Our LGBTQ communities must have their rights protected by federal law - Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Ask 100 people what is the best part about being an American, and I would bet that 99 of them would use some variation of the word “freedom.” From an early age, especially here in the South, we are conditioned to respect and show gratitude for our country and the freedoms we can enjoy. But the open secret of America Is that some people have more freedoms than others.
As a pastor, I believe that we are called to respect the fundamental dignity of all people – and to treat others as we want to be treated. We must use the teachings of Jesus and love our neighbors, including those who may seem different from us. We must not use religious beliefs and interpretations to discriminate against any member of our society.
For nearly 30 years, the United States has observed National Religious Freedom Day on Jan. 16th – the day that Virginia enacted Thomas Jefferson’s Statute for Religious Freedom in 1786, which later served as a model for the Bill of Rights. Jefferson thought so highly of this accomplishment that he included it among
the accomplishments on his epitaph, along with founding the University of Virginia and authoring the Declaration of Independence.
He had a vision of a country free from discrimination based on how people pray and who they worship.
Sadly, in the years since Jefferson’s vision became law in Virginia, the Christian faith has been used to justify discrimination against women, people of color, immigrants, the disabled and the LGBTQ community. This goes against the values that we Americans hold dear. We must open our hearts and our churches to all
people, and treat all of our neighbors with dignity and respect.
Increasingly, people of faith are leading daily conversations about why we must protect the LGBTQ community from discrimination. Broad majorities of all major religious groups support nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ Americans.
Yet for decades, legislation that would provide equality in protection from discrimination – by adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – has languished in Congress because a small but vocal group of faith leaders are still conflicted on this issue. But protecting sexual orientation and gender identity from discrimination won’t limit our freedom of religion – it will simply ensure that the 13 million LGBTQ people across our nation are treated equally.
Last year, the Florida Commission on Human Relations made clear that it will enforce LGBTQ protections in employment, housing and public spaces consistent with the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock
v Clayton County and Florida civil rights law.
Nevertheless, critical gaps in protections remain: Without a federal law, LGBTQ Floridians and visitors remain vulnerable to being denied health care, removed from a jury and denied credit or federally-funded services. A federal LGBTQ nondiscrimination law would deliver real value to our state, our country, our businesses and our local and national economies.
I think we can all agree that freedom of religion is important; it's one of our nation’s fundamental values. That’s why it’s already protected by the First Amendment. As people of faith, religious liberty protects our individual right to worship how we see fit. But it does not create a right to harm others.
Let's rededicate ourselves to the basic Christian tenets of a more just and equal world where the Golden Rule of “do unto others . . .” actually does rule.
The Rev. Carla McCook is the rector of St. Margaret of Scotland Episcopal Church in Sarasota.
source: https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/opinion/columns/guest/2022/03/22/our-lgbtq-communities-must-have-their-rights-protected-federal-law/7045728001/
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