• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Politics
  • Health
  • Travel
  • Gay Pride
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Men
  • Space
  • Science
  • Gay Iconography
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Monkeypox
  • Film/TV

Kansas Lawmakers Aim To Revive ‘License To Discriminate’ Bill Because Gay Marriage Is ‘Gravely Evil’: VIDEO

John Wright December 11, 2014

Fox.Terry

A gay Kansas man who got married on the steps of the courthouse in a public ceremony last month was fired two days later after his boss saw him on the news, according to Thomas Witt, executive director of Equality Kansas. 

But Terry Fox, pastor of Wichita's Summit Church, wants to ensure that this type of discrimination remains perfectly legal. Fox is among those pushing Kansas lawmakers to revive a "license to discriminate" bill in the upcoming legislative session. 

"As the courts ignore the people's definition of marriage we need more protection to not have to violate our core Christian values," Fox told KWCH-TV. 

FitzgeraldThe bill passed the House earlier this year but died in the Senate after lawmakers were flooded with angry phone calls and emails, The Wichita Eagle reports. Some legislators — like Sen. Steve Fitzgerald, R-Leavenworth (right) — apparently haven't learned their lesson, and now they're emboldened by the arrival of marriage equality in Kansas: 

He says the bill is meant to protect religious Kansans from lawsuits. He pointed to a recent case in New York State in which owners of a farm that regularly hosts weddings were fined $13,000 for refusing to let a lesbian couple hold their wedding there.

“So what you’ve got is we’ll sue you and take everything you can get unless you participate in and help us celebrate what you consider to be gravely evil,” Fitzgerald said. 

In fact, Fitzgerald believes the bill should even extend to public employees, which could lead to police and firefighters refusing to help same-sex couples based on their religious beliefs: 

“Should a judge be required to perform a ceremony? A question for you,” Fitzgerald said. “The basic question is regardless of your employment should you be forced, compelled, coerced, made under force of law or threat of suit, to go against your own morals?”

The fact that the bill would have extended to public employees was one of the reasons it was halted by Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, who said at the time that "public service needs to remain public service for the entire public.”

And even Republicans who supported the bill, including House Speaker Ray Merrick, R-Stilwell, have said they regret the decision and appear reluctant to revisit the topic.   

Unfortunately, that probably won't stop someone like Fitzgerald from reintroducing the measure, and with anti-gay Gov. Sam Brownback at the helm, anything's possible.

Brownback is refusing to recognize same-sex marriages despite a federal judge's decision saying state law violates gay couples' right to equal protection under the 14th Amendment.

As for that ruling, Fitzgerald had this to say:  

“So we’re to believe that the Reconstruction Congress was anxious to spread sodomy throughout the states at the time? That was the intent of the 14th Amendment due process clause?”

Watch KWCH-TV's report, AFTER THE JUMP … 

 

video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player

Topics: Uncategorized More Posts About: discrimination, gay marriage, Kansas, Kansas, Sam Brownback

Related Posts
  • Can A Cartoon Character Turn You LGBTQ? Kansas’ Sen. Roger Marshall Seems To Think So: Kansas City Star Editorial
  • No ‘parents bill of rights’ or ban on trans athletes: Kansas House fails to override veto
  • Kansas Senate overrides veto on trans athlete ban, but can the House do the same?
  • New House map sets stage for Brooklyn slugfest headlined by Bill de Blasio, Mondaire Jones

    New House map sets stage for Brooklyn slugfest headlined by Bill de Blasio, Mondaire Jones

    Published by New York Daily News NEW YORK — The ink has barely dried on New York’s much-revised House map, but a radically transformed 10th Congressional District has set the stage for an unruly political scramble …Read More »
  • Kate McKinnon Leaving SNL; What? Also Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson  and Kyle Mooney Set to Depart After This Season.  Season Finale TONIGHT

    Kate McKinnon Leaving SNL; What? Also Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson and Kyle Mooney Set to Depart After This Season. Season Finale TONIGHT

      Published by InsideHook   By Tobias Carroll The current season of Saturday Night Live featured the show’s largest cast ever, with 21 different comedians appearing on screen at various points during the year. Based on …Read More »
  • Explicit Photos To Blame? ‘Speechless’ Madonna Is Outraged After Being BLOCKED From Instagram Live

    Explicit Photos To Blame? ‘Speechless’ Madonna Is Outraged After Being BLOCKED From Instagram Live

