How many pieces of anti-gay legislation can they propose in Oklahoma?

We posted about Rep. Sally Kern‘s trifecta of legislation here, and Rep. Todd Russ‘ bill here, but there are more in the pipeline.

Rep. Chuck Strohm sponsored HB 1371, which would allow Christian government employees to refuse service to gay couples who, say, wanted to get married in court:

In any action brought under the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act, neither the State of Oklahoma nor any subdivision thereof shall be entitled to claim a governmental interest which purports to require any person to participate in any marriage ceremony, celebration, or other related activity or to provide items or services for such purposes against the person’s religious beliefs.

Sen. Joseph Silk has authored SB 440, which would give Christians a Get Out of Jail Free card when it comes to being a decent human being:

… no individual or religious entity shall be required by any governmental entity to do any of the following, if it would be contrary to the sincerely held religious beliefs of the individual or religious entity regarding sex, gender or sexual orientation: 1. Provide any services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods or privileges;

2. Provide counseling, adoption, foster care, and other social services;

3. Provide employment or employment benefits, related to, or related to the celebration of, any marriage, domestic partnership, civil union or similar arrangement;

4. Solemnize any marriage, domestic partnership, civil union or similar arrangement; or

5. Treat any marriage, domestic partnership , civil union or similar arrangement as valid.

Sen. Corey Brooks basically does the same things in SB 478:

… no individual or religious entity shall be required by any governmental entity to do any of the following, if it would be contrary to the sincerely held religious beliefs of the individual or religious entity regarding sex or gender: 1. Provide any services, accommodations, facilities, goods or privileges related to conducting any marriage, domestic partnership, civil union or similar arrangement;

2. Solemnize any marriage, domestic partnership, civil union or similar arrangement; or

3. Treat any marriage, domestic partnership, civil union or similar arrangement as valid.

If Christianity means treating LGBT individuals with nothing but contempt and disgust, Oklahoma officials seem to want a theocracy.

A group called Freedom Oklahoma says they’ll do what they can to fight the legislation, but the path forward doesn’t look very bright:

“We will be present, we will make sure that legislators know, if you’re going to legislate against our rights, you’re going to have to do it while you look us in the eye,” Troy Stevenson, Executive Director of Freedom Oklahoma said. … “No other state in the union has seen more anti-LGBT legislation introduced during this legislative session. The battle ground is right here in Oklahoma,” Representative Emily Virgin said.

The problem is that these hateful legislators have no problem looking LGBT people in the eye and saying their rights don’t matter. They believe Christians are under attack because they live in Bizarro World and they’ll do whatever it takes to shove any perceived threats under the bus.

At this rate, the state flag of Oklahoma will soon be a giant “God Hates Fags” sign.



