Connect with us

GOP Platform Committee Votes to Support Anti-LGBT ‘Religious Freedom’ First Amendment Defense Act

Published

on

Overwhelming Support for Anti-LGBT Discrimination

The Republican National Committee’s platform committee on Monday passed a wide swath of anti-LGBT amendments that were even more extreme than many of their own members had anticipated. Among them was a vote for an amendment calling for the First Amendment Defense Act to become law. FADA, as the bill in Congress is called, coincidentally is the subject of a hearing by the powerful House Oversight committee Tuesday morning at 10 AM.

The Amendment was easily passed by the GOP platform committee. A Family Research Council vice president tweeted the news:

The legislation is a so-called “religious freedom” bill that would give any person, along with most companies and corporations the right to discriminate against LGBT people, especially same-sex couples, if they say the have a deeply-held religious belief against LGBT people. 

Drafted in response to the Supreme Court’s 2015 marriage ruling, the First Amendment Defense Act would also gut protections LGBT people and same-sex couples have. It would allow employers to deny spousal and parental rights, including those given under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. It would allow non-profits and even government contractors the right to discriminate against anyone who is LGBT, if not doing so would violate their sincerely held religious beliefs.

Along with passing the amendment calling for FADA to become law, the GOP platform committee passed a plank that effectively says children raised in a “traditional” family are better off than children raised by same-sex parents or single parents.

Subcommittees voted for amendments that call for to the Bible being taught in schools and voted for transgender people to use the restroom of the gender they were assigned at birth. The full platform committee voted to keep a call for a ban on same-sex marriage in their 2016 national platform, and voted to support anti-LGBT conversion therapy. They also voted to define marriage the union of one man and one woman, only. 

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

‘STAY STRONG!’: Trump Appears to Concede GA Senate Races, Claims America Needs Him ‘More Than Ever’ to Check Democrats’ Power

Published

3 mins ago

on

January 6, 2021

By

With Democrats on the cusp of capturing the Senate, President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Wednesday morning to argue that America now needs him “more than ever.”

Trump appeared to concede the two Georgia Senate races from Tuesday,  but still not his own defeat in November. He again called on Vice President Mike Pence to reject President-elect Joe Biden’s victory during a joint session of Congress on Wednesday — something Pence cannot legally do.

“States want to correct their votes, which they now know were based on irregularities and fraud, plus corrupt process never received legislative approval. All Mike Pence has to do is send them back to the States, AND WE WIN. Do it Mike, this is a time for extreme courage!” Trump wrote.

He followed up in all caps: “THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, OUR COUNTRY, NEEDS THE PRESIDENCY MORE THAN EVER BEFORE – THE POWER OF THE VETO. STAY STRONG!”

Trump’s first tweet earned an immediate flag from Twitter saying, “This claim about election fraud is disputed.” Moments later, Trump appeared to backtrack slightly on his concession of the Georgia Senate races, falsely alleging election fraud and earning another Twitter flag.


“They just happened to find 50,000 ballots late last night. The USA is embarrassed by fools. Our Election Process is worse than that of third world countries!” he wrote.

Continue Reading

News

‘Trump is the Cause of This, Lock, Stock and Barrel’: Angry Republicans Blame President for Party’s Georgia Implosion

Published

55 mins ago

on

January 6, 2021

By

Republicans are on track to lose both Georgia Senate runoff elections — and many are saying that President Donald Trump is to blame.

With Rev. Raphael Warnock projected to win and fellow Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff in a strong position to pull off a victory, GOP strategists fumed to Politico that Trump sabotaged their chances of holding the Senate with his constant attacks on Georgia’s Republican governor and secretary of state.

“Trump is the cause of this, lock, stock and barrel,” said one GOP strategist.

Another Republican strategist said that Trump’s decision to make the Georgia elections all about himself pushed Democrats to the polls in record numbers for a runoff election.

“He is the Dems’ best base animator,” explained the strategist. “Look at how high turnout was on their side compared to historical trends. Look at how much their candidates raised. He steps back after Election Day and denies them that oxygen. He didn’t.”

Another Republican told Politico that Ronna McDaniel, who is Trump’s hand-picked leader of the Republican National Committee, should fall on her sword for the disastrous Georgia results.

“I think the blame will be spread around, but a party chairman losing a presidential election and losing the Senate majority should, out of honor, offer her resignation even if the committee doesn’t accept it,” they said.

Continue Reading

News

‘We Ain’t Got Your Back No More!’: Pro-Trump Protesters Assault, Threaten D.C. Police On Eve of ‘Save America’ Rally (VIDEO)

Published

2 hours ago

on

January 6, 2021

By

Two officers were hospitalized Tuesday night after hundreds of Trump supporters reportedly rushed a police line near Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington.

Video posted to Twitter by Brendan Gutenschwager, an independent journalist, shows the clash that occurred just before 10:15 p.m. at BLM Plaza and I Street NW, on the eve of today’s “March for Trump/Save America” rally.

About 200 Trump supporters marched to the police line, according to a report from the Washington Post.

“Punches were thrown at the line and a woman was bloodied,” the newspaper reported. “Police used pepper spray to help disperse the crowd. It was unclear how the clash started or whether any arrests were made. A D.C. Fire and EMS Department spokesman said a woman and two D.C. police officers were taken to a hospital with minor injuries.”

NBC News reported that as of 9 p.m. Tuesday, six people had been arrested in connection with the protests on the eve of today’s rally. Charges included carrying firearms without a license, possession of unregistered ammunition and firearms, and assaulting a police officer.

In another video posted by Gutenschwager, Trump supporters can be seen screaming at police.

“You don’t want to fuckin’ protect the Constitution, so you lost both sides of support,” one protester tells the officers. “We had your fuckin’ back, but we don’t have your back no more. We’re the veterans, we’re the business owners, and we had your back, but we ain’t got your back no more, because you don’t got our back.”

“Heads are gonna roll!” another protester screams repeatedly.

Watch:

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2020 AlterNet Media.