Virginia bill to protect the religious is really about continuing the fight over same-sex marriage
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Version 0 of 1. Ever made whoopee out of wedlock? Be careful in Virginia, then. The relentless crusaders of intolerance who’ve been coming for others are now coming for you. These guys who were elected to help run the state but are crazily obsessed with what goes on inside your bedrooms have widened their crusade to give them even more opportunities to talk about sex. Virginia’s House of Delegates passed a bill 53 to 46 this week to protect the faithful from discrimination, alleging that anyone who says their religion doesn’t approve of same-sex marriage, the very existence of transgender people or any sex out of wedlock shouldn’t be punished for acting on their fears — I mean, beliefs. What does that mean? In Virginia, a gay person could be banned from joining a college student group, a lesbian couple could be kept from adopting a child and a transgender student could be denied counseling services, according to the ACLU. And in each of those cases, the person doing the discriminating won’t be punished and their organization won’t be affected. Here’s another scenario, a new one, and pretty unique to Virginia: If you’re an unmarried, heterosexual man with an STD, a doctor who says his religion doesn’t approve of your sexy ways doesn’t have to treat you and won’t face any sanctions for allowing parts of you — and maybe eventually all of you — to wither away. How’s that for the “Virginia is for Lovers” campaign? Better edit those bumper stickers. But don’t worry, cis-studs. You’re not really the intended targets. It’s all part of a nationwide anti-LGBT temper tantrum of the self-anointed keepers of all things religious who are still fuming over the decision by the Supreme Court, and most of the nation, to welcome same-sex partners into the institution of marriage. The proposed Virginia legislation arms “some, and only some, believers with a government sword to force their belief on others, or accord an unconstitutional government preference to some believers,” said Claire Guthrie Gastañaga, executive director of the ACLU in Virginia. It’s a paper weapon they’re trying to give themselves to promote the idea that there’s a war on religion. And although this bill uniquely targets all unmarried people — a tactical maneuver to try to make it more about religious freedom, less about same-sex relationships — the real goal is to rewind the country’s growing understanding and constitutional right-sidedness when it comes to same-sex relationships. “No matter how they say it, it’s meant to harm LGBT people,” Gastañaga said. Runaround legislation has popped up in states all across the country with yogic twists on what religious freedom actually is. Similar bills have been proposed in 12 other states this year. Their poster child is Kim Davis, the otherwise unremarkable Kentucky county clerk who has found dirty fame in refusing to do her job — issuing marriage certificates for legal, same-sex marriages. This brand of haters is flipping the script to call themselves persecuted victims. And part of their persecution insists that Christianity is allegedly being drummed out of America. Because yeah, Target’s Easter collection is getting so small with all the Purim tea-towel sets filling the aisles. Remember how great the Popeyes Lent menu was? Now all they have is the late-night, Eid al-Fitr drive-thru valu menu. Nah. I think we’re pretty well covered on Christianity, despite Starbucks’s red cups. And I’m pretty sure that the thousands of congregations, clergy and the millions of Americans who worship side by side with people who love all different ways would say that their belief in God, their own spiritual well-being and their personal journey of righteous living toward heavenly rewards is unaffected if the nice neighbors next door happen to be Adam and Steve. The Virginia bill passed within a veto-worthy margin, and Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) has said he will veto away. But that doesn’t mean the fight is over, or that it’s the end of folks using religion as a reason to overpower and to hate. Remember the words of German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller, an early supporter of Hitler who later went on to write this poem about the Nazi uprising: “First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out — Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me.” Twitter: @petulad Read more Petula Dvorak: |