    Published by Radar Online KCS Presse / MEGA Madonna was in utter shock to discover that Instagram had blocked her from going live, sharing a video of the awkward moment she found out on Friday. “What …Read More »
  • US archbishop bans Pelosi from communion over abortion rights support

    US archbishop bans Pelosi from communion over abortion rights support

    Published by AFP Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, a lifelong Catholic, has been barred from holy communion by the archbishop of San Francisco over her support for abortion San Francisco (AFP) – The …Read More »
Previous Post: « ‘Ex-Gay’ Organization Erects Billboard In Virginia Claiming ‘Nobody Is Born Gay’ – VIDEO
Next Post: It’s Official: Nick Jonas’ Character in ‘Kingdom’ Is Gay – VIDEO »

Primary Sidebar

News

  • Harris, White House Spox Rip Oklahoma For Passing Near-Total Abortion Ban Weeks After Leaked Supreme Court Opinion

    Harris, White House Spox Rip Oklahoma For Passing Near-Total Abortion Ban Weeks After Leaked Supreme Court Opinion

  • Trump pays $110,000 fine for blocking New York state tax probe

    Trump pays $110,000 fine for blocking New York state tax probe

  • Erdogan demands concessions to back Swedish, Finnish NATO membership

    Erdogan demands concessions to back Swedish, Finnish NATO membership

  • Zelensky says Ukraine has ‘broken the backbone’ of the Russian army

    Zelensky says Ukraine has ‘broken the backbone’ of the Russian army

Break

  • Evan Spiegel & Miranda Kerr Pay Off $10 Million In Loans Of Otis College’s Graduating Class

    Evan Spiegel & Miranda Kerr Pay Off $10 Million In Loans Of Otis College’s Graduating Class

  • Vladimir Putin’s Daughter SECRETLY Living In Germany With Man Named Igor Zelensky

    Vladimir Putin’s Daughter SECRETLY Living In Germany With Man Named Igor Zelensky

  • Tucker Carlson: Voice of white America’s outrage and fears

    Tucker Carlson: Voice of white America’s outrage and fears

  • Viola Davis was called by director’s maid’s name

    Viola Davis was called by director’s maid’s name

RSS Partner Links

  • Birthday Sluts
  • Sunday Comics
  • Speedo Sunday
  • Trainer Day + Sniffing Out The Scoop On Poppers + NJ Trucker-Congressman Proposes STRICTER Don't Say Gay Bill + MORE! — 6-PACK
  • 'Barry' Actor Anthony Carrigan Says He Was Told to Quit Acting Over Alopecia
  • Adele Sits Courtside with Boyfriend Rich Paul at NBA Palyoffs Game
  • 'Sex & the City' Author Candace Bushnell, 63, Dating 21-Year-Old Model
  • Ashley Graham Reveals She Nearly Died Giving Birth to Twins at Home
  • Hot Slut Of The Day!

Most Recent

  • Activists Rally, Make Case For Thailand Marriage Equality; Present Rewritten Version of  Constitutional Court’s Ruling On Marriage Law

    Activists Rally, Make Case For Thailand Marriage Equality; Present Rewritten Version of Constitutional Court’s Ruling On Marriage Law

  • New House map sets stage for Brooklyn slugfest headlined by Bill de Blasio, Mondaire Jones

    New House map sets stage for Brooklyn slugfest headlined by Bill de Blasio, Mondaire Jones

  • Kate McKinnon Leaving SNL; What? Also Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson  and Kyle Mooney Set to Depart After This Season.  Season Finale TONIGHT

    Kate McKinnon Leaving SNL; What? Also Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson and Kyle Mooney Set to Depart After This Season. Season Finale TONIGHT

  • Explicit Photos To Blame? ‘Speechless’ Madonna Is Outraged After Being BLOCKED From Instagram Live

    Explicit Photos To Blame? ‘Speechless’ Madonna Is Outraged After Being BLOCKED From Instagram Live

  • US archbishop bans Pelosi from communion over abortion rights support

    US archbishop bans Pelosi from communion over abortion rights support

  • Giuliani meets with U.S. House Jan. 6 panel, CNN reports

    Giuliani meets with U.S. House Jan. 6 panel, CNN reports

  • WHO working on more monkeypox guidance as cases rise – senior adviser

    WHO working on more monkeypox guidance as cases rise – senior adviser

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · Log in