**hole.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/01/todd-gardenhire_n_6986582.html
I believe it was President Truman who suggested if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Gardenhire obviously can’t take a little heat, especially after being caught lying when he earlier denied he received state-sponsored coverage.
The bottom line is this, just in case Jindal, Hutchinson, Pence, Bush, Gardenhire and Family Forum’s Gene Mills may have forgotten: Gays, lesbians, Mexicans, blacks, women, and the poor (along with others I may have missed) all belong to a group known collectively as human beings and as such, they have feelings, emotions, needs, families, dignity and rights.
They are American citizens and for anyone to try through legislation to deprive them of their rights and their dignity is nothing short of evil and even criminal—especially when it’s done so that some corporate CEO can get a bigger bonus and a better golden parachute that allows him to retire with a monthly pension many times more than the annual salaries of his employees.
If the Koch brothers, and their fellow CEOs from the corporate membership of ALEC would throw their combined talents and the money they spend on lobbying and dark money they funnel to super PACs behind a concerted effort to lift up those less fortunate, what a remarkable difference—for the betterment of all mankind—they could make.
As an alternative to pouring ever larger sums of cash into the lobbyist money pit that is K Street and into the pockets of self-serving, sanctimonious, out-of-touch politicians, work instead to bring jobs from overseas back into this country and make America the proud nation it once was, a title you long ago forfeited to influence and avarice.
The last time I went to church (which was last Sunday), I believe the lesson was that Christ was humble and that he aided the sick and afflicted. Perhaps if those among us with the resources and a true desire to help make this a better world would, instead of plotting how to gain even more wealth at the expense of the poor and the middle class, reach out to the weak and downtrodden, the experience might become a self-fulfilling prophecy of peace, hope and understanding.
Then and only then can we talk of exceptionalism.
Louisiana Voice 
Good points, Tom. It would appear most people who tout American Exceptionalism also believe in the Golden Rule, I. e., s/he who has the gold rules.
Send some campaign literature to this guy.
so very well said
Maybe it’s time to start discrimination against these so called christians, and boycotting these funky ass little churches.
I am just wondering what kind of preaching are these people listening to? It certainly is not from the New Testament. It seems to be a nationwide twisted form of Christianity. I also can’t quite get the connection between this twisted Christian lawmaking and the good of business, which usually controls politicians. Could it be that the “religious right” is not in agreement with the corporate money? Just hard to figure out.
It is all very puzzling, but in reference to what these folks are “listening to” – a friend & colleague said the other day that her parents who are Tea Party conservatives & life-long fundamentalist Christians living in rural Mississippi don’t even read their “regular” Bible anymore & have now begun exclusively reading something called the “Founders’ Bible” complete with political interpretation in the context of end-time prophecies. It’s frightening to contemplate the level of brain-washing that must be occurring in some of these “churches,” but one consolation is that most proponents of these extreme beliefs seem to be older people. While they may desperately try to indoctrinate their children into their rigid code of beliefs, the influence of the outside world is a constant foil. With regard to tolerance toward LGBT citizens, minds are changing & they’re only changing one way. Hope I live long enough to see this chapter in the American Civil Rights Movement settled in a positive way. What could be wrong with more people loving each other? How can a true religious faith preach hate?
Wonderful article, my friend. As one who considers herself as neither conservative nor liberal, I choose to see each issue individually and to make up my own mind as to its importance and validity. I am one of the Americans who is financially okay but not anywhere near being rich…unless I am compared to much of the rest of the world. So many of our neighbors are doing without basic needs, and the selfishness of those who have the power to make things better is appalling. Keep preaching. Maybe someday those who can make a difference will get it.
JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE FORWARDED TO MY EXTENDED FAMILY. POWERFUL PIECE!–WLG
I appreciate this post, especially today as we start Easter break. I too am a straight, white, happily married person who is a few years your junior. Sadly, I am also frequently an American ashamed of the arrogant hypocrisy of many elected officials.
All I want to hear from politicians about Race is when they are referring to the Human Race, Horse Race, or the Amazing Race. As for Sex, well, I’m already taken, but thanks anyway.
