Legalized discrimination bill is WRONG for Georgia - Call to Action! (Atlanta: home, school)

[ChristopherATL]

Originally Posted by 0nyxStation

That was the vibe I was getting from some of the "sky is falling" post on AJC. I figured I would come here to see the details of the fuss, but than I saw "Black People the boogie man is Coming" What is going on exactly. Are they making bill to lynch gays? Are they taking their land? What is happening here? Is this a beef with Christians? or Republicans? Someone clear things up for me.

There are two parts to this bill. Originally, it was just a "Pastor Protection" bill designed to reiterate the First Amendment right for pastors to decide who they marry. I personally have no problem with this.

The second FADA portion of the bill was added last week to include any individual who chooses to deny service or products to anyone else based on religious beliefs. This is the reason people are so angry. It would allow anyone, even racist a$$es out there, to refuse products and services to others based on religious beliefs. This would protect them if they get sued.

Look...I'm not making this stuff up. I have been following this closely since Friday. The author of the bill admitted this portion of the legislation would protect the KKK from lawsuits because they are registered as a religious organization. If you don't believe me, here is a link to that discussion.

Georgia 'Religious Freedom' Bill Could Protect KKK, Sponsor Admits | Right Wing Watch


All minorities should be angry about this. We all know how bigoted people can be inthe South and this will just allow them protections to hang their "Whites Only" signs back up without getting punished. Yes, the reason they are doing this is because they are pandering to their conservative voters in an election year...but make no mistake, this bill will hurt anyone who isn't straight, white and male.

[0nyxStation]

Originally Posted by ChristopherATL

Then maybe you need to educate yourself because this bill will allow blacks, interracial couples, unwed mothers, muslims and yes, the LGBT community to face state sanctioned discrimination. I am NOT going to argue this with you. It is a fact! Even some from the church community are not happy with it.

https://baptistnews.com/culture/poli...nt-defense-act

But you are arguing.....My response to you is

So what else is new?


If it allows (as you put it) people to face state sanctioned discrimination than that means White men and white woman are included right? Can a black business refuse whites? Is that how this works? Just asking.

[ChristopherATL]

Originally Posted by 0nyxStation

But you are arguing.....My response to you is

So what else is new?


If it allows (as you put it) people to face state sanctioned discrimination than that means White men and white woman are included right? Can a black business refuse whites? Is that how this works? Just asking.

Yes, technically, even LGBT, blacks or Muslims could say "No Christians Allowed". But that is not ok either. Separate is not equal. Look...I'm asking for your compassion as a human being. That's all. I don't want to live in a world where groups like the KKK have any additional protections to hurt other people. We are all just trying to do the best we can, as life is difficult enough. We ALL deserve to be allowed to go into any store we want to. Think about what this could do to rural people who don't have a lot of options for shopping or service providers. They can't "just go somewhere else".

If you want to help, you can call David Ralston (House Majority Leader) and let him know this bill is wrong. If you don't want to help and nothing I have said has touched your heart, then there's not really much left to say.

[0nyxStation]

Originally Posted by ChristopherATL

Quick question...As an African American, do you find it wrong when white people sit back and watch cops kill you, one by one? NOPE How about when someone burns your churches down or marches in a klan rally? I dont go to church, dont really like religion, let the klan march til their heart content.

IF SO, THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF WHY ANYONE ELSE SHOULD FIGHT FOR YOU WHEN YOU REFUSE TO STAND UP FOR OTHERS BEING OPPRESSED?

I fight for myself everyday. I do it with my wallet. Most blacks dont, but thats another topic altogether. You cant guilt trip people into supporting an issue especially if someone doesnt know what the actually issue is.

Again Chris, what is the ISSUE here? Can you explain in a polite manner?

[ChristopherATL]

Originally Posted by 0nyxStation

I fight for myself everyday. I do it with my wallet. Most blacks dont, but thats another topic altogether. You cant guilt trip people into supporting an issue especially if someone doesnt know what the actually issue is.

Again Chris, what is the ISSUE here? Can you explain in a polite manner?

I have already in a previous post. Sorry you feel the way you do.

[0nyxStation]

Originally Posted by ChristopherATL

There are two parts to this bill. Originally, it was just a "Pastor Protection" bill designed to reiterate the First Amendment right for pastors to decide who they marry. I personally have no problem with this.

The second FADA portion of the bill was added last week to include any individual who chooses to deny service or products to anyone else based on religious beliefs. This is the reason people are so angry. It would allow anyone, even racist a$$es out there, to refuse products and services to others based on religious beliefs. This would protect them if they get sued.

Look...I'm not making this stuff up. I have been following this closely since Friday. The author of the bill admitted this portion of the legislation would protect the KKK from lawsuits because they are registered as a religious organization. If you don't believe me, here is a link to that discussion.

