Sessions releases guidance memos on 'religious freedom' & it targets your rights

[DonViejo]

By Bil Browning · Friday, October 6, 2017

Attorney General Jeff Sessions released guideline memos on so-called “religious freedom” laws today that, for the most part, targets women seeking birth control and LGBT rights. The guidance mirrors Christian fundamentalist request for the freedom to discriminate.

The memos direct US Attorneys, department heads, and federal agencies to “effective immediately, incorporate the interpretative guidance in litigation strategy and arguments, operations, grant administration, and all other aspects of the Department’s work, keeping in mind the President’s declaration that ‘it shall be the policy of the executive branch to vigorously enforce Federal law’s robust protections for religious freedom’.”

The directive gives sweeping protections to companies that want to deny health coverage like birth control to employees, instructs attorneys not to “second-guess the reasonableness of a religious belief,” and would allow employers and businesses to ignore any law if they claim a religious belief – even if it’s not a tenant of their faith.

While the directives mention both sexual orientation and gender identity specifically, it sidesteps the issue of LGBT rights by punting the issue to Congress and effectively tying the hands of the government from providing discrimination protections for the community.

“This Guidance does not resolve any specific cases; it offers guidance on existing protections for religious liberty in federal law. The Guidance does not authorize anyone to discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity in violation of federal law or change existing federal and state protections.”

more
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2017/10/sessions-releases-guidance-memos-religious-freedom-targets-rights

[spanone]

1. K&R...

[Tavarious Jackson]

2. These people are horrific!

[TeapotInATempest]

3. Fine. I'm going to start my own religion

and not hire straight white men. It'll be against my religious beliefs. DON'T SECOND GUESS THE REASONABLENESS!

[frazzled]

7. Well, I've been thinking that that is the obvious outcome if these abrogations of civil rights stand

If they want to let employers deny birth control or maternity coverage to their employees on religious grounds that are not to be questioned, then other employers should deny coverage to male employees for prostate medications or surgery or medications for erectile dysfunction: "against our beliefs."

If they want to let bakers refuse to bake cakes for same-sex unions, then other bakers should start refusing to bake cakes for heterosexual unions ... or Republican weddings. "Against our beliefs."

If you're a taxi or Uber driver, refuse to pick up straight white males.

Two can play at this game. And we should be prepared to do so.

[TeapotInATempest]

9. Yes. And then let them try to sue.

I'd love to hear their pretzel logic.

[Ilsa]

10. I think you need to get viagra tossed off your health ins plan, too.

If god wants your male employees to get boners, he'll make sure they get them!

I'd like to see all viagra production confiscated, but it's a long trip to Ireland. The County Cork Blue pill party!

[Angry Dragon]

25. If you get rid of Viagra then republicans will have to use their tongues for more than lying

[WhiteTara]

29. You mean they all have the same ability as Steve Bannon?

[Ilsa]

32. LOL! nt

[Angry Dragon]

33. You liked that??

[Shrike47]

4. Peyote use won't be prosecuted? Sure.

[TeapotInATempest]

6. I know, right?

[Achilleaze]

5. republicans getting real (ugly)

[Martin Eden]

12. Interesting burkas

The American Shamaban (Taliban) is coming along very nicely.

[Achilleaze]

13. Did you happen to notice that the burkas are red?

the color not just of the KGOP, Inc. but also of the evil empire* of russia. OMG.


* per ronald frikken reagan (r)

[Martin Eden]

34. Kinda hard not to.

They wouldn't be caught dead wearing blue.

[Pacifist Patriot]

19. The Handmaid's Tale is coming grotesquely to life.

[geardaddy]

24. +1 million

[Initech]

8. The religious right are just a bunch of dicks.

And religious freedom means the freedom to be a dick.

[Martin Eden]

11. MESSIAH LAW (US version of Shariah Law)

Of course, the American Right has constructed a messiah that would be unrecognizable to Jesus Christ.

They will institute the American Taliban (aka Shamaban) if we let them.

[safeinOhio]

21. Only. Difference in Shariah Law and

Mosaic Law is that you can work on Sunday and eat camel meat.

[Faux pas]

14. Kickin' with disgust

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

15. "To ignore ANY law if they claim a religious belief"...

(Do they understand the loophole they created?)

...EVEN IF ITS NOT A TENANT OF THEIR FAITH...

[dixiegrrrrl]

30. I'm gonna sue DOJ

It says businesses can ignore any law by citing religious beliefs, so why can't I drive 80 miles an hour in town?
Or shoplift?
or rob banks?

Anything I can find a bible quote to support is gonna be my religious tenant. Or someone else's.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

16. This was one of those posts I dreaded clicking the link to...

The hits just keep on coming! But it's stuff I need to know so thanks for posting it.

[NastyRiffraff]

17. And so it begins....

We're headed for a theocracy. Actually, we've been inching towards it for decades, but this is getting real. It's a theocracy headed by the most evil president ever. He's only doing this for power and control.

[Doreen]

18. "even if it is not a tenat of their faith"

Which means they do not have to be religious at all just be against all of these people. I take it if they claim rape of women is in their faith then rape is soon to be legal. Of course rape of females of any age will be legal but if a man is raped there will be all hell to pay.

Since the old testament condones the murder ( including genocide ) of people who do not believe exactly the way they do you might as well consider yourself dead.

We are moving into a sick sick sick time of our country.

[moda253]

20. That Sharia law the right wingers have been paranoid about....

is being implemented by the right wing.

[Ilsa]

22. The door is swung wide open:

...and would allow employers and businesses to ignore any law if they claim a religious belief – even if it’s not a tenant of their faith.

In other words, just say you are baptist, and that it is a tenant of your personal religious beliefs, not the denomination's faith, that menstruating women cannot work in your business. Or some other ridiculous shit. Like men who have male roommates. Or men who have female roommates.

[geardaddy]

23. Fuck that Keebler elf.

Get back to your treehouse. I'm hungry for some E.L. Fudges.

[Solly Mack]

26. K&R

Fuckers.

[58Sunliner]

27. I wonder if states can sue.

The directive would also allow Catholic hospitals to deny care to LGBT people, give companies the right to refuse to serve LGBT people, and would allow private companies to fire, demote, or otherwise punish any LGBT employees by claiming a religious exemption. The memo, while couching its broad religious exemptions from existing law, directly instructs attorneys to ignore the “Johnson Amendment” which prohibits churches from making political donations or endorsing candidates.
It's all about power. Fear based shits.

[Angry Dragon]

28. I notice a lot of hate in this thread...........Lettuce prey*

*moran spelling

[Kleveland]

31. Idiot zealots and religious radicals have no place in our Government!

Does anyone remember separation of church and state?

This so called Attorney general has no business foisting his perverted, inhuman and personal beliefs on this country, using his office as a platform.

He has broken his oath of office too many times to count, as has the so called POTUS.

He disgraces the station of AG, the Justice system and our Democracy using religion as a fulcrum.

This and so many other self interested actions being perpetrated upon this country, are beyond nightmarish proportions as far as human rights and personal freedoms.