I wonder long it’s been since they’ve been given a good “shame on you,” “that’s none of your business,” or “wait until your father get’s home.” Based on their behavior, it’s been far too long.
It sickens me that the term “Religious Freedom” is associated with these recent bills. A more accurate representation would be “Religious DisCriminalzation.”
Arizona had a somewhat mild version of one of these RFRA laws and then the lege there tried to expand it to cover purely private disputes between individuals, Jan Brewer vetoed it. That was after getting some strongly worded messages from “bidness”.
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/2/26/brewer-gay-law.html
And here is an excellent piece on the legislation written by a law professor at the I.U. School of Law.
https://www.acslaw.org/acsblog/indiana%E2%80%99s-rifra-the-law-is-complicated-but-the-anti-gay-politics-are-not
Here’s a comment on Yelp about the pizza joint that said they would not “cater” a gay wedding.
😉
I don’t remember who said it but the comment “When fascism comes to the United States it will be carrying a bible and be wrapped in the flag” sounds a lot like Governor Piyush Jindal and many of his compatriots.
That was Sinclair Lewis. Huey Long said something similar:
“If Fascism ever comes to America, it will arrive under the disguise of Americanism.”
It may just be me, but isn’t “Americanism” the same thing as “American exceptionalism?”
Right on!
I am still waiting to hear what these bills are supposed to accomplish since we already have a national freedom of religion law. Please someone tell me.
Bigotry, oppression, discrimination … with the blessing, and maybe undertones of encouragement, of the law.
Mr. Aswell, excellent commentary sir!
This “idea”(??) of “American exceptionalism” is a scam and a total fraud. I served honorably in the US Marine Corps 1968-72 and served a tour in Vietnam with 5th Marine Regiment 1970-71 and from my experiences, at now 67 years old, I find that the only “exceptional” thing about this country we live in is the absolute hubris and arrogance of what passes for “leadership” of the country. Oh, I could and should add the total cowardice of many of our(?) so-called “leaders” who love war, as long as they are not involved in the fighting of said war, Mr. 5 Deferments Cheney comes to mind. He had “other priorities” or so he is on record as saying. Well sir, my buddies in 5th Marines had other priorities also, ours were to come home alive, hopefully with all of our original parts still in place.
H. Richard Hemmings, I think that quote is from Sinclair Lewis. I had that on a bumper sticker on my last Dodge pickup truck, sold it for a smaller car as we now live in an apartment and no longer need a ¾ ton truck.
I do not follow any religion, but I still do my best every day to treat ALL people I come in contact with the way I want to be treated. That way of living, I am certain predates ALL current organized religions and it is a very nice way to try to live.
I also have worked with LGBT people in my life time. We all have, we just may not have known it. Mostly, they do not wear signs telling the world of their sexual preferences, nor should it matter. Are they competent at their job? Well, if they are and are good people, why does what they do in the privacy of their homes with a willing partner matter to me? How does a gay couple being married harm me? From what I have seen in my life time, I’d say this old planet needs ALL the love and affection it can get.
Those xtians, I refuse to call them Christians, who spout this crap about how evil the LGBT folks are disgust me to no end. I am having to bite my tongue as I write this, my old “Marine Corps language” is trying to get out and really rip those moronic clowns.
I agree, these supposed religious people do not read their own holy book at all. The Jesus they claim to love told them to not judge others, he also told them that when they pray, they should do so in private, NOT on the streets as the hypocrites do. Oh, but these stains DO love to have public prayers/prayer meetings to flaunt their brand of religion.
I’ll stop now as my old “language” is straining very hard to come roaring out and rip them to shreds. Yes, I do try to be tolerant of others and their beliefs, but I have zero tolerance for STUPID. That absolutely includes lil’ Booby Jindal and his hangers on of course. America, what a country. Louisiana, what a state.
Thank you Mr. Aswell for an outstanding commentary and an excellent web site that I check every day.
What a post, Mr. Ambrose, and thank you so much for your dedicated service to our country!
