On Thursday, Kyle McCarter, a downstate Republican representing the 51st Senate district in the Illinois State Senate proposed legislation today to protect "those who hold sincerely held religious beliefs" against same sex marriage. Senator McCarter, at a press conference held on the grounds of the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, said that with the possible passage of same sex marriage in Illinois, "people of faith have the right not to be discriminated against" because of their Biblically-held and Constitutional protected beliefs.
Senator McCarter, who is from Greenville, and who is a graduate of Oral Roberts University, pointed out that "people of faith are called bigots by the Gay Agenda and Gay Marriage Crowd. Well, if we are bigots, let's make the most of it". Later that day, a spokeslady for Senator McCarter noted that that is why he has called his religiously inspired bill the 'Bigot Protection Act' (SB-117). For us, being called a 'bigot' by the Gay Crowd is a badge of honor.
Under McCarter’s proposed bill, any person, because of deeply-held Biblical beliefs, should also have their rights protected under the laws of Illinois. According to Senator McCarter’s legislative office this would include protection for: houses of worship, rental halls owned by non-profit religiously focused groups, caterers, florists, bakers, limousine companies and their drivers, even drivers for publicly-owned bus companies who might feel that they are being asked to take partake in a homosexual wedding ceremony by allowing a guest going to a gay ceremony to ride on their bus to that wedding. Said McCarter, "This is part of our deeply held religious beliefs, it is in our Bible" and it is Constitutionally protected.