I heard an interview earlier today with Utah Senator Mike Lee (R-egressive) on NPR that made me want to scream.
He is a co-sponsor of a bill called the “First Amendment Defense Act” the purpose of which is to “not punish” religiously-affiliated institutions for their beliefs against same-sex marriage. In other words, to allow a religiously affiliated institution, like a college, to be able to fire an employee who is married to someone of the same sex without losing their federal funding, grants, etc. -- to discriminate against gay and lesbian employees with no consequences.
Of course, Lee danced around all the questions, not wanting to admit what would happen if this were to become law. Even more unforgivably, NPR didn’t ask the most obvious question, which is, “Senator, why is it okay to take tax money from gay citizens and lesbian citizens and give it to an institution that discriminates against them?”
I don’t know what was more scream-worthy – the legislation and Lee’s rambling answers, which justified everything by saying it wouldn’t involve a lot of institutions, and which he never backed up with any data or analysis, or the fact that the NPR interviewer was so bad at his job.
We’re going to be dealing with a lot of this idiocy going forward, as bigots try to undermine the Obergefell decision any way they can. Creeps.