I am very confused by the First Amendment Defense Act, which would allow clerks like Kim Davis and other business owners to deny services to the LGBTQ community for "religious" reasons.
Firstly, I would like to investigate what these "religious" reasons are. As someone who was raised Roman Catholic, I was taught to follow the commandments and pretty much act like Jesus. Can someone please point out to me where in the Bible Jesus refused to help a person because of their sexual orientation? Oh wait, you couldn't find it either? Good. Because it doesn't exist. Jesus was a character who gave up his life for all sinners. He viewed everyone equally; no one was any better than anyone else. And if these "good" religious folk who defend this act are quoting passages from the Old Testament, they should know better than to apply archaic teachings to our modern day progressive society.
So what I'm getting at is if you don't like someone, fine. It's a free country, right? But guys, in order for this country to be a "free country", we have to stop discriminating. Seriously. Didn't we learn anything from World War II? How nationally agreed upon antisemitism and discrimination led to atrocious human rights violations? Didn't we learn anything from the civil rights movement? From the Little Rock Nine? In 1957, the national guard had to escort nine beautiful children to and from school because of vicious racism and discrimination. The crime these children committed was attempting to receive an education in a racist community. From what I understand, the First Amendment Defense Act would make it fine for stores to discriminate based on sexual preference. The crime these shoppers would be committing is daring to enter a prejudiced boutique. Is our nation even serious right now? Why can't we realize that as a country the First Amendment Defense Act makes all discrimination fine and dandy? What's to stop people from using this Act to discriminate against others? And can you imagine a world where signs on stores dictate whether you are genetically fit to enter or not? How can our capitalist nation survive if only select people can purchase goods in stores? If discrimination against Jewish people and African Americans didn't work in this country, because we are a "free country", then why do the Mike Huckabees of the world think this ridiculous Act will work?
If Kim Davis doesn't want to give marriage licenses to people because of their sexual orientation, and because of how she interprets her religion, then she should get a job that is more comfortable for her. Just like that racist faculty at Little Rock. If you want to discriminate against African American students, don't be a teacher! You shouldn't be able to prevent someone from receiving an education because of their genetically predetermined skin color. You shouldn't be able to prevent someone from going into a store because of their pre-determined sexual preference. You know why? Because that is called discrimination. And discrimination is NOT what this country is supposed to be about. I have no respect for haters, as it should be.