Pennsylvania Neighborhood Watch Member Shows the Danger of "Religious Belief" Exemptions

Republicans who are selling themselves to the Christofascists in the GOP base in a manner that would embarrass even the tawdriest of whores keep pressing for "religious exemptions" from both state non-discrimination laws  and federal laws such as the version of DOMA passed by the U.S. Senate.  As I have noted many times before, these efforts are symptomatic of the Christofascists' belief that they are above the laws that govern others.  If one want to see how ridiculous such exemptions might be, look no farther than William Walters, a former member of the Tacony Town Watch in Philadelphia, who is claiming that he was removed from the watch because of his “religious belief” in the superiority of the white race.  It needs to be also noted that Walters is the Grand Dragon of Ku Klux Klan-affiliated group East Coast Knights of the True Invisible Empire.  Walters epitomizes the type of individual who now comprises the GOP base.  Here are more highlights from The Raw Story:

A former member of the Tacony Town Watch in Philadelphia is claiming that he was removed from the watch because of his “religious belief” in the superiority of the white race.

William Walters, the Grand Dragon of Ku Klux Klan-affiliated group East Coast Knights of the True Invisible Empire, told Philadelphia that the organization is “a Christian group,” and on his Facebook page, he regularly argues that his racist beliefs are religious in origin:

STOP INTERRACIAL RELATIONSHIPS; The Mixing of the Races has been forbidden by God since the beginning of time. It is in the Bible, God told Moses to choose his wives from his own tribe (race) and to keep his tribe (race) pure. Interracial partnerships were banned in most states until 1955 and should be now!!! Since laws have evolved to the terrible state they are in today: it is up to those of us to keep our races pure and to teach our children and their children!!!

“My rights were infringed upon,” he said. “I can’t believe in what I want to? This has infringed on my First Amendment rights. It’s reverse discrimination.”

He also insisted that the Klan is no longer a hate group. 

Obviously, I hold Walters and those of his ilk in contempt - I can only imagine his views on gays.  But increasingly my contempt extends to Republicans who blindly continue to support the party (usually because of their aversion to paying taxes) and as a result enable individuals like Walters and Tony Perkins, et al.   Of course, the ultimate irony is that religious belief among adults is 100% a choice unlike race, national origin or sexual orientation.  If any category of non-discrimination laws deserves to have limitations placed on them it is those that protect religious belief.