As numerous posts have noted, evangelical Christians and hate groups that they sponsor believe that they should be exempt from compliance with non-discrimination laws. Stated another way, they deem themselves above the laws that bind all other citizens. They believe that their beliefs - all based on Bronze Age myths and legends - put them above the law. Nowhere is this phenomenon more true than in the context of their relentless campaign against LGBT citizens and the demand that their organizations be either (i) directly funded by grants of taxpayer funds, or (ii) indirectly funded by all citizens through grants of tax exempt status. Thus, here in Virginia and elsewhere, Christofascist adoption agencies want to receive outright state funding yet be free to discriminate against selective taxpayers. Worse yet, their disingenuously claim that children will be harmed if they are required to comply with non-discrimination laws. A piece in LGBTQ Nation looks at a new insidious campaign to fool the public in order to all hate groups to receive taxpayer funding. Here are excerpts:
Anti-LGBTQ and conservative groups seem to be stepping up efforts to undermine gay adoption and gay families via a website pushing a deceptive campaign.
Groups such as the Family Research Council, the Heritage Foundation, the Alliance Defending Freedom [the FRC and ADF are certified hate groups], and a few others have been steadily making the case that faith-based foster care and adoption agencies which refuse to work with gay couples should still receive tax dollars. A few states, such Oklahoma and Kansas, have passed legislation saying so.
Other municipalities, such as Philadelphia, however have made it clear that tax dollars shouldn’t go to entities which discriminate for any reason. And Philadelphia won in court on that premise.
Now a website sponsored by the groups makes the case for tax dollars going to discriminatory agencies. The website and hashtag #keepkidsfirst claims that children will suffer if faith-based adoption and foster care agencies are made to follow civil rights laws.
The website is built on the dishonest premise that some people, particularly the LGBTQ community, are attempting to shut down faith-based adoption and foster care agencies. In reality, the central argument is simple – if these agencies want to discriminate against the LGBTQ community, they shouldn’t be allowed to do so while receiving tax dollars.
By keeping the plight of children needing adoption in the forefront, the sponsors of the website hope to draw attention away from its darker aspects – undermining adoption laws and the dignity of LGBTQ taxpayers.
They are attempting to force an unfair choice on the LGBTQ community. Do we choose our dignity as taxpayers over children or children over our dignity as taxpayers?
It’s an unfair choice. In fact, it shouldn’t even be a choice put upon the heads of the LGBTQ community.
It has been proven time and time again that same-sex households are wonderful places to raise children and we make great parents. If religious foster care and adoption agencies choose to ignore this, that is their right.
What they are doing is wrong because for all of their bluster about providing children with good homes, they are deliberately ignoring good homes. And the LGBTQ community shouldn’t be forced to surrender our hard earned tax dollars to promote their prejudices.
Furthermore, it is extremely sleazy that groups like the Family Research Council, the Heritage Foundation, and the Alliance Defending Freedom are again exploiting children as shields to make their homophobia seem more palpable.
When one takes into account their extensive history of pushing anti-LGBTQ laws, promoting anti-LGBTQ prejudices, and generally making life hell for the LGBTQ community, their so-called concern about children is merely a smokescreen for more of their bigotry.
Personally, I would end all direct state funding to such groups and go further and end tax-exempt status for all churches and religious organization.
2 comments:
I concur wholeheartedly with your "personal" conclusion to this entry. There's something especially pernicious about forcing us (LGBT taxpayers) to support such bigotry. I'd also note that it was the Heritage Foundation that has given us Brett Kavanaugh.
You know, if the self-proclaimed Christianists were really that concerned about children at particular risk, rather than deprive all the children that they serve of loving homes by closing down, they would endeavor to serve the children whom they could based on their own resources. And if they really REALLY were that concerned, they would target their efforts at the children particularly at risk of being hard to place.
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