A Twofer: Christian Republican WASHINGTON -- Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) defended the rights of private businesses to deny some services to same-sex couples and expressed discomfort at providing nondiscrimination protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. Jindal appeared Sunday morning on NBC's "Meet the Press," where host Chuck Todd asked him whether he supports ordinances in cities like New Orleans that say it's illegal to discriminate against the LGBT community in housing, employment and public accommodation and facilities. "I don't think, certainly, that there should be discrimination against anybody in housing and employment. That's not what my faith teaches me. I don't think that's appropriate, and I think the good news is that our society is moving in a direction of more tolerance," said Jindal. [] "My concern about creating special legal protections is that historically, our country, we've only done that in extraordinary circumstances, and it's not evident to me -- it doesn't appear to be one of those moments today," he added. The LGBT community wouldn't receive "special legal protections." Federal law already makes it illegal to discriminate on the basis of a person's race, religion, gender, national origin, age and disability. People can, however, still be singled out for discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
It’s ironic, since Christians, of all religious Americans, have not been restricted in any way whatsoever. They make up the overwhelming majority of the population. Every single major religious holiday in the US is a Christian one – and when other religions such as Islam request national recognition for a holiday of their own they are resoundingly shouted down by Christians offended at the very idea of any religious holiday not a Christian one. The symbols and fetishes of Christianity are everywhere in America. Caucasian bearded Jesus smiles or frowns from billboards along the highways, next to huge signs supposedly quoting the Christian God. Christian crosses hang prominently, proudly, from the necks of Americans wherever you look, and dot hilltops and sprout like weeds alongside our roads. Christian churches reside on nearly every street corner. Small towns across America vie for the title of “Most churches per capita” – I grew up in a small Midwestern town that claimed that very mantle for itself. Christianity owns its own schools, and its own radio and TV stations along with hundreds of cable channels, and pulls in billions, billions, tax free. Christianity even has its own amusement parks in America, but you don’t see any Jewish ones, or Buddhist, or Wiccan, or heaven forbid a Muslim one. When Christian fanatics such as Westboro Baptist Church stand on a street corner in America and scream hatred at the rest of us, including other Christians, we say, well, you know, we don’t like it but that’s their right. Let it be group of bearded men in Arab robes waving the Quran and see what happens. Go on, if you dare. When pastors want to make a political statement in America, it’s not the Bible they’re burning in front of the TV cameras, is it? Christians are hardly discriminated against in America, there’s no public “debate” when Christians legally purchase land and set about building yet another church – but ask to build a mosque in the middle of town, see what happens. No, Christians are not in any way discriminated against in America. But religion loves to pretend persecution, even when it basks in power and privilege. Nothing proclaims piety like martyrdom. And nothing threatens religion like having to respect other beliefs, not even when your God and his prophet specifically command you to do so. The only reason for “religious freedom restoration” laws, the entire reason for such laws, is to give legal protection to bigots so that they may openly treat others as less than full citizens under the shield of religion. --Jim Wright
All Alternet, all the time. How many deaths are these 6 modern day christian terrorist groups responsible for? Let's put the combined deaths these radical kooks have caused vs. the tally of, say, ISIS.
This is because these Christian fanatics - though repulsive - haven't carried out murder and the like in the name of their religion here in the states. The same cannot be said for fanatical Muslim extremists. As for pastors wanting to make a political statement, why would they burn the Bible? They're christian. However, if an Imam decided to burn the Bible, you wouldn't see Christians burn down any embassy as a result.