Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Religious Freedom Bill Consideration - Senate Bill 180 Wasting Taxpayer Dollars says Secretary-General Jordan Palmer

Representatives and senators in Frankfort and the District of Columbia continue to act in the name of so-called "religious freedom" and wasting tax dollars. When is the last time you heard of members of a religious belief they could not assemble? How about a church being closed by the state? Our representatives and senators are twisting religion to further their own political agenda with yet another “religious freedom bill”. The constitution of this Commonwealth guarantees religious freedom, but not a license to discriminate.

But if we are to bring religion into this argument, ask yourself who did Jesus run to? The minority the state or majority persecuted or left behind.

One of the amendments to Kentucky Senate Bill 180 is the right to refuse service if you being democrat or republican violate their religious beliefs. Maybe this is for the best? Without large political parties, no one would tell our elected officials how to vote or what legislation to file. I have democratic, republican, and third political party views so what does that make me? It makes me an independent person with the ability to make up my own mind.

I will never understand those who oppose equality for all people. No one is taking any civil rights away from the majority; we are simply asking they be extended to the minority. Even so, our entire Union is littered with the chronicle of oppression of minority people.

You cannot be terminated in the Commonwealth for being a smoker, your age, gender, religious beliefs, etc. but you can for being LGBTI. Even after 14 years of activism, I cannot wrap my mind round this. The greatest thing that troubles me still is the amount of time is it takes the several states and the federal state to actually do anything about it. Normally, the courts that have to step in; this however is also the beauty of the "separation of powers" and our three branches of government.

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Kentucky Equality Federation vows to sue if Senate Bill 180 becomes law

The Interim Membership Committee of the Kentucky Equality Federation voted to permit the president or secretary-general of the alliance to sue the Commonwealth of Kentucky if Senate Bill 180 is passed by the House of Representatives and signed into law by Governor Matt Bevin.

Senate Bill 180 would legally protect businesses that, refuse to service gay and lesbian couples because of the 'religious beliefs' of management/owner.

This law is unconstitutional, just as it would have been more than fifty years ago when governments passed similar laws related to interracial couples, and 'white schools not permitting 'black students', the very notion of offensive. ” stated Secretary-General Jordan Palmer. “Having sued the Commonwealth for marriage equality in addition to forcing single religious views out of public schools, our legal department is more than ready.”

Palmer added: "This is absolutely ridiculous. What's next? Separate restrooms?"

The Kentucky Equality Federation alliance includes Marriage Equality Kentucky, Southeastern Kentucky Stop Hate Group, Western KY Community Education Project, Kentucky HIV Advocacy Campaign, and Kentucky Equal Ballot Access. The Federation funds alliance members and each receive a single vote for a unifying secretary-general.