Likely Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush today ran into rapper Ludacris today, and said some not nice things about same-sex marriage and religion.
One of the first things any good politician learns is to know their audience.Â
Jeb Bush, former GOP governor of Florida is son and brother to U.S. Presidents and grandson to a U.S. Senator. He knows his stuff.
Today, looking somewhat nervous, awkward, and unkempt, Jeb Bush delivered a short speech to the Georgia legislature. On the way in, he met rapper and actor Ludacris, who was being honored for his charity and work advocating for school vouchers.
Never thought @Ludacris would be my opening act! His foundation does great work pic.twitter.com/RsF00SQgOw
— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) March 19, 2015
The Georgia House is currently debating a horrific "religious freedom" bill, supported by Georgia resident and Fox News contributor Erick Erickson. Erickson is also the editor-in-chief of RedState, and says the only difference between ISIS and gay people is the killing.
The Georgia Senate passed the bill, the Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or SB 129, earlier this month. Yesterday, the Daily Beast reported if it becomes law, SB 129 "will make the state one of the most anti-LGBT places in the country."
So, with that in mind, Jeb Bush talked with Georgia lawmakers today on the subject of "religious freedom" and same-sex marriage.
"Religious freedom is a serious issue, and it's increasingly so, and I think people that act on their conscience shouldn't be discriminated against for sure and there should be protections," Bush told lawmakers, as the Washington Post reports.
"As it relates to marriage equality that may change, the Supreme Court may change that, that automatically then shifts the focus to people of conscious [conscience?] that out of their faith may want to act on their faith and may not be able to be employed, for example or may not want to provide services for a gay wedding. People I think have the right to do that just as we need to be respectful of people who are in long-term committed relationships. Sorting that out is important."
To be clear, Bush did not attack same-sex marriage directly, but he used it as a straw man to claim that because same-sex couples are now getting married, some people might not want to be involved with those weddings and marriages, and so they may find they "may not be able to be employed" as a result.
In fact, the marriage of a same-sex couple would not be at fault, but that person's chosen religious beliefs would be.
Big difference.
So much for the party of personal responsibility.
Bush has wrongly been framed by some in the media as a kinder, gentler Republican. We've heard those words before. They were used to describe his brother – whose campaign in 2004 was responsible for the dozens of unconstitutional same-sex marriage bans that a decade later the nation is striking down.
Â
Hat tip: Ed O'Keefe/Washington Post
Image via Twitter
Â