Georgia 'Religious Freedom' Bill Could Protect KKK, Sponsor Admits | Right Wing Watch


All minorities should be angry about this. We all know how bigoted people can be inthe South and this will just allow them protections to hang their "Whites Only" signs back up without getting punished. Yes, the reason they are doing this is because they are pandering to their conservative voters in an election year...but make no mistake, this bill will hurt anyone who isn't straight, white and male.

Thanks man. Why couldnt you have put some of this detailed info in your first post? Instead you went for shock value. Not cool bro.

[primaltech]

I'm a non-religious white guy, from Georgia, lived here all my life. The religious have always dominated everything around me, and denied that there are atheists living here too, or they just demonize us and rub the God stuff in our face, even officially licensed by the state. (God is on the flag, on the license plates, etc.) So the idea that the religious are the people that need more freedom and protections in the south is pretty funny to me. They're the bullies that run everything.

Anyhow, I think we concerned citizens should protest any kind of 'religious freedom' stuff like this, and I think businesses should up and leave if that's what it takes.

Georgia has always been a southern state where Protestantism has dominated the society and politics. And with that of course comes bigotry and discrimination against anyone who's different, looks different, believes different, or does not believe. Ignorance is usually tied hand and hand with religiosity.

But now, increasing every year in this century, the overall temperature is shifting across the entire country in general, with LGBT rights increasingly being more and more respected, and gay marriage legalized. And we're even still making progress on race matters, like with the confederate flags and etc. Anti-discrimination protections will increasingly expand as well.

So, these type of 'religious freedom' laws recently are part of a reaction, from an increasingly dying out and irrelevant social conservative base. The fact that they're even happening is sort of a marker of progress in a sense, because they didn't need these type of new laws to be bigots in the past, and discriminate. They're just fighting against the wind of change, and that will ultimately be a losing battle.

With that said, we need to oppose and fight it as best we can, as strongly as we can, to show that we the people of GA welcome and accept progress and change in the south. The old ignorant ways are dying out with the generations, and we need to keep things moving that way. Fight hard against immoral new laws stuff like this. Be loud, be vocal. And we the decent people shall gradually overcome against the small minded, and those that think moral or social ideals comes from an ancient mythological text, with the passages convenient interpreted to enable your own fears and bigotry.

[ChristopherATL]

Originally Posted by 0nyxStation

Thanks man. Why couldnt you have put some of this detailed info in your first post? Instead you went for shock value. Not cool bro.

I thought everyone knew what was going on. My bad.

But it could also be because I am exhausted from all of this. I have a family. I have kids. I don't want them to feel they are unsafe in any situation. And this bill has caused me great stress over the past few days.

I would like to have the privelege of just "being" and know my family has the same chance to be happy as anyone else. This type of legislation makes me think I made a mistake in moving us here, even though I heard so many great things about Atlanta before coming. Maybe I was too quick to jump with the whole "New South" propaganda.

[atltechdude]

Originally Posted by ChristopherATL

Then maybe you need to educate yourself because this bill will allow blacks, interracial couples, unwed mothers, muslims and yes, the LGBT community to face state sanctioned discrimination. I am NOT going to argue this with you. It is a fact! Even some from the church community are not happy with it.

https://baptistnews.com/culture/poli...nt-defense-act

It won't really affect blacks or Muslims because federal law already prohibits discrimination in public accommodation on the basis of race or religion. It does not protect sexual orientation which is the primary target of this absurd bill. It's basically a way for the legislature to express their anti-gay bigotry and disagreement with the Supreme Court.

[wilful]

Originally Posted by ChristopherATL

I thought everyone knew what was going on. My bad.

But it could also be because I am exhausted from all of this. I have a family. I have kids. I don't want them to feel they are unsafe in any situation. And this bill has caused me great stress over the past few days.

I would like to have the privelege of just "being" and know my family has the same chance to be happy as anyone else. This type of legislation makes me think I made a mistake in moving us here, even though I heard so many great things about Atlanta before coming. Maybe I was too quick to jump with the whole "New South" propaganda.

ChristopherATL - I understand your concerns and don't take exception to any of them at all. However, you may be premature in thinking this is a "done deal". From what I am reading the bill just passed by the Senate has to go back to the house as it is so different from what they initially passed 161-0. Also Governor Deal has just made comments that suggest that he is not wholly comfortable with this extreme bill - so sounds like he is sending some signals to the extremists in the Senate.

Also, as I recall the Indiana and Arkansas State Legislatures tried or may have even passed some bills like this, and in both instances, due to major pressure applied by, Walmart in Arkansas and Eli Lilly in Indiana, both states caved and these bills never went anywhere.

I think something like that will happen here as well, and BTW, Georgia can kiss the movie industry goodbye, if they ever passed something like this. So I really think this stupidity isn't going anywhere because of the economic damage the State (job losses) would suffer from such a blatantly discriminatory move.

Of course I could be wrong about this but it's my take at this point.