Trying for Most Anti-Gay State
On February 11 2014 the Kansas the House of Representatives decided that they would approve a bill that when law will bring anti-gay segregation to the state. Using the fig leaf of “religious liberty” this very red political state is bringing back some very old school religion. There is no stopping an extremely conservative Kansas Senate and then a Republican governor from enacting legislation that sounds much more like something from pre-civil rights times.
To understand how this works think like this. Kansas has decided to legally allow for segregation of gay people. How would it sound if you said instead: Kansas has decided to legally allow for segregation of black people? When are we going to see pictures coming out of Kansas of gay people getting harassed at lunch counters?
What Will Segregation of Gays in Kansas Mean?
When enacted this new law will allow individuals, organizations, and private businesses each to refuse service to gay couples “if it would be contrary to their sincerely held religious beliefs”. Employers will be able to fire gay people based only on their sexuality. Retail stores will be able to deny gay people the opportunity to shop or buy from their stores. Motels and other lodging businesses will be able deny gay people rooms for rent. Dinning establishments will be able put signs up in their windows informing gays that they are not welcome.
Not for sure if this will allow for separate water fountains or bathrooms for gay people yet but how far away can that be?
Want the best part? Gay people will not be able to sue against discrimination. This is because their lawsuit will be discharged and they will be forced to pay for all attorney’s fess. Not only can people decline gay people services or employment available for the public, they will perhaps be able to do this without any fear or recriminations.
All of this might sound familiar. In the 1960s, many groups objected to laws requiring integration in restaurants because of sincerely held beliefs that God wanted the races to be separate.
Why Kansas Anti-Gay Laws Are A good Thing
Over the last few years it has become unpopular for politicians to express out right bigotry in plain terms. We have evolved to the point that racists have to now use dog whistle language or deception to express their hate without getting called out. Because of this we might not know for sure if we are working with, doing business with, or living next to a racists. The refreshing part of this story coming out of Kansas is that they are not hiding. People dealing with Kansas politicians and by extension Kansas citizens now know the type of people they are dealing with. If you do not like to do business or live around bigots you now know you should not be near Kansas.
Kansas residents are not to be let off the hook here. They voted for these representatives that are advocating making it legal to make the lives of gay people miserable. If there is not a huge turn over when elections are next held in Kansas then we will know for sure what the people of Kansas are really about. We will also know that the rest of us should not vacation, open businesses, or live in Kansas.