Comments on: New impetus for bill banning anti-gay bias at work

By: Randy Cragin

Randy Cragin — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:03:28 +0000

“It would exempt religious organizations, the military and businesses with less than 15 workers.”
If your a small business owner I guess you can retain your bigotry. But I guess you can’t expect to go after everyone, can you? The religious people have no core argument with this either. It’s not going to tell religious organizations they can’t discriminate themselves. But public companies should not be strong-armed by religious employers, which is possibly where most of the hate comes from.

By: Kari

Kari — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 03:27:36 +0000

Peter LaBarbera’s first statement wasn’t wrong. It is very true that corporate America is increasingly going out of its way to recruit gay and transgender employees.

But the vast majority of Americans work in small businesses, not Fortune 500s. And they are the ones who are most likely to be discriminated against and need these protections the most.

His second statement isn’t totally false either. Religious employees that harass other employees at big companies about their sexuality are likely to be fired. And they should be. Harassment is bad business.

Big business has, in most cases, sent a message to religious employees that they can believe whatever they want as long as they don’t harass their coworkers for not believing in the same thing. Those that are not smart enough to understand something so simple have no place in corporate America anyway.

By: Jessica K

Jessica K — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:47:47 +0000

First: “exempt businesses with less than 15 workers.” Why the hell do they get a free pass? This makes no sense, This logic is usually used to off set a cost to small employers such as for insurance costs. Do 15 straights and 1 gay make it a wash?

@Facebook user,
” So ALL sexual orientations … but illegal ones” There are no illegal sexual orientations! Pedophilia is not a sexual orientation! It’s rape and a power trip.

By: Warren

Warren — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:05:30 +0000

Jim Campbell’s argument is the whole reason we need this law enacted! Doe’s he hear himself…

By: DaveW

DaveW — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:46:05 +0000

it amazes me how these people think their followers are so stupid. Unfortunately, it must be true. Get this: Jim Campbell of the ADF says they must fight this because religious business owners don’t want to hire gays.

He’s using that as an argument for why the bill is bad, as if it is a side-effect. Its the core reason we need this bill. Haters will hear that quote and think flawed bill, must fight it, when it is their flawed bigotry that must be fought.

Too bad these people are so gullable…and too bad they don’t apply that to better sources of information so at least what they blindly soak up would be true.

Our first ammendment makes sure government won’t sponsor religion. It does not say that government must let religion ignore our laws.

Anyone duped by religion needs to wake up and that includes our community. Just like Obama and most democrats, they take your money and use it against you.

By: Wayne M.

Wayne M. — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 01:56:11 +0000

I note the remarks by Peter LeBarbara of Americans for “Truth” About Homosexuality. Given the lies and hateful rhetoric on the website of that organization, I am not surprised that he is deliberately ignorant about how LGBT people face discrimination when it comes to employment and accommodation. I do not support discrimination against people for their religious views, but when religion is used as an excuse for hateful rhetoric against any group, including LGBT people, then religious rights and free speech right are being abused. If “religiously devout employees” in any field make homophobic comments about fellow workers, students (at schools), patients or clients, then they deserve to be fired for abuse of their positions.

By: Don Roberts

Don Roberts — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 01:49:16 +0000

It never ceases to amaze me that bigoted people work under the guise of religious freedom to promote their bigotry and hatred. By now I would think that Americans would be fed up with outsiders telling them how they should believe and react. Fear may be based out of ignorance and can be overcome, but bigotry is based out of hatred and quite frankly bigoted people need to be shut down no matter who they are. It’s high time Focus on the Family and other groups of its ilk loose their not-for-profit status and get run out of business permanently.

By: Facebook User

Facebook User — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 01:28:42 +0000

Good one bialogue…but I am sure the bill says, as noted above:
“would prohibit workplace discrimination – including decisions about hiring, firing and wages – based on sexual orientation or gender identity.” So ALL sexual orientations … but illegal ones, will be protected.

By: JonnyBoy

JonnyBoy — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:39:34 +0000

Fortunately, bialogue, the verbiage of the bill specifies sexual orientation and gender identity, not “gay men and transgender people” as the defining terms. You, I and any straight folk out there will be “protected” from discrimination.

By: bialogue

bialogue — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 23:10:13 +0000

That is really great news that there soon may be legal protection for gay men and transgender people from bias in the workplace. We’ve all been working very hard for that.

But as a cisgender woman I’m made a little nervous here. When do you think there might be a bill offering the same protection for lesbians and bisexual people too?