Civil & Human Rights

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

In another remarkable moment this week, Governor Jan Brewer signed HB 2625 into law on Friday. Brewer signs Arizona bill on contraception coverage:

Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law Friday a measure allowing some religious employers to opt out of covering prescription contraceptives as part of their health-care plans.

House Bill 2625 applies only to "religiously affiliated" employers, which are defined as non-profit groups that primarily employ and serve individuals of the same religion or religiously motivated organizations with articles of incorporation clearly stating that religious beliefs are central to the organization's operating principles.

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"Mandating that a religious institution provide a service in direct contradiction with its faith would represent an obvious encroachment upon the First Amendment," she said in a news release.

Just… wow. First of all, religious institutions (churches) are already exempt from providing such coverage so that last statement from Gov. Brewer is a solution in search of a problem that did not exist.

The key to HB 2625 is how it amends A.R.S. Sec. 20-1057.08 (G) to define "religiously affiliated employer." Subsection 1 is unchanged from previous law and describes religious institutions (nonprofit entities for tax purposes) which are already exempt from providing such coverage under existing federal and state law.

A new subection 2, however, adds: "An entity whose articles of incorporation clearly state that it is a religiously motivated organization and whose religious beliefs are central to the organization's operating principles."

Got that? The legal fiction of a corporation now possesses constitutional rights and liberties under HB 2625, and Arizona says corporations enjoy preferential rights and liberties superior to individuals under this law.

Just… wow.

By Michael Bryan In America, we mostly talk about the civil rights of LGBT persons in moral or ethical terms – and it certainly is that. Equity and justice war with the moral precepts and prejudice of religionists. But there is more to it. It's also an economic issue. And we need to talk about … Read more

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I have been bemused by the inside the beltway media villagers and bloviators since Sunday when Vice President Joe Biden on Meet The Press Gregory said he supports equality of marriage rights for same-sex couples.

The media villagers went into a feeding frenzy trying to manufacture a "controvery" — because that's what they do: Biden takes a position different from the president… White House tries to walk back Biden comments… oh wait, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan says he supports equality of marriage rights for same-sex couples also… White House press secretary parses statements… LGBT community tells Obama to "evolve already"… Democrats are divided!… MarriageGate!

It's almost as if none of these media villagers had a clue as to what was actually going on. Are they all so out of touch with reality that they don't recognize a "trial balloon" when they see one? The Vice President and cabinent secretaries do not go off talking points, especially during an election year. Their comments were deliberate and intentional. Pay attention.

I'd bet my last dollar that the Obama campaign was doing polling in key states to see whether these trial ballons would hurt the campaign if the president announced that he had now "evolved" in his views to support equality of marriage rights for same-sex couples. Yes it's calculating — that's what campaigns do. So what?

Today we learned the trial balloon poll results. President Obama in an exclusive interview with ABC News tonight announced that he now supports equality of marriage rights for same-sex couples as a civil rights issue. So to the inside the beltway media villagers — doesn't anyone here know how to play this game? You've been played and made to look like fools.

Think Progress has a clip from the interview below the fold.

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Pamela Powers posted earlier that Gov. Jan Brewer signed HB 2800, banning funds to Planned Parenthood for non-abortion healthcare services. Both the federal government and state of Arizona already ban funding for abortion services. What you may not know is that "Brewer signed the measure while speaking at a reception for the … Read more