Lgbt employment protection? Absolutely not. Ugly anti-gay comments at work? Sure.

Apparently the idea that lgbts should be afforded decent job protections scares the right-wing Family Research Council.

I recently received an email from the organization about ENDA(the Employment Non-Discrimination Act) which reads in part:

The House Education and Labor Committee will soon begin debate on a bill that could do permanent damage to American liberty as we know it.

Under the so-called "Employment Non-discrimination Act" (ENDA), the government will order businesses -- including faith-based businesses -- to cast aside their personal beliefs and hire homosexuals and cross-dressers, even if the business or organization considers the lifestyle immoral.

Even groups like the Boy Scouts and child care providers aren't exempt from the bill's oppressive provisions.

Followed to its logical conclusion, ENDA is likely to result in reverse discrimination -- against anyone who disapproves of homosexual conduct, especially if they exercise their freedom of speech to say so. Will you add your voice to help stop ENDA?

Essentially, Congress would be establishing a caste system where the "rights" of homosexuals trump the First Amendment freedoms of employers and employees. At the very least, it will force people out of business because owners will be forced to spend huge sums of money on litigation if employees file lawsuits under ENDA.

There are so many inaccuracies in this claim. First of all, ENDA would contain an exemption for religious organizations. Secondly, FRC provides no proof regarding the potential lawsuits which would take place under ENDA. Thirdly, we have seen that cross-dressing claim so many times that it no longer has an impact.

But it's these portions of the email - ENDA is likely to result in reverse discrimination -- against anyone who disapproves of homosexual conduct, especially if they exercise their freedom of speech to say so and ENDA is likely to result in reverse discrimination -- against anyone who disapproves of homosexual conduct, especially if they exercise their freedom of speech to say so - which intrigues me.

Is the organization saying that any verbal statement against gay employees, no matter how rude or how demeaning, should be overlooked because it is simply a "religious objection to homosexuality?"

Is FRC saying that if I was employed in a state which legalized gay marriage and a fellow employee called me "deviant" because of my marriage, then I have no rights to complain?

Is the organization saying that if my fellow Christian employees started an organization and harassed me by placing the organization's anti-gay flyer at my cubicle that I should just take the abuse?

Or how about if I am harassed and called derogatory names by my co-workers simply because my sexual orientation?

These examples are not hypothetical situations. They actually took place and luckily the businesses in question had a policy which would protect their lgbt employees.

All businesses should have policies to protect their employees.

It seems to me that someone is trying to establish a caste system, but it's not Congress. It's the Family Research Council.

Related post:

Giving you $15 lies for free: The one time we *do* wanna use ENDA to put FRC out of business