Another setback on equality and human rights
So, America markets itself as the land of liberty and freedom.
Excuse me while I laugh.
On Wednesday Kansas apparently passed a bill that allows any organisation to deny service from same-sex couples based on religous beliefs. Since I don't know that much about the technicalities of USA legislation, I'm not exactly sure if this is a law yet, but I sure as hell know it isn't right. Even worse, the bill is apparently ambiguous enough that it allows discrimination against any gay people, not just couples. This includes hospitals, the police and even foster care. And the people who refuse services (etc.) due to their religion can't face a civil suit. The only saving grace so far seems to be that the manager of a nonreligous or government business has to find an employee who will serve the couple.
This is horrible, outrageous and frankly disgusting.
Freedom of religion does not mean you are allowed to discriminate against other people. Freedom of religion does not give you the right to practise your religion in whatever manner you want. Freedom of religion does not mean that everyone has to believe in the things you do or follow the religous code you do. And that means you have to interact with people who do not conform to your beliefs of what is appropriate and what is not, it means you can't shun them, you can't discriminate against them - not based on what you believe about the supernatural. Because freedom of religion means that no one gets treated differently based on what they do or do not believe in. Because freedom of religion means that in a country with multiple religions, the law cannot be based on any of them.
If anyone here is American please try to stop this. Here is a petition.
Excuse me while I laugh.
On Wednesday Kansas apparently passed a bill that allows any organisation to deny service from same-sex couples based on religous beliefs. Since I don't know that much about the technicalities of USA legislation, I'm not exactly sure if this is a law yet, but I sure as hell know it isn't right. Even worse, the bill is apparently ambiguous enough that it allows discrimination against any gay people, not just couples. This includes hospitals, the police and even foster care. And the people who refuse services (etc.) due to their religion can't face a civil suit. The only saving grace so far seems to be that the manager of a nonreligous or government business has to find an employee who will serve the couple.
This is horrible, outrageous and frankly disgusting.
Freedom of religion does not mean you are allowed to discriminate against other people. Freedom of religion does not give you the right to practise your religion in whatever manner you want. Freedom of religion does not mean that everyone has to believe in the things you do or follow the religous code you do. And that means you have to interact with people who do not conform to your beliefs of what is appropriate and what is not, it means you can't shun them, you can't discriminate against them - not based on what you believe about the supernatural. Because freedom of religion means that no one gets treated differently based on what they do or do not believe in. Because freedom of religion means that in a country with multiple religions, the law cannot be based on any of them.
If anyone here is American please try to stop this. Here is a petition.