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Religious Leaders Hope Hobby Lobby Gives Leverage for Anti-LGBT Discrimination

By caheidelberger on 2014.07.03

This week's Hobby Lobby ruling gives District 33 residents all the more reason to vote for Robin Page to replace Phil Jensen as their State Senator. Last session, Senator Jensen tried to legalize anti-LGBT discrimination under the risible guise of protecting his co-religionists from homosexual bullies. Left in office, Jensen may follow the lead of religious leaders who are already trying to leverage the Hobby Lobby ruling into a defense for Jensenesque discrimination:

...A group of faith leaders is urging the Obama administration to include a religious exemption in a forthcoming LGBT anti-discrimination action.

Their call, in a letter sent to the White House Tuesday, attempts to capitalize on the Supreme Court case by arguing that it shows the administration must show more deference to the prerogatives of religion.

"We are asking that an extension of protection for one group not come at the expense of faith communities whose religious identity and beliefs motivate them to serve those in need," the letter states [Molly Ball, "Hobby Lobby Is Already Creating New Religious Demands on Obama," The Atlantic, 2014.07.02].

I'm not a Christian (and the fourteen individuals who signed the "Please let us discriminate" letter to the President appear to represent exclusively Christian organizations), so I'm going to need the believers in the audience to help me out. How does saying to a job applicant, "You're transgendered, so I'm not going to hire you" advance your Christian faith and mission? Or, more to the point of the planned executive order to which the letter seeks an exemption, how does requiring you not to deny employment to folks who've had sex-change operations or to men who kiss men when you take federal contracts for work in the secular realm hinder the free exercise of your religion?

If the Bible says, "Don't hire sinners," doesn't that reduce your job applicant pool to zero?

Phil Jensen fought last session for anti-LGBT discrimination as religious freedom. Religious leaders are picking up Hobby Lobby as a club to further promote that fight. We will need more legislators like Robin Page to fight back.

Published in South Dakota

caheidelberger

19 Comments

  1. mike from iowa 2014.07.03

    Absolutely amazing how fast a narrow decision widens. One would have to be in absolute vacuum denial not to see this coming.

  2. bearcreekbat 2014.07.03

    Cory, this is one of the most profound comments I have read from you: "If the Bible says, "Don't hire sinners," doesn't that reduce your job applicant pool to zero?"

    Well done!

  3. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.07.03

    Mike, you're right: no case stands in a vacuum.

    BCB, thanks! I'm not practicing Christianity—heck, I'm not even warming up! But in a Christian society, with Christians asking for Constitutional favors, it helps to be familiar with the basic principles.

  4. Roger Cornelius 2014.07.03

    This is just one of "what ifs" that have resulted from the Hobby Lobby decision, although there are many others, I have been following discussions on the direct impact of the Civil Rights Act.
    There is not a doubt in my mind that the SDGOP will take full advantage of this ruling and push it beyond reason.
    What else does Jensen have in warped little mind that he plans to use to discriminate?
    As Cory suggests, District 33 needs Robin Page, South Dakota needs Robin Page.

  6. Robin Page 2014.07.03

    As we are seeing, the impact of the Hobby Lobby SCOTUS decision is going to take America quickly back to a time that many have worked so hard to overcome. Over the last few weeks I have been working hard to frame my message to the voters and enlist the help of people from every political party. In 2012, Matt McGrath, an Independent, ran against Phil Jensen and spent about $30,000 and still lost. Phil has a loyal following of voters, with money, who support him. I am sure he will also have new PAC money coming his way this election season. I humbly request that all of you watching this South Dakota Senate race donate whatever funds you can. Donations can be sent to: Robin Page for SD Senate, 835 LeBlanc Drive, Rapid City, SD 57701. You can also donate to the campaign at any Wells Fargo Bank. Thank you!!

  7. Jerry 2014.07.03

    Now even religious schools get a pass. No wonder the Chamber of Commerce is spooked on this ruling.

    http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/high-court-grants-wheaton-college-plea-24420286

    The supreme court has decided that the presidency as well as the congress of the United States are irrelevant. They have decided that they are now your leaders, democracy has died in their eyes. So now we have 5 old white men in charge, kind of like when the popes ruled all those years ago. El Cinco stinko

  8. larry kurtz 2014.07.04

    "And the day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the supreme being as his father in the womb of a virgin will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter. But we may hope that the dawn of reason and freedom of thought in these United States will do away all this artificial scaffolding, and restore to us the primitive and genuine doctrines of this the most venerated reformer of human errors."
    – Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, April 11, 1823

  9. mike from iowa 2014.07.04

    So what does Jefferson know? He's a neo-commie,Marxist,socialist,god hating agitator like Obama. No wonder the BOE in Texas wants to remove him from history curriculum. Prolly likes fruit cakes,too.

  12. Deb Geelsdottir 2014.07.04

    Damn, I didn't notice that auto correct changed every HL to something different. HEAD is HL, as is HE. Of course, HL, stands for Hobby Lobby.

  13. grudznick 2014.07.04

    Happy 4th, Ms. Geelsdottir.

  14. Deb Geelsdottir 2014.07.05

    Same to you Grudz. I had a good time celebrating today. I hope you did too. And all the rest of you scruffy Madizens too!

  15. Deb Geelsdottir 2014.07.05

    Justice Ginsburg wrote a dissent to the mental midgets on the SC. There are a few excerpts here:

    http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/06/best-lines-hobby-lobby-decision

    Here is a sample:

    "Any decision to use contraceptives made by a woman covered under Hobby Lobby's or Conestoga's plan will not be propelled by the Government, it will be the woman's autonomous choice, informed by the physician she consults."

    Go get 'em Ruth, Elena and Sandra!

  17. Deb Geelsdottir 2014.07.06

    "Five votes. Five Catholics. Five men. One decision. Potentially millions of American women denied contraceptive coverage. This what the recent Hobby Lobby decision is about, but it also reveals three deeper problems–the sexism pervading the current Supreme Court along with its religious parochialism, a serious problem with the role that religion has come to occupy in American society, and the elevation of corporate rights and power that is strangling American society. "

    That is the opener of an article written by Hamline University professor David Schultz. He is most commonly used as a political expert on local television in Minneapolis.

    It's an excellent blog post, well-written, thoughtful, precise.

    This is Schultz conclusion:

    "More than 30 years ago political scientist Charles Lindblom contended that it was impossible to reconcile corporate power with democracy. He was correct. The powers given to property and corporations under the Roberts Court come at the expense of American democracy. It is a failure to recognize that democracy needs to be protected from capitalism and the ability of those with money to convert their resources into political power."

    Read it all here: http://schultzstake.blogspot.com/2014/07/five-votes-five-catholics-five-men-what.html#sthash.INiWcfK7.dpuf

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