[Z]

On Tuesday, the Kansas House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a measure designed to bring anti-gay segregation—under the guise of “religious liberty”—to the already deep-red state. The bill, written out of fear that the state may soon face an Oklahoma-style gay marriage ruling, will now easily pass the Republican Senate and be signed into law by the Republican governor. The result will mark Kansas as the first state, though certainly not the last, to legalize segregation of gay and straight people in virtually every arena of life.

If that sounds overblown, consider the bill itself. When passed, the new law will allow any individual, group, or private business to refuse to serve gay couples if “it would be contrary to their sincerely held religious beliefs.” Private employers can continue to fire gay employees on account of their sexuality. Stores may deny gay couples goods and services because they are gay. Hotels can eject gay couples or deny them entry in the first place. Businesses that provide public accommodations—movie theaters, restaurants—can turn away gay couples at the door. And if a gay couple sues for discrimination, they won’t just lose; they’ll be forced to pay their opponent’s attorney’s fees. As I’ve noted before, anti-gay businesses might as well put out signs alerting gay people that their business isn’t welcome.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In addition to barring all anti-discrimination lawsuits against private employers, the new law permits government employees to deny service to gays in the name of “religious liberty.” This is nothing new, but the sweep of Kansas’ statute is breathtaking. Any government employee is given explicit permission to discriminate against gay couples—not just county clerks and DMV employees, but literally anyone who works for the state of Kansas. If a gay couple calls the police, an officer may refuse to help them if interacting with a gay couple violates his religious principles. State hospitals can turn away gay couples at the door and deny them treatment with impunity. Gay couples can be banned from public parks, public pools, anything that operates under the aegis of the Kansas state government.

It gets worse. The law’s advocates claim that it applies only to gay couples—but there’s no clear limiting principle in the text of the bill that would keep it from applying to gay individuals as well. A catch-all clause allows businesses and bureaucrats to discriminate against gay people so long as this discrimination is somehow “related to, or related to the celebration of, any marriage, domestic partnership, civil union or similar arrangement.” (Emphases mine.) This subtle loophole is really just a blank check to discriminate: As long as an individual believes that his service is somehow linked to a gay union of any form, he can legally refuse his services. And since anyone who denies gays service is completely shielded from any charges, no one will ever have to prove that their particular form of discrimination fell within the four corners of the law.

Supporting the bill on the House floor, Republican state Rep. Charles Macheers proclaimed that “discrimination is horrible. It’s hurtful. … It has no place in civilized society, and that’s precisely why we’re moving this bill.” The latter claim is absurd, of course—this bill is an explicit effort to make gay people’s lives miserable—but the former is absolutely true. Discrimination is hurtful and horrible, and it will also soon be codified into Kansas law, as other red states look on (and follow suit). Homophobes are nothing if not savvy, and while the judiciary dukes out the gay marriage issue, the shrewdest bigots have already moved on to the next battle. There might still be time to prevent such discrimination in bluer states. But in dark-red places like Kansas, anti-gay segregation is the new reality.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2...omination.html

by Mark Joseph Stern

[Shaun]

If you listen carefully, you can hear all the little friends of Dorothy realising they're not in Kansas any more...

[arista]

Yes America
a Split Nation

[Z]

Because of how vague and open to interpretation parts of this bill are... people could discriminate against literally anyone they like, claim it's because that person is gay and they are imposing on that person's religious views and the accused person can't do anything about it regardless of whether they're actually gay or not - very dangerously written piece of legislation and aside from being degrading to gay people, I bet it won't take long for someone to abuse this legislation big time.

[BBfanUSA]

Another reason to hate Kansas for me, (Sports related reason)

[zakman440]

That's absolutely disgusting. I thought we were past the days of discriminating against someone just because they're different.

[MTVN]

Stuff like this does sorta prove Putin's point about the hypocrisy of the US taking the moral high ground over homosexuality

[Z]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Stuff like this does sorta prove Putin's point about the hypocrisy of the US taking the moral high ground over homosexuality

Oh definitely

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Shaun

If you listen carefully, you can hear all the little friends of Dorothy realising they're not in Kansas any more...

Originally Posted by MTVN

Stuff like this does sorta prove Putin's point about the hypocrisy of the US taking the moral high ground over homosexuality

Indeed

[Niall]

I'm gonna throw up this is so disgusting

[lostalex]

To be honest I was thinking the other day about how I think prisons should be segregated for gay people. It was after reading a Guardian article about how gay people are victimized and face more violence in prison than heterosexuals, and i was thinking they really should segregate gay people into a separate prison, for their own sake. If it's okay to segregate prisons based on gender because women would face more violence, then why aren't they also doing that for gay men?

As far as this bill is concerned, if it becomes law it will go to the courts and be easily overturned. The more extreme these attempts by the republicans get, the more legal precedent they are setting when they get overturned, which is actually helping the gay(equal) rights movement.

[Nedusa]

This creeping anti-gayness is really starting to worry me.........!!!!!

