Comments on: Roundup of Amicus Briefs Filed on Plaintiffs’ Side http://www.prop8trialtracker.com/2010/02/06/roundup-of-amicus-briefs-filed-on-plaintiffs-side/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=roundup-of-amicus-briefs-filed-on-plaintiffs-side Perry v. Schwarzenegger: Tracking the right-wing Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:45:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Lesbians Love Boies http://www.prop8trialtracker.com/2010/02/06/roundup-of-amicus-briefs-filed-on-plaintiffs-side/#comment-212628 Lesbians Love Boies Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:35:08 +0000 http://prop8trialtracker.com/?p=1710#comment-212628 I agree, here is my favorite quote of for today from an article out of North Carolina by a city council member: <strong>As for the complaint that taxpayers are forced to foot the bill [for same sex domestic benefits], Bothwell said, “There is a homosexual population here and they are being forced to pay benefits for straight people in this town.”</strong> <a href="http://www.mountainx.com/news/2010/city_of_asheville_moves_toward_same-sex_domestic_partner_benefits_for_emplo" rel="nofollow">http://www.mountainx.com/news/2010/city_of_ashevi...</a> I agree, here is my favorite quote of for today from an article out of North Carolina by a city council member:

As for the complaint that taxpayers are forced to foot the bill [for same sex domestic benefits], Bothwell said, “There is a homosexual population here and they are being forced to pay benefits for straight people in this town.”
http://www.mountainx.com/news/2010/city_of_ashevi…

]]> By: Ronnie http://www.prop8trialtracker.com/2010/02/06/roundup-of-amicus-briefs-filed-on-plaintiffs-side/#comment-212627 Ronnie Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:52:00 +0000 http://prop8trialtracker.com/?p=1710#comment-212627 I believe they would.....If they could. I believe they would…..If they could.

]]> By: David Kimble http://www.prop8trialtracker.com/2010/02/06/roundup-of-amicus-briefs-filed-on-plaintiffs-side/#comment-212626 David Kimble Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:15:47 +0000 http://prop8trialtracker.com/?p=1710#comment-212626 Some of my fondess memories are of camping and fishing with my Grandpa and just leaving the boy scouts out of it. It's a thought, many of the scout troops on the West Coast are affiliated with the Mormon Church - sorry I don't know much about other areas, but it is a thought. Love, David Some of my fondess memories are of camping and fishing with my Grandpa and just leaving the boy scouts out of it. It's a thought, many of the scout troops on the West Coast are affiliated with the Mormon Church – sorry I don't know much about other areas, but it is a thought.
Love,
David

]]> By: Ed-M http://www.prop8trialtracker.com/2010/02/06/roundup-of-amicus-briefs-filed-on-plaintiffs-side/#comment-212625 Ed-M Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:17:27 +0000 http://prop8trialtracker.com/?p=1710#comment-212625 "If you legitimize gays then we will be forced to treat them with respect or risk not getting government money." IOW, they are saying "If you legitimise gays we can't get government money to run our faith based gay-to-straight cult anymore!!! Waaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!" "If you legitimize gays then we will be forced to treat them with respect or risk not getting government money."

IOW, they are saying "If you legitimise gays we can't get government money to run our faith based gay-to-straight cult anymore!!! Waaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!"

]]> By: Ed-M http://www.prop8trialtracker.com/2010/02/06/roundup-of-amicus-briefs-filed-on-plaintiffs-side/#comment-212624 Ed-M Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:09:30 +0000 http://prop8trialtracker.com/?p=1710#comment-212624 Ronnie, they want elimination of homosexuality as well. IOW they want to kill us! The $64,000 question is, will they go to the extremes Hitler and the Nazis did in their campaign to rid Europe of Judaism? Ronnie, they want elimination of homosexuality as well. IOW they want to kill us! The $64,000 question is, will they go to the extremes Hitler and the Nazis did in their campaign to rid Europe of Judaism?

]]> By: fiona64 http://www.prop8trialtracker.com/2010/02/06/roundup-of-amicus-briefs-filed-on-plaintiffs-side/#comment-212623 fiona64 Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:57:45 +0000 http://prop8trialtracker.com/?p=1710#comment-212623 Dave, if it is your church, you can do whatever the hell you want (you should excuse the phrase) from a liturgical perspective. You can refuse services in that regard to anyone. That's your right under the 1st Amendment. Where your example falls apart is the soup kitchen. You're offering services to the public at that point, and that is not liturgical. That goes double if you are getting federal funds -- you cannot discriminate in what services you offer to the public to begin with, but when you get tax money you REALLY can't (if you see what I mean). That's why Catholic Family Services left Massachusetts voluntarily; they were told that, since they handle adoptions for the state and received government funding as a result that they could not have any religious requirements for adoptions and could not discriminate against gay and lesbian couples who wanted to adopt. They closed their doors voluntarily rather than comply with the law. Love, Fiona Dave, if it is your church, you can do whatever the hell you want (you should excuse the phrase) from a liturgical perspective. You can refuse services in that regard to anyone. That's your right under the 1st Amendment.

