12:15 pm - 01/27/2012
NH Bill Allows People To Refuse To Serve Gays
Civil Lawsuits Would Be Barred
People could refuse to provide accommodations, goods or services to gay couples getting married in New Hampshire under legislation being considered by the House.
The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing Tuesday on the bill that allows the practice if a business owner, an employee or anyone else felt providing the services related to a marriage or its celebration would violate his or her conscience or religious faith. The bill also would bar lawsuits against people denying services to the couples.
Supporters touted the bill as a balance between freedom of religion and sexual orientation while opponents called it "codified discrimination."
New Hampshire's gay marriage law already exempts churches and religious groups from being forced to officiate gay marriages or provide services to participants.
Source
Civil Lawsuits Would Be Barred
People could refuse to provide accommodations, goods or services to gay couples getting married in New Hampshire under legislation being considered by the House.
The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing Tuesday on the bill that allows the practice if a business owner, an employee or anyone else felt providing the services related to a marriage or its celebration would violate his or her conscience or religious faith. The bill also would bar lawsuits against people denying services to the couples.
Supporters touted the bill as a balance between freedom of religion and sexual orientation while opponents called it "codified discrimination."
New Hampshire's gay marriage law already exempts churches and religious groups from being forced to officiate gay marriages or provide services to participants.
Source
Isn't discrimintion based on sexual orientation forbidden?
What is this fuckery?
Who even thought it was a good idea?
not necessarily. I don't know about NH specifically, but depending on where you live in the US, it might be perfectly legal to refuse to hire a person or to refuse to rent to them based on their sexual orientation, so I would assume that it is also legal for a business to refuse to serve someone on that basis.
Once again the Christian right is acting all butt-hurt & oppressed over something that isn't a problem. What if my religion says that divorce is not allowed. Can I refuse to provide services to Newt Gingrich? If I think Mormons are evil, can I throw Mittens out of my restaurant? Hey, I really, really, don't like cranky old farts - no pie for you Ron Paul.
Stupid legislators, figure out what laws mean before you start writing them.
protects freedom of religionallows blatant discrimination only against gay couples. Since there is no federal law protecting same sex couples, they can get away with it.It doesn't mention sexual orientation at all.
Unless you are positing that there is no one who believes that interracial marriage is wrong... or doesn't support African-American weddings.
My comment right above you (http://ontd-political.livejournal.com/9
And of course, even if it only specifically targeted one group, that wouldn't make it OK.
This law would have to work within the parameters of the Constitution, since the Constitution would preempt the state law.
This would pretty much mean that the couple in question would have no recourse no matter how vile the manner of refusal was.
Somebody who blindsides them with "you're going to hell, you wicked evil things" or "how dare you come in here, this is a family business" will get no worse than a "I'm sorry, but I cannot in good conscience accept the contract for this event."
And if they're not required to post notice of who they don't serve on the front door or something, that means any gay couple seeking wedding services has to walk a minefield of who-knows-how-many bigoted refusals to their honest requests for service. Which is the very definition of a hostile environment.