I’ve reached the point, Mr. Ambrose, that I just have to view clowns like Jindal for the intended purpose of clowns: entertainment.
Rather than letting him (and others like him) get your blood pressure up and tempted to resort to “military language,” just listen to him on this audio feed just posted on The Advocate and laugh at the clown:
http://blogs.theadvocate.com/politicsblog/2015/04/02/bobby-jindal-religious-liberty-radio-iowa/
Hey, we don’t even have to pay for this clown show! Well, let me correct that. He gets a nice salary to put on these ridiculous performances.
[Note: I have no problem playing the clip on my iPAD or using Google Chrome. For some reason, however, at least for now, it’s not playing — or even showing up — in Explorer].
Semper Paratus my Semper Fi Brother!
Very well said sir!
And, heeeere’s Bobby…
http://blogs.theadvocate.com/politicsblog/2015/04/02/bobby-jindal-religious-liberty-radio-iowa/
Well, Stephen, I see you beat me by a minute or two. I was busy trying to get it to play on Explorer (unsuccessfully). Anyway, great minds think alike on getting clown show performances out for public consumption!
I, too, find myself ashamed of some of my actions as a youth. I think that realizing ones shortcomings is a part of growing up. I would like to think that our legislators would grow up one day, but feel that everyone has gone mad.
Anyone ever read “Dr. Ox’s Experiment” by Jules Verne. Maybe those in charge just need to go outside for some fresh air.
Mr. Aswell, this was an outstanding commentary.
I also have to say that I find myself very disturbed over so much of what is going on in the country and so many heinous comments posted by hateful anonymous people on too many websites.
Thank you to all of the wonderful, sensible folks that have responded so thoughtfully to this blog. You have buoyed my spirits.
Mr. Aswell:
Thank you for a passionate and compassionate piece.
Thank you Tom for the courage to speak out concerning the attack on LGBT by a discriminatory group of people who claim to be Christians.
The voices of the people who have commented on your post are wonderful reminders that there is more good in the world than evil.
My simple comment to all of this is ” If Jesus were here , what do you think HE would say or do about this”? If we want to be honest, we all know the answer.
Before we pass judgment on anyone because of race, sex, etc., we should ask ourselves that question and we will soon get an attitude adjustment.
Carmen et al – Jesus would tell us to love our neighbor as ourselves (Luke 10:27).
Bigotry, too, is a choice.
Great commentary Tom! I’ve always tried to judge peoples’ character by their heart and how they treat their fellow man even when they have nothing to gain. I will continue to do so and will also continue to fight the good fight as you and a few others do! Wars are won one battle at a time and I see these battles being won. Thanks for being who you are, sir, and I appreciate the Stephen Winhams, the Robert Burns, etc. who so eloquently put into words their observations and doggedly pursue the truth. My utmost respect gentlemen!
From The Advocate piece:
Calling the situation “gravely, gravely concerning”
Nah, lil booby. What’s gravely, gravely concerning is what you’ve done to this state in your two terms.
AMEN!
Demographics guarantee the progressive view will prevail. The bigots are dying off and are not being replaced. Young people are way more enlightened on this issue. The bigots use arguments that did not stand during the fight for civil rights. Their arguments still do not stand.
If accurate, this seems to sum up where we are and where the odd alliance yet conflicting message of religion and the extreme right originates. Looks to have started in the ’40s and ’50s. Considering that most voters in LA seem to favor social and religious issues in spite of economic issues in their candidates, imagine if the LA electorate were to become wise of this decades long con. If that’s even possible now.
Interview on NPR:
One Nation Under God
How Corporate America Invented Christian America
by Kevin M. Kruse
On how corporations hired ministers to spread “free enterprise”
So when they realized that making this direct case for free enterprise was ineffective, they decided to find another way to do it. They decided to outsource the job. As they noted in their private correspondence, ministers were the most trusted men in America at the time, so who better to make the case to the American people than ministers?”
On Rev. James Fifield:
He has a very loose approach to the Bible. He says that reading the Bible should be like eating fish: We take out the bones to enjoy the meat; all parts are not of equal value. Accordingly, he disregarded Christ’s many injunctions about the dangers of wealth, and instead preached a philosophy that wedded capitalism to Christianity.”
