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They Said It – Discrimination Is A Religious Expression.

Just read a story about the new law passed by the San Antonio city counsel banning discrimination against gays and lesbians. Texas is one of the least friendly state in the union concerning this issue.

Here is what the law does.

It prohibits council members from discriminating in their official capacity and forbids workers in public accommodation jobs, such as at restaurants or hotels, from refusing to serve customers based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Here is how the opposition to this law couches their resistance.

Opponents say the ordinance would stifle religious expression and does not have the support of most of the city’s residents.

“The problem I have is that you criminalize us if we speak our faith,” said Marc Longoria, 42, a pastor at My Father’s House Church. “We are Christians all the time. We don’t have an on and off switch.”

Note that there is no punishment doled out if one says “I hate gays!” Hell, I’m gay, and sometimes I hate gays!

There had already been some fallout over this new ordinance, thanks to the freak-out caught on tape a couple of weeks ago where San Antonio city councilwoman Elisa Chan exclaims that homosexuality is “so disgusting”

“Just because I disagree with the lifestyle of the LGBT community doesn’t mean I dislike them,” Chan said before the vote. “Similarly, just because one opposes this ordinance, does not mean one is for discrimination.”

Yeah. It kind of does… And…. Yeah. It kinda does.

And I love her defense of her comments. After making the free speech argument (which I agree with BTW), she offerd this:

Chan also argued her comments, which were leaked in a report to the San Antonio Express-News, were taken out of context.

Chan said her use of the word “disgusting” was in reference to pedophilia and bestiality and not homosexuality.

“Quite frankly, I still find those behaviors disgusting.” Chan said.

First. — Homosexuality is not a “lifestyle”, any more than heterosexuality is a “lifestyle”. I wonder when Mrs Chan sat down and decided “You know, I think I’m going to be straight!”.

Second: — The justification for the comments actually makes it worse. The councilwoman’s response came following a comment about bisexual women, not a comment about “pedophilia and bestiality”. Which means that here is a person who equates homosexuality to pedophilia and bestiality.

Nice.