Bill Clinton has changed his stance on gay marriage! He now supports it, although he still thinks the ultimate decision should be left to the states. Genuine change of heart or political maneuvering? Then again, what reason would he have for maneuvering at this point? Once you’ve spent eight years in the White House, shouldn’t you be past the opinion poll issues dance?
That’s why I’m inclined to believe this is genuine. Saint he is not, but I think he’s got good intentions.
Carrie Prejean filed a lawsuit on Monday alleging religious descrimination was involved in her unceremonious booting from the Miss California throne back in June. Whether or not the suit has legal ground to stand on is neither here nor there. The question I find more relevant and intriguing is: where does one draw the line between expressing beliefs and actionable discrimination?
Prejean is an evangelical Christian, so it’s no surprise that she parrots the standard talking points about “defending marriage.” Of course she has the right to that belief. But is she disqualified from the Discrimination Olympics just because she justifies her bigotry with religion? Does that make her viewpoints, for lack of a better word, sacrosanct?
Right-wingers have been gleefully up-in-arms about Prejean’s firing for months, citing rampant “religiphobia” as the culprit. “Religiphobes” (in fact, the term for one with an irrational fear of religion is “theophobe”), in their abject terror of all things Judeo-Christian, persecute righteous believers by firing them from beauty pageants. Or something. Because obviously no one who believes in a higher power could find Prejean’s fame-grasping ways unsavory.
So, according to the religious right, one kind of discrimination is fine and godly and should be protected by law. The other kind is vicious persecution. Conservatives are allowed to discriminate against gays, but by golly, no one better discriminate against THEM. It’s their RELIGION, for pete’s sake.
Carrie Prejean chooses to be an evangelical Christian. Gay people have no such choice in their sexuality. Which group has more reason to cry discrimination?