Some of us are old enough to remember signs in various places saying, “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone”. Not to use an NRA tactic, but this could take us back to those days since almost anything can be claimed to be a religious doctrine by somebody.
For a lighter, more ironic note, our old pal Kinky Friedman:
Oh lol! I’m wiping the tears of laughter from my eyes.
Thanks for your inspiring message — an America for everyone. We will be a stronger country when ALL people feel included and valued. To paraphrase you, when one person helps another up the hill — they BOTH get to the top. A big dose of your intellect and inspiration with frequency, please, Tom.
Isn’t it interesting the way these folks want to have it both ways? On the one hand, they want to assert how terrible President Obama is for the economy and how he has them struggling so hard just to survive. Then, on the other hand, they can assert business is so good that they can readily turn away business from some whom they don’t even dispute can probably afford their services the most and be loyal repeat customers. Incredible!
Good point Douglas.
Thanks Tom, for being a real patriot and standing for real American values!
A certain element always has to have someone to hate…..put down others to make themselves feel better.
Remember:
No coloreds
Chinese
Italians (Dagos and wops)
No Irish need apply.
Jews
Spics and wetbacks
No Indians off the rezz
Hippies
Vietnam vets
2015: Gays
It will be great fun watching the right wing faux Christian bigoted haters who want to establish a theocracy tear each other apart when they disagree with each other. Scuse me, suh, hold my magnolia while I slip into my burqa.
https://dakiniland.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/162008_600.jpg?w=590&h=404
Had to stop reading at “receive sub-par educations from deteriorating public schools while their own kids go to charter schools”. Must correct the assumption that public schools are sub-par and charters are the cure. In LA Katrina’s NO school destruction was used to gut public education so Jindal could privatize charters and his contributors could profit by it. It’s pretended success was used to start charters across the state.
An extension of Bush’s voucher scheme in which corporate interests robbed public funds and outsourced tutoring to India, Charters are as bogus as the corporations and politicians behind them. They refuse special needs, ESL and problem behavior kids that public schools educate so magically have higher scores..
LA charters are not required to employ certified teachers. Unlike public schools, when charters fail they simply change administrations and kick accountability down the road 3 more years. They rely heavily on Teach For America (with a multi-million dollar State contract) to provide quickie “certification” for unqualified, uncertified “teachers”.
The fact is that “failing” schools are found in impoverished areas where the social fabric is deplorable. Fix public education by fixing society. Charters certainly don’t do that.
My now-retired-teacher daughter agrees with your assessment of charter schools, and I completely agree with your statement that we consistently find failing schools in impoverished areas. Good points.
You misinterpreted what I was saying. Of course not all public schools are sub-par and charters are certainly not the answer. In fact, I have said repeatedly that charters are simply a means to enrich political friends. But the sad truth is charters take in only the better students and leave the rest behind, mostly in inner-city schools that are indeed failing.
You even acknowledged that in your second and third paragraphs (especially the employment of TFA teachers who are not trained educators) when you pointed out (correctly) that charters refuse special needs, ESL and problem behavior kids—which leaves those students for the public schools.
I have always said that most of the blame for poor performance among students can be attributed to poverty—a fact that the politicians refuse to admit or try to fix.
I totally agree with Alicia. My wife has worked at Parkview (not Baptist) Elementary for the past 25 years. Parkview was one of 2 schools in Louisiana to achieve Blue Ribbon status, the highest award a school can achieve. They did this without the ability to cherry pick students, following all testing requirements that the state requires, and being forced to keep disruptive students in their system. I would challenge any charter or private to do this with their 12 week course and poof! you’re a teacher staff. Parkview achieves an A or A+ year in and year out. Level the playing field and watch the charters and privates tumble. BTW, Swindal graduated from BRHS, one of the best PUBLIC high schools in the country and now he shows nothing but scorn for public education while loading the coffers of any faux school who will donate campaign dollars.
Sorry Tom. I posted this and saw you had entered your clarification right before me. Thanks for your response.