Where your example falls apart is the soup kitchen. You're offering services to the public at that point, and that is not liturgical. That goes double if you are getting federal funds — you cannot discriminate in what services you offer to the public to begin with, but when you get tax money you REALLY can't (if you see what I mean).

That's why Catholic Family Services left Massachusetts voluntarily; they were told that, since they handle adoptions for the state and received government funding as a result that they could not have any religious requirements for adoptions and could not discriminate against gay and lesbian couples who wanted to adopt. They closed their doors voluntarily rather than comply with the law.

Love,
Fiona

]]> By: Dave T http://www.prop8trialtracker.com/2010/02/06/roundup-of-amicus-briefs-filed-on-plaintiffs-side/#comment-212622 Dave T Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:49:33 +0000 http://prop8trialtracker.com/?p=1710#comment-212622 A question for anyone who can answer it... I just finished reading the Becket Fund brief & I'm not sure what to make of it. They go on at length about the problems that religious organizations will face if they are forced to stop discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation - some of the things they discuss are things I hadn't thought of, so I found it interesting. Personally, I'm of the opinion that your religious beliefs are no excuse for discrimination, but I guess they think it's ok. My question is this: to what extent are religious organizations shielded against claims of discrimination? For example, if I start a church and say that only white people can get married in my church, is that ok? Of course I'm going to claim that it's an important element of my religious doctrine that only white people are worthy. What if the church starts a soup kitchen for the homeless and then we bar anyone who's not white? Is that OK? If the church is looking for funding for the soup kitchen and we apply for a grant from the local/state/federal government, can I be denied because I'm refusing to serve non-white people? If a discriminatory policy is a matter of "deeply held religious conviction", isn't the government's refusal to help a violation of our religious freedom? A question for anyone who can answer it…

I just finished reading the Becket Fund brief & I'm not sure what to make of it. They go on at length about the problems that religious organizations will face if they are forced to stop discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation – some of the things they discuss are things I hadn't thought of, so I found it interesting. Personally, I'm of the opinion that your religious beliefs are no excuse for discrimination, but I guess they think it's ok.

My question is this: to what extent are religious organizations shielded against claims of discrimination?

For example, if I start a church and say that only white people can get married in my church, is that ok? Of course I'm going to claim that it's an important element of my religious doctrine that only white people are worthy.

What if the church starts a soup kitchen for the homeless and then we bar anyone who's not white? Is that OK?

If the church is looking for funding for the soup kitchen and we apply for a grant from the local/state/federal government, can I be denied because I'm refusing to serve non-white people? If a discriminatory policy is a matter of "deeply held religious conviction", isn't the government's refusal to help a violation of our religious freedom?

]]> By: Richard Walter (soon http://www.prop8trialtracker.com/2010/02/06/roundup-of-amicus-briefs-filed-on-plaintiffs-side/#comment-212621 Richard Walter (soon Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:06:38 +0000 http://prop8trialtracker.com/?p=1710#comment-212621 Felyx (@#108) taking his son to the Boy Scouts may not work, depending upon where he is. My husband made Eagle Scout, and is also a trained, ordained Lubavitcher Rabbi, yet when his son wanted to be in the Boy Scout, they told his son that he could not, because it would not be appropriate for his faggot father to be involved with the other adults or with the scouts. And to think, I was a boy scout once, and enjoyed it. But I can no longer support them. Until they allow LGBT parents to be involved with scouting to the same extent that the heterosexual parents are, they will receive neither any time nor any money from me. Felyx (@#108) taking his son to the Boy Scouts may not work, depending upon where he is. My husband made Eagle Scout, and is also a trained, ordained Lubavitcher Rabbi, yet when his son wanted to be in the Boy Scout, they told his son that he could not, because it would not be appropriate for his faggot father to be involved with the other adults or with the scouts. And to think, I was a boy scout once, and enjoyed it. But I can no longer support them. Until they allow LGBT parents to be involved with scouting to the same extent that the heterosexual parents are, they will receive neither any time nor any money from me.

]]> By: fiona64 http://www.prop8trialtracker.com/2010/02/06/roundup-of-amicus-briefs-filed-on-plaintiffs-side/#comment-212620 fiona64 Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:34:14 +0000 http://prop8trialtracker.com/?p=1710#comment-212620 PS - My father was the first male Camp Fire leader. When no one stepped forward in the local Council and it looked like our group would fold, my dad said he'd do it. Love, Fiona PS – My father was the first male Camp Fire leader. When no one stepped forward in the local Council and it looked like our group would fold, my dad said he'd do it.

Love,
Fiona

]]> By: fiona64 http://www.prop8trialtracker.com/2010/02/06/roundup-of-amicus-briefs-filed-on-plaintiffs-side/#comment-212619 fiona64 Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:33:16 +0000 http://prop8trialtracker.com/?p=1710#comment-212619 Camp Fire: <a href="http://www.campfireusa.org/" rel="nofollow">http://www.campfireusa.org/</a> I really enjoyed Camp Fire; when we moved, there was only Girl Scouts, and that just didn't seem like as much fun. Love, Fiona Camp Fire:
http://www.campfireusa.org/

I really enjoyed Camp Fire; when we moved, there was only Girl Scouts, and that just didn't seem like as much fun.

Love,
Fiona

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