Connect with us

South Carolina Senator’s Bill Would Legalize Religious Anti-Gay Marriage Discrimination

Published

on

A South Carolina state senator’s legislation would allow state employees to refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Meet Lee Bright. In 2009, he took his seat as a South Carolina Republican state senator, having left his prior employment as the head of his father’s trucking firm. On a campaign disclosure – Bright tried, and failed, to unseat U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham – he reported “owing 29 creditors between $1.4 million and $3.1 million,” according to The State.

Now 44 years old, Bright is on a mission to expand the right of South Carolinians to discriminate against LGBT people.

Bright moving toward his anti-gay goal by filing a bill last week that would exempt any employee who works for the State of South Carolina from having to do their job by issuing a marriage license to any same-sex couple. That state employee, should Sen. Bright’s bill pass and become law, merely has to claim they have a sincerely-held religious belief against same-sex marriage and they almost literally get a “get out of jail free” card.

“At the end of the day I want to know I did all I could, and I think it’s something we need to do to protect these judges so they can serve in these honorable positions without feeling like they betrayed their faith,” Bright said. 

But it’s not as if Bright has an internal fairness doctrine operating and wants to help or protect LGBT people, or judges whose faith supports same-sex marriage. “Faith” isn’t necessarily the driving force behind Bright’s bill. 

In January, Bright called for judges whose rulings support marriage equality to be impeached.

“Congress ought to stand up and do its job and impeach one of these federal judges,” Bright told a Tea Party group. “And I think when you do that, being a federal judge is a pretty good gig, and I think if you’ll impeach just one, the rest of them will do the right thing. And they’ll do it out of necessity, because self-preservation is an instinct that so many folks have.”

And in April, Bright railed against what he claims is “indoctrination” of college students into “the homosexual agenda.”

Sen. Bright was on C-SPAN with Family Research Council Action leader and reality TV star Josh Duggar, and announced, “we’ve got the homosexual agenda on the full march in our institutions of higher ed and we’ve gone from education to indoctrination, so we are in a fight — they have seized the educational establishment and we’ve got to take that back and we’ve got to get folks involved in that or otherwise that’s our next generation.”

Here’s Bright delivering an offensive speech on the floor of the South Carolina Senate, railing against LGBT people.

 

Image via Facebook
Hat tip: Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment
 
 

Enjoy this piece?

… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.

NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.

Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.

News

Trump-Loving ‘True Victim of the Pandemic’ Nikki Haley Slammed for Complaining Her Birthday Popcorn Order Was Late

Published

37 mins ago

on

August 10, 2020

By

Nikki Haley is once again being widely mocked for a tweet. A few weeks ago it was this tweet, which basically was a very effective ad for Joe Biden:

Now, it’s something far less political – or is it?

Monday morning President Donald Trump’s former U.S. Ambassador to the UN complained about… late birthday popcorn.

This one tweet seems to sum up the opinions of many:

Many mocked Haley for being tone deaf to Trump’s destruction of the U.S. Postal Service.

Many reminded the former Republican governor of South Carolina that we’re in the middle of a pandemic.

Many mocked her for her horrible record or priorities:

Many mocked her for her support of President Donald Trump:

And some, well, just mocked her for being cheap:

Continue Reading

AMERICAN IDIOT

Fox & Friends Furious ‘Gym Owners Are Dying,’ Because ‘Politicians’

Published

2 hours ago

on

August 10, 2020

By

“Fox & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade expressed anger Monday morning over gyms that are not allowed to re-open, or have to restrict the number of people allowed inside during the coronavirus pandemic. The number of COVID-19 cases in the country has doubled in just a few weeks to over 5 million.

“They’re dying. These gym owners are dying,” Kilmeade told his Fox News viewers, with not even a shred of understanding that in reality, 165,000 Americans have literally died from the virus.

“They have small margins anyway and they can’t do anything because these politicians won’t let ’em,” Kilmeade, clearly angry, snarled.

Kilmeade’s guest, “Body by Jake” creator Jake Steinfeld, told viewers, “Don’t quit,” and “be dilligent.”

But as soon as he started to give tips on how to stay healthy at home, which he said is “so important,” Kilmeade tried to cut him off.

“Gotcha,” Kilmeade said.

Watch:

Continue Reading

AMERICAN IDIOT

Trump Calls Mt. Rushmore Story ‘Fake News’ — but Then Says It ‘Sounds Like a Good Idea’

Published

4 hours ago

on

August 10, 2020

By

President Donald Trump attacked CNN and the New York Times for their story that the White House reached out to the governor of South Dakota about Trump being added to Mt. Rushmore. He claimed it was “fake news” but then proceeded to mischaracterize what the report actually said.

“This is Fake News by the failing @nytimes & bad ratings @CNN. Never suggested it although, based on all of the many things accomplished during the first 3 1/2 years, perhaps more than any other Presidency, sounds like a good idea to me!”

The report doesn’t say that he or the White House suggested the idea, it reported that the South Dakota governor created a mock-up of Mt. Rushmore with Trump’s face on it.

Still, Trump pivoted to suggest it’s “a good idea,” and posted a White House photo from July 3, of his face aligned with the others on the mountain.

 

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2020 AlterNet Media.