That’s quite all right. I encourage reader feedback, pro and con, and Alicia’s comment made me realize I did a poor job of conveying my point so I’m glad she spoke up. I think we’re all on the same page and that we all agree that Jindal/White, with the assistance of BESE, have inflicted severe damage to the public school system with his charters and TFA mindset.
Okay folks here we go! I do not remember the outrage and uprising back when President Clinton signed this legislation into law. The Indiana law is almost word for word the same. And why do we all jump on the bandwagon of persecuting Christians, if a baker refuses to make a wedding cake for a same sex couple, I’m sure there are ten others that would be more than happy to take their money and bake a cake. So why persecute a Christian business person who politely declines to make the cake based on their personal religious beliefs? Why be intolerant of this person’s Christian beliefs? I have friends, relatives, and work associates that are “gay.” We have no problems and we get along wonderfully. However, they know that if they were to have a same sex wedding ceremony there is no need to send me an invitation. Does that mean that I don’t love or respect them, no it doesn’t and they know it. The Christians I know don’t judge others as many who are against this legislation would lead you to believe. The Christians I know are concerned about being persecuted by an ever growing government that wants us to be free from religion rather than being able to freely practice our faith(as written in our founding documents). Now here are some Bible passages to go with the paraphrased quotes: 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and 1 Timothy 1:10. And really, who gets pizza at a wedding reception?
I think that the American Christians of modern times who seem to be concerned about being persecuted should perhaps find some way to travel back in time and find out what being persecuted actually means if they want to keep on tossing the notion about that there is persecution going on. As in asking the Jews who suffered through the pogroms in Russia and then the Holocaust what it really is to be persecuted. Or the Huguenots who had to endure the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre in France. Or either the Protestants or the Catholics who happened to be on the wrong side in England or Ireland. Or the victims of the Spanish Inquisition. How many American Christians have been forced to leave their homes, lost jobs, have been arrested and taken to labor camps, etc. because of religious beliefs? Or suffered through cruel and barbaric tortures designed to force them to recant their religious belief and adopt a different religion? The plain truth is that the idea that there’s some of persecution of Christians going on in the U.S. these days is so far-fetched that it really isn’t even worth discussing. Instead, let us all be very thankful for the tremendous wisdom of the Founders for leaving us with a nation of separation of church and state, which indeed renders genuine persecution such as the pogroms (of a Russian state in which the czarist government and Russian Orthodox church were indeed very closely tied) that people unfortunately had to endure in past times impossible to carry out.
There was no general outrage over the 1993 federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act because it is not at all similar to the Indiana bill, and was born of conservative/liberal anger over an unpopular U.S. Supreme Court decision. Same sex marriage was not on the radar in 1993 and is apparently not addressed in the federal law. The federal law “ensures that interests in religious freedom are protected.”
In 1997 RFRA was held unconstitutional as applied to the states, so some 22 states have since passed State Religious Freedom Restoration Acts.
The federal RFRA was passed in 1993, in response to a controversial 1990 Supreme Court decision affecting Native American religious practice that outraged both liberals and conservatives. The case was Oregon Employment Division v. Smith, and the Supreme Court upheld the Oregon decision against the plaintiffs. Two American Indians, private drug rehab counselors, were fired and denied unemployment benefits after they ingested peyote as part of religious ceremonies conducted by the Native American Church. Peyote has commonly been used in Native American religious practices for centuries.
The Supreme Court decision against the fired Native Americans outraged the public. Many groups, both liberal and conservative, joined to support RFRA, which they hoped would overturn laws that burdened a religion. The act passed the House unanimously, the Senate 97 to 3 and was signed into law by President Bill Clinton.
Many members of the Native American Church still had issues using peyote in their ceremonies. This led to the Religious Freedom Act Amendments in 1994, which state, “the use, possession, or transportation of peyote by an Indian for bona fide traditional ceremony purposes in connection with the practice of a traditional Indian religion is lawful, and shall not be prohibited by the United States or any state. No Indian shall be penalized or discriminated against on the basis of such use, possession or transportation.”