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by Nedusa

This creeping anti-gayness is really starting to worry me.........!!!!!

creeping? it wasn't that long ago, only a few decades ago that they were putting gay people in mental institutions and giving them lobotomies and electric shock therapy, so let's not lose perspective. Things are moving in the right direction, and desperate bills like this are proof of that.

Like I said before, these type of bills are actually a gift to the equal rights movement because they are so easy to defeat in court when they are challenged. And once they are defeated in court, it creates an import precedent in the courts for all future cases.

[daniel-lewis-1985]

Originally Posted by lostalex

To be honest I was thinking the other day about how I think prisons should be segregated for gay people. It was after reading a Guardian article about how gay people are victimized and face more violence in prison than heterosexuals, and i was thinking they really should segregate gay people into a separate prison, for their own sake. If it's okay to segregate prisons based on gender because women would face more violence, then why aren't they also doing that for gay men?

As far as this bill is concerned, if it becomes law it will go to the courts and be easily overturned. The more extreme these attempts by the republicans get, the more legal precedent they are setting when they get overturned, which is actually helping the gay(equal) rights movement.

Because gay men aren't women they are still men and shouldn't be separated due to their sexuality. Most of the inmates probably wouldn't give a **** if someones a homo. Another reason lets be honest if there was all gay prisons it would just be a massive orgy.

Anyway back on topic this article is absolutely disgusting, it shocks me how these bills get passed lol I would love to be a fly on the wall when these meetings take place. I wonder how straight people would feel if they were sacked from their job for being heterosexual or not allowed to use swimming pools because of their sexuality it's ridiculous.

Its ironic that Kansas is famous with the gays down to The wizard of Oz with its abundance of "friends of Dorothy" fans.

Look these are god fearing states, what a sad way to live, in constant fear and bound by the 10 commandments. This is EXACTLY the same as it was for black people in the 1950's.

How would they even know if a person was gay anyway lol we don't all mince around wearing massive sunglasses whilst carrying our teeny tiny pet in our Gucci handbag. This law gives them the right to discriminate against anyone and everyone, all they have to do is say that they are doing so because the person is gay wether that person is gay or not. Just shooting themselves in their backwards, 7 toed inbred feet.

A protest needs to be done where straight people will be banned from shops, cinemas, pools ect for a week and see how they feel to be discriminated against.

I'm so glad I live in the UK where our rights however long they have taken to come about are now finally being recognised and supported by our government.

I wonder how Obama feels about this seeing as hes in favour of gay marriage and equality.

[Z]

Rape is a huge problem in prisons and gay male inmates are likely to be the first choice for potential rapists.

[Kizzy]

Don't gay men rape other men then?

[Z]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

Don't gay men rape other men then?

Probably, but my point was that being gay and in prison is like having a gigantic target sign on your back, in response to what Daniel said.

[MTVN]

Why would gay inmates be the first choice? If an inmate plans to rape another inmate then I don't see why the sexuality would factor into it

[InOne]

It will usually be the weaker inmates who get raped, gay or not.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by InOne

It will usually be the weaker inmates who get raped, gay or not.

Yep, the weaker / prettier ones. Being gay doesn't really come into it.

[Tom4784]

Rape isn't about sexuality, it's about power and dominance. Your average gay man would be at as much risk as anyone else.

[daniel-lewis-1985]

Originally Posted by Zee

Probably, but my point was that being gay and in prison is like having a gigantic target sign on your back, in response to what Daniel said.

Why do rapists fine gay men more attractive? lol If a man is going to rape someone it will be someone who is weaker then them.

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by daniel-lewis-1985

Why do rapists fine gay men more attractive? lol If a man is going to rape someone it will be someone who is weaker then them.

rape has nothing to do with finding someone attractive. rape is about power, and minorities are more likely to be victimized because they have less power.

The statistics are that gay men are victims of more violence in prison, period. So it is the prison's responsibility to do something about that. Some prisons already segregate based on race so there's no reason they can't do the same for sexuality.

As far as the person who made the comment about it would be one big orgy, that is idiotic.

[daniel-lewis-1985]

Originally Posted by lostalex

rape has nothing to do with finding someone attractive. rape is about power, and minorities are more likely to be victimized because they have less power.

The statistics are that gay men are victims of more violence in prison, period. So it is the prison's responsibility to do something about that. Some prisons already segregate based on race so there's no reason they can't do the same for sexuality.

As far as the person who made the comment about it would be one big orgy, that is idiotic.

That's what I said, the men being more attracted to gay men was a kind of *what a stupid thing to say comment in response to someone else saying it. I wasn't stating that hetros find gays more attractive.

I said rapists go after the weakest person but to be honest sexual attraction obviously plays a part in rape. When someone is attracted to someone they want to smash that persons back doors in but most of us can control that urge.

A rapist I imagine gets off on the physical attraction, being dominant and in control yet out of control at the same time ect but sex is pretty much based on attraction. Its not a black and white subject.

I don't know....Anyone on here a rapist? Could do with some clarification.

[lostalex]

There are plenty of unattractive people being raped, rape is not about sexual attraction. Retarded people, disabled people, elderly people, fat people are all raped.