[Vision2020] Out of Touch

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of today's (February 14, 2014) Lewiston Tribune with thanks to Brian Wolf.

-----------------------------------

Out of Touch
Romans 2:11 says "For God shows no partiality" but evidently some Idaho politicians do. The groundswell in citizen opposition in Boise to House Bill 427, the so called "Religious Freedom Bill," shows just how far out of step many lawmakers are with so many Idahoans.
The bill does nothing to advance "religious freedom," which is already enshrined in the First Amendment. What this bill does do is sanction the discrimination against the LGBT community as well as any other group a religion may deem as "immoral."
The bill is especially worrisome in that it aims to impose a moral code or religious law within the interpretation of state laws. What religious decrees does it endorse or ignore? Will a Protestant teacher be able to refuse instruction to Catholic students? Will a Muslim businessman be able to refuse service to a woman unaccompanied by a man? Does a physician who is a devout Christian get to deny treatment to a person who has remarried after a divorce? The problem with laws such as HB 427 is that it is impossible to say where the law begins and ends without singling out or favoring one group over another. These laws are inherently unjust, open to costly court challenges and represent a net expansion of government.
Freedom of, as well as from, religion is an important part of the fabric of our state. Nobody has the right to impose a religious decree on others, be it through Sharia law or through HB 427.
Brian Wolf, Moscow
-----------------------------------

Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)
http://www.MoscowCares.com
  
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

  
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20140214/f51353d6/attachment.html>