More recently, the RFRA figured prominently in the 2014 Supreme Court case Burwell v. Hobby Lobby. In the decision, Justice Alito stated that RFRA allowed the company to opt out of federal law based on religious beliefs. Hobby Lobby wanted an exemption from an ACA requirement that it provide insurance coverage for morning-after pills and similar emergency birth control methods and devices. In the Hobby Lobby decision, the Supreme Court allowed the company to determine which methods of birth control would be covered under its health insurance plans.
In 1993, same-sex marriage was not an issue and is apparently not mentioned in the federal law. However, RFRA was a component in recent controversies in Arizona and New Mexico over the rights of same-sex couples. In 2013 a New Mexico court, under RFRA, decided that a photographer’s refusal to document a same-sex couple’s commitment ceremony violated state public accommodations laws. In 2014 Republican lawmakers in Arizona tried to pass a state RFRA law that would have potentially legalized discrimination against gays by businesses that sell goods and services. Governor Jan Brewer vetoed the law.
The federal RFRA applies to all religions, but is most pertinent to Native American religions that are burdened by expansion of government projects into sacred land. By 1996, after just three years of existence, 337 cases had cited RFRA. It was also found that Jewish, Muslim, and Native American religions, which make up only three percent of religious membership in the U.S., make up 18 percent of the cases involving the free exercise of religion.
Oh, and please don’t throw Jindal in the mix, he’s just another self serving politician who couldn’t get re-elected in this state for any position.
You were awhile weighing in, Sidwit. We missed you. But frankly, the entire Republican Party is beginning to sound and act like Jindal. Kinda scary.
I think Jindal is a self-serving tool and I hate the Republican Party almost as much as the Democratic Party. But I do think you are wrong on this issue. That’s what makes this country great. We all have opinions and we are free to discuss them in a civil manner.
A justice of the peace or a minister should not be made by the government to perform same sex marriages if it goes against their religious or morale beliefs. At the same time, a wedding photographer or a caterer shouldn’t be forced to do a same sex wedding if it truly goes against their religious beliefs. And Why would you want them there if they weren’t comfortable? There are plenty other people that would cash the check and the world would go on. The LGBT community is acting like the mob in trying to destroy anyone that disagrees. The fact of the matter is that many people disagree and shouldn’t be forced or bullied into agreement. This law was merely an attempt to protect those rights.
First, ministers cannot be forced to perform a marriage. An argument supporting this type of legislation based on this inaccuracy is fatally flawed. Second, if justices of the peace, photographers, caterers, florists, etc. do not wish to serve any customer who is willing to pay for their services, then those people should find another line of work – though how they will manage to avoid being contaminated by sinful persons in some other line of work is a mystery. Third, prior to passage of civil rights legislation these same people – or their ideological ancestors – were using the exact same excuse of religious belief to treat blacks as second class citizens. There is zero difference in discriminating against blacks and discriminating against gays in the name of faith. Finally, if you still believe a Christian has a right to refuse service to certain people with whom they disagree then state the verse(s) you believe provide the scriptural authority for that position and give some evidence that belief is sound doctrine.
Fairness2014:
I understand your position but I really believe this issue goes much deeper than simply being uncomfortable catering to a gay wedding. I believe this is only a first step by the Republican Party. If this flies, even more restrictive laws will be enacted on the same principle as the frog in the boiling water: if it’s boiling when you put him in, he reacts; if the water’s cold and is heated gradually, he is boiled alive and never protests. (Of course that’s a myth because the frog will try to jump out as the heat increases, but we’re talking political realities, not theory, here).
Should this become the law in all 50 states, what would be the next logical move? Probably to eventually make being gay illegal and gays subject to expulsion from schools and churches and businesses being allowed to arbitrarily fire gays. Maybe even open the door to prosecution for being gay.
Chip. Chip. (That’s the sound of democracy being slowly dismantled.)
