After the election of President-Elect Trump, Republican leaders have been planning the next four years with the idea of a Republican president and a Republican controlled house. With a majority and the executive branch also Republican, leaders are discussing the kinds of legislation they would have a better chance in passing that were previously denied.
On June 17, 2015, Republicans introduced a bill to the House called the First Amendment Defense Act which essentially restricts the government’s power to discipline businesses when they are guilty of discrimination to the LGBTQ community. That discrimination could be in not hiring and refusing LGBTQ customers service. The Supreme Court ruled that same sex marriage was legal almost two weeks later, which makes the FADA unconstitutional.
However, despite unconstitutionality, Sen. Ted Cruz, (who co-sponsors the bill) and Sen. Mike Lee have publicly stated their intent to revive the bill upon the presidential election resulting in a Republican victory. Senator Cruz said, “The prospects for protecting religious freedom are brighter now than they have been in a long time.”
Christianity is led by the teachings of Jesus, a man who is compassionate, forgiving, a lover of people, and a pacifist. Yet somehow, those beliefs and teachings are twisted to support an agenda that goes out of it’s way to bully people that believe differently and to support the oppressors.
Having different opinions is one thing, going out of one’s way to make discrimination legal is unacceptable. Members of the LGBTQ are people and citizens who pay their taxes, yet one of the first topics of the Republican majority are about discrimination to the citizens they’re sworn to protect?
1 in 6 Americans face hunger every day. Flint, Michigan still doesn’t have clean water. Some citizens have to make fundraising pages to save their lives when diagnosed with cancer because they can’t afford it. 1 in 5 women on college campus experience sexual assault. Out of all of the issues to address to better the lives of American people, our elected leaders in Washington are wasting time and money trying to push an unconstitutional and discriminatory bill.
