Supreme Court Could Soon Open The Floodgates For More Anti-Gay Laws

[DonViejo]

DYLAN SCOTT – FEBRUARY 26, 2014, 12:15 PM EST

In an upcoming decision, the U.S. Supreme Court could either open the floodgates for a new outpouring of anti-gay discrimination laws -- or constrict the "religious freedom" movement just as it's getting started.

Whether Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer will veto Senate Bill 1062 has dominated headlines for the last week, and similar legislation has been introduced this year in Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, Kansas, South Dakota, and Idaho. The proposed laws would greenlight the refusal by businesses and individuals to provide services to LGBT people by requiring the government to have a compelling reason to interfere with someone's religious belief.

A closely watched case currently before the Supreme Court, Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores Inc., has nothing to do with LGBT rights, but everything to do with religious freedom. At issue is whether the federal government can require private businesses to cover birth control for their employees under Obamacare if the employer objects to contraception on religious grounds.

That's why advocates and legal experts say that if the justices rule that the health care reform law doesn't apply to those individuals and businesses, their legal reasoning could open the door for more discriminatory legislation. Or if they rule that it does, that could establish a new judicial foundation for striking down those anti-gay laws.

-snip-

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/scotus-hobby-lobby-arizona-anti-gay-law

[glinda]

1. We pay for them to banter this about over and over again.

Are they trying to suck States dry? Leaving them defenseless against "pig" oil, fracking, etc.....no money no projects equals more destruction of the land and helplessness. Less money for everything needed to turn things around. When is the public going to get sick of their deviations. Time is neigh. It is breaking my heart watching this....

[Bjorn Against]

2. I am a bit worried about that one, although I think in all probability they will rule the right way

I am guessing that at least one of the five right-wing justices will join the four sane ones and rule against Hobby Lobby. They may be evil, but they are not stupid and they do consider the precedent their decision will set. If Hobby Lobby were to win this case it would open the floodgates for all kinds of businesses to declare religious exemptions to the law, not just about contraception but potentially thousands of other issues as well. If declaring a religious exemption made them exempt from the law who knows what sort of religious beliefs CEOs would try to claim, the legal consequences would go far beyond Hobby Lobby and contraceptives and I don't think the Supreme Court wants to set that precedent.

Of course with as awful as the five in the majority are I could be proven wrong, but for now I am hopeful that they won't go down this path.

[William769]

3. thats why this is so important.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024566189

[glinda]

4. key words "human rights" on all levels. Take a look at Africa right now....

this for one...http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/africa-in-focus/posts/2013/11/12-natural-resources-africa-sy

and am sure a few names from the "Christian and Evangelical connected politicians and others have ties to industries that want to push their agendas as quick as they can.

It is a shell game. A smoke bomb. Lots of smoke bombs.