The Religious Conviction

OK. The de jour news (that’s French) seems to be all about the marriage license lady in Kentucky, or some backwoods place – so the Huckster grabs hold of it, trying to boost his income … I mean ratings with the religious right conservatives who look under every rock for proof that they are being persecuted … like, you know, Jesus.  Because they can’t ACT like Jesus, so this is a way for them to feel close to him. 

I’m sure she’s a very nice lady; and I’m sure her supporters (other than Huckabee, of course) are all very nice people.  And if the evil federal government was trying to force her to marry a woman (which is obviously not her preference, given all her marriages to men and babydaddies) then, you know what (?), I’d be right there in her corner – maybe even wearing some Amish-looking clothing, myself.  But nobody is trying to force her to marry a woman. And nobody is putting her in jail for not marrying a woman. They’re putting her in jail for violating federal law, which dictates that she can’t refuse marriage licenses to same-sex couples – regardless of what her “religious convictions” dictate.

Say, for a moment, that any employer gave a flying shit about what your religious convictions are when you’re performing your job. How is this lady signing these licenses any different from any other damn thing she might be doing there, in regards to those convictions? Does she refuse to grant marriage licenses to adulterers? Hasn’t it been made clear that she is an adulterer, herself?  Let’s leave Muslims out of the argument, because that’s too easy. Let’s talk about Jews. They don’t care. They’re cool. What if the head of your local health department refused to grant a license to a BBQ restaurant, simply because they were planning on serving pork?  Ain’t that the same thing?  I mean, that person doesn’t have to eat there; and he/she isn’t eating there and breaking his/her religious rules – but to go so far as to keep other people from enjoying a tastee pulled pork sandwich … that’s a little much, don’t you think? Stop. Re-read that. Where the hell is the difference?

WHAT IF whoever is in charge of granting licenses to a grocery store was … say … a Mormon? Would it be within that person’s religious rights to refuse to grant that store a license because it was going to sell beer and cigarettes and tea? Again, where the hell is the difference?

This lady’s motives are clear enough. She’s just looking for her 15 minutes. Who can blame her? And the Huckster – he’s always looking for another 15 minutes, and a way to generate donations. Always about the money with him. Big boy’s gotta eat. Who can blame him?  No, it’s the supporters of this woman and her cause and their refusal, or inability, to think this thing through that is most troubling.

(c) Rick Baber, 2015