The Washington Post reports on That Letter. (Yes I’m going to run this to death. You bet I am. Those smug sanctimonious pieces of shit – we need to push back.)
Fourteen prominent faith leaders — including some of President Obama’s closest advisers — want the White House to create a religious exemption from his planned executive order banning federal contractors from discriminating against gays and lesbians in hiring.
A letter to the White House, sent Tuesday and made public Wednesday, includes the signatures of Michael Wear, faith director for Obama’s 2012 campaign; Stephen Schneck, a leader of Catholic outreach in 2012; and Florida megapastor Joel Hunter, whom Obama has described as a close spiritual counselor.
Obama calls a guy who makes a big point of his need to discriminate against people because sexual orientation “a close spiritual counselor.” Well shame on you then, Mr Obama.
The letter reminds Obama of his own earlier faith-based opposition to same-sex marriage, as well as the government’s massive partnerships with faith-based social service groups that work on issues including housing, disaster relief and hunger.
“While the nation has undergone incredible social and legal change over the last decade, we still live in a nation with different beliefs about sexuality. We must find a way to respect diversity of opinion,” said the letter.
But this isn’t about diversity of opinion, it’s about action. The “faith leaders” want to do things to people. There’s no good reason to do that because of beliefs about sexuality. None.
“An executive order that does not include a religious exemption will significantly and substantively hamper the work of some religious organizations that are best equipped to serve in common purpose with the federal government.,” it said. “When the capacity of religious organizations is limited, the common good suffers.”
Horse shit. There’s no reason a ban on discrimination “will significantly and substantively hamper the work” unless the faith-based bigots allow it to by sulking and pouting and slamming doors.
According to the Human Rights Campaign, a gay equality advocacy group, nearly 90 percent of the Fortune 500 already ban discrimination based on sexual orientation. And while many see full gay legal equality as a foregone conclusion, this week’s decision at the Supreme Court — saying corporations may claim religious rights in denying workers contraception coverage — shows that legal tensions between religious liberty and rights around sexuality and reproduction are far from resolved.
This is such a primitive, backward country. It’s embarrassing.
Obama is way to the right of Nixon, and about thirty years further behind the times. What’s it going to take for people to get that he is not our friend. Or anyone’s friend, for that matter. Obama takes care of Obama, and that’s all.
Please keep pushing this. The court decision will be taken full advantage of, and we need to hold snd to push back.
The religious folks are particularly full of shit, in this case. If they want to hire only people who are of their religion, they may do so, and have kind of a case, as long as the job is related to their religion. And that should eliminate the hiring of folks who do different things that the religion forbids.
But, jeeze, what does it matter what the employees do after hours?
Me, I have worked for two different religious agencies, while quietly atheist. It is not an issue that these churchly folk should be getting away with.
I’m glad you keep pushing this Ophelia. It’s important.
From the OP:
Why, religionists, why?
Should one not practice one’s faith first, without being swayed by Mammon? If YHWH really is offering an eternity in heaven for sticking to His principles, simply forgo these little earthly distractions. Such fair-weather christianity really pisses Jesus off. Instead, relinquish the contracts, in His glorious name, and He will repay you a thousandfold in the afterlife.
This reminds me of the Catholic church’s taking-their-bat-in when it was suggested that they shouldn’t discriminate against same sex couples adopting children. “Fine”, they said. “We’ll shut down our services and all these children will go un-adopted. That’ll show you.”
It showed us something, all right.
Keep pushing! I will, too. This is bloody intolerable!
sickening hypocritical doody-heads. Yes PUSH ON IT. I want to take to the streets.