Then what? Well, there are those pesky blacks that need to be put in their place. Let’s create all-white church and charter schools. Oh, wait. That’s already been done—unless a smart black student can throw or run with a football or shoot a basketball. In that case, let him in, but be selective. Leave the other blacks in the rotting inner city schools. No one cares about them. We’ll just teach the kids that the earth is only 6,000 years old, that climate change is a myth and that our elected officials are all-knowing benevolent leaders.
Chip. Chip.
The rights of workers to bargain for fair wages? Fuggetaboutit. Wisconsin’s Scott Walker has passed that state’s right to work law that takes that advantage away and depresses wages so corporate CEOs can get bigger bonuses—and other states are certain to follow. Of course Louisiana led the way on that issue back in 1974. And look what has happened to union membership since. Gutted and powerless. LABI on the other hand? All powerful and feared by legislators.
We’ve already seen businesses in this country go from defined benefit retirement plans for employees to defined contributions, i.e. 401-K plans whereby employees must take care of their own retirements. That’s fine for upper management who can afford to make contributions to their plans but for the rank and file trying to feed, clothe, educate and house a family, it’s a bit of a challenge. By the way, how is your 401-K holding up? Do you feel secure for your retirement yet?
Chip. Chip.
We’ve already seen what the U.S. Supreme Court has done with its Citizens United. That decision has taken the decision making process completely out of the hands of voters and handed it to the money players. Your vote, whether you know it or not, is already bought and paid for. Your free will to vote for the candidate of your choosing left the building along with Elvis.
Extreme? Yes. Certainly. Frightening? Of course. Realistic? You better believe it.
Chip. Chip.
And that’s why I am opposed to RFRA.
Mr. Aswell, I find it interesting that you claim this RFRA law is part of a Republican plot. I guess the democrats move to take away individual rights is okay since they are not republican? You state that if all 50 states enact this legislation gays will be illegal. Really, we have illegal aliens in this country and the government doesn’t treat them as illegal, so why would believe that being gay would subject you to Nazi like oppression? However, if politicians(both parties) continue to try to re-define the Constitution and continue to take away individual rights we are all screwed. We are all created equal and have the right to the pursuit of happiness, unless you are an unborn child in this country. Not wanting to bake a wedding cake for a same sex couple for religious reasons is not persecution. Persecution is a militant LGBT group attacking individuals for having a different religious belief than they think you should have. And your comment that blacks will be persecuted for religious reasons is laughable. Most blacks don’t think that gay rights is a civil rights issue. Democrats specifically have been doing their best to take work initiatives and the work ethic away from people especially blacks since the war on poverty started in the 60’s. The words of Martin Luther King ring hollow today.
Workers bargaining for a fair wage? Skilled workers are getting harder and harder to find these days. Those of us in business put together pay packages to attract and keep good workers. If you don’t you don’t get good workers. We are non union, yet our pay scales are above prevailing wage rates. Not every business owner is a greedy bastard. Right to work laws don’t suppress wages. Labor unions were once a needed organization, here of late they have morphed into conduits for political donations to democratic candidates that are hell bent on getting rid of a lot of the industries that are unionized.
As far as retirement, good employers offer good benefit packages to attract and keep good employees. The bottom line is that the individual is and always has been responsible for themselves. What do you have to say about Nancy Pelosi and her ilk that want to tax our IRA’s and who want to take away our HSA’s? What about social security that we have paid into but probably won’t be there when we retire?
I agree with your last point, unfortunately the Tillman Act and the Taft- Hartly Act were good but had no teeth. Unfortunately special interest groups and super Pacs run Washington and Baton Rouge. Until we do away with retirement for Congress, institute term limits, actually have transparency, and elect public servants we’re destined to crash and fail. It’s not just one party doing the damage either.
Tom Aswell, that is why I am also opposed to RFRA. Chip. Chip. We the people, are becoming irrelevant.
Turning to this completely bogus notion of Christians somehow being victims of “persecution” as justification for any kind of legislation that seems to grant a blessing on practicing discrimination should set off alarms in peoples’ minds. Let’s not forget how the Nazis et al. made an issue out of the supposed wrongful acts of the Jews, which was of course a completely false issue, and used that in the years leading up to World War II as justification for the Holocaust.