How the Family Research Council exploits religion to justify discrimination, bigotry

Tony Perkins exploits religion.

One thing which helps the anti-gay right push the false notion of private religious freedom is their usage of language.

For example, I present to you a portion of a recent fundraising email from Family Research Council president, Tony Perkins:

As predicted, sexual revolution extremists are answering the question, "After they get national same-sex 'marriage,' then what?" Within four days of the U.S. Supreme Court decision imposing same-sex "marriage" on all of America, James Obergefell, one of the plaintiffs in the case, was part of press conferences of LGBT activists who proclaimed the Supreme Court victory was not enough.

He said, "Friday's historic ruling is a victory, but it's just the beginning."

I believe they are wrong . . . if people like you unite and take action now.

One article called the activists' plans "the next frontier."

This "next frontier" includes taking away your religious freedom. Obergefell and the activists called for laws that would:

• Abolish protections for religious employers to hire according to their sincere beliefs . . .
• Erase protections of religious employees to have a workplace not hostile to their beliefs about marriage . . .
• End protections for religious landlords to rent rooms or other property without violating their religious beliefs.

What's interesting about the last part of this excerpt is how Perkins uses dog whistles and evasions to make discrimination against lgbts sound like a noble and religious cause, i.e. religious liberty.

And bear in mind that he isn't talking about churches or religious organizations. Perkins is clearly talking about secular businesses run by people who may have a religious belief that homosexuality is a sin.

 Allow me to put it another way. Perkins is pushing the idea that

• Businesses should have the right to hire and fire employees on the basis of sexual orientation.
• Businesses should have the right to discriminate against lgbt employees if these employees are married. This means not allowing them to post pictures of their loved ones or invite them to company gatherings.
• Landlords should have the right to practice housing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Doesn't sound so appealing without the exploitation of religious liberty thrown in, does it? The sad thing is that we are clearly talking about discrimination. If Perkins was talking about discrimination against African-Americans, people of the Jewish faith, or any other group, his exploitation of religion couldn't hide his prejudice or animus.

It is a pity that when it comes to lgbts, Perkins has an available mainstream audience ready to at least take to heart what he has to say even though he is clearly in the wrong.

'SC State Senator who went on wild anti-gay tirade affiliated with Ted Cruz' & other Tues midday news briefs

Just in case you missed or hadn't heard this lovely tirade from SC State Sen. Lee Bright yesterday, here it is. It's interesting how he conflates the issue of keeping the Confederate flag up with that of  stopping marriage equality. Not surprisingly, he is affiliated with Senator Ted Cruz

Ted Cruz: America Facing Destruction Over Gay Marriage, A Hollywood Propaganda Effort – VIDEO - Who you can tell by this video, isn't marriage equality's best buddy. Two things lgbts should think about if they chose to support Cruz.  Neither your money nor your status will protect you. Those who know what I'm talking about know what I'm talking about.

This Is What Happens To Court Clerks Who Refuse To Issue Same Sex Marriage Licenses - They will be fined. It may seem harsh, but clerks are government officials and SHOULD do their jobs. 

Family Research Council, right-wing media caught lying about 'gag order' in anti-gay bakery controversy - Reposting last night's blog entry because we may have won marriage equality, but it hasn't kept the religious right and other folks from lying about us.

‘I deserve relief': County clerk wants taxpayers to help him avoid job duties on same-sex marriage - Actually his idea of filing for marriage licenses online isn't a bad idea, that is if we could trust some folks to not cause the requests to "disappear." 

 Ohio firefighter defends hateful rant against ‘delusional’ gay child: ‘This is Facebook’ - Because picking on gay child scared about his future is the "Christian" thing to do.

 Kobach: Adoption By Gay Couples 'Certainly Not Good For The Kids' - Pay attention. He is the Kansas Secretary of State and a "rising star in the Republican Party." Can you picture someone like him in national office?