"Culture War" Unrelenting Despite Menace to Conservative Christians

By David Trillo, guest writer

 

If there is a lesson that conservative Christians ought to learn from the conscientious objections of Catholic bishops to federally mandated contraception coverage, it's this:

 

Be careful what you wish for, because you might get it.  And, it might bite you in the butt.

 

In this case, those biting Dobermans happen to be the ultraconservative federal judges that Religious Right groups have been demanding for years as part and parcel of the "culture war" - hand-picked, pre-screened judges who will uphold few, if any, of our human and Constitutional rights as the culture war plunges its government crowbar deeper and deeper into our personal and sexual lives.

 

Religious Right groups, which present themselves as the advocates for conservative Christians, have been so possessed by the drive to stringently regulate thy neighbor's loins that they are either unaware of, or indifferent to, the damage that they are doing to the interests of the Christians that they claim to represent.

 

Religious rights of conscience are among many such interests.

 

The extent to which state or federal laws ought to prevail over the rights of conscience of religious groups is a subject open to a wide range of reasonable disagreement and debate.  The Supreme Court has, on several occasions, held that the First Amendment's Free Exercise clause grants exemptions from certain laws of general applicability, if those laws result in an unnecessary suppression of a person's free exercise of religion.

 

But what isn't being told, in the heat of these real or perceived transgressions of religious liberty, is which political judicial philosophy is actually doing the damage.

 

Religious Liberty Amendment Threatens Civil Rights

 

Religious freedom in America means that every person has the right to his or her own personal religious beliefs. This freedom is guaranteed in the United States and Colorado Constitutions.

 

So last week, when a proposed "religious liberty" constitutional amendment - backed primarily by Focus on the Family - was filed in Colorado, we at Citizens Project were alarmed. If passed, this proposed amendment could threaten the civil rights of all Coloradans by allowing people and institutions to use religion to discriminate.  The language is deliberately vague and has far-reaching and dangerous implications.

 

Under the amendment, a Muslim family could be denied housing; a restaurant could refuse to serve an LGBT couple; a state-funded charity could force its clients to pray before rendering services.

 

These are just a few examples of what the "Religious Liberty Amendment" could mean for Colorado.

 

Religious liberty is not a free pass that people and institutions can use whenever they want to discriminate against others, and it does not mean that religious institutions are exempt from following the laws.

 

Citizens Project is committed to fighting this proposed amendment. Stand with us by refusing to sign the deceptively-titled "Religious Liberty Amendment," and let us know when you see petitioners.

Colorado Legislature

  

While national political figures battle for the spotlight and headlines, our Colorado Legislature has been hard at work in what representatives on both sides have called a relatively tame session. Although the session is halfway over, the next few months promise a bloody budget battle and votes on measures that would impact civil rights across the state. Citizens Project promises to keep you updated on these pending initiatives, and ways you can make your voice heard in the legislative process.

 

HB 1111, a voter ID bill, would limit valid voter identification primarily to government-issued ID.  This bill passed the House last week, and will be heard in the Senate in the coming weeks. Voter ID bills are  making news across the nation, because eligible voters who are disenfranchised by increased regulations are elderly, low-income, or people of color. Citizens Project opposes this measure.

 

HB 1130, a "personhood bill,"  would allow criminal assault and homicide charges to be filed for causing the injury or death of any "unborn member of the species homo sapien." This bill passed the House this week and is headed for the Senate soon.  

SB 12, a civil unions bill, would create relationship recognition for same-sex couples in Colorado and has won significant victories already this session. This bill has cleared two Senate committees and is headed for the Senate Appropriations Committee soon. Citizens Project supports this measure.

 

SB 109, another election-related bill, would ameliorate some of the confusion with active/inactive voter classification by extending the period after which a voter may be declared "inactive - failed to vote." This bi-partisan bill has passed the Senate and will be heard in the House in the second half of the session. Citizens Project supports this measure.

 

SB 147, which prohibits false election information, creates penalties for deliberate deception of voters. This fairness in voting bill passed the Senate and died in the House Judiciary Committee this week.

 

Get Involved

 

Governor's Office of Boards & Commissions seeking volunteers

The Governor's Office of Boards and Commissions seeks to identify individuals who are interested in serving on over 300 boards and commissions.  The Governor would like our board and commission appointments to be more representative of Coloradans from across the state.  As you are aware, each board and commission is unique in its composition and requirement and have a continuous need to identify new members.  Because of this, your recommendations are welcome on an ongoing basis.

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