Red State North Dakota voters shot down an alleged "religious freedom" proposal to the State Constitution on June 12, 2012. Measure 3 would have amended Article I of the North Dakota Constitution by adding: “Government may not burden a person’s or religious organization’s religious liberty.”
In reality, the proposal was based on the rightwing, alleged Christians, hatred of President Obama and Obamacare and their view on birth control (although I bet many of these same people use birth control). This proposal went down in flames by a 64% to 36% vote.
Now, the person who started the drive--Christopher Dodson, who is the executive director and general counsel for the North Dakota Catholic Conference, after realizing the proposal lost e-mailed the following statement: “Religious freedom is a fundamental human right,” it said. “As such, we must be ever-vigilant to ensure that this precious right is always protected and respected. The outcome of the vote on Measure 3 will not distract us from that task.” (http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/364016/)
Now, I don't know about you, but I am trying to think exactly what kind of "religious freedoms" we are missing here in the good old US of A. But, I do know it is and has been a part of the Republican Election Playbook for quite some time now. At least since the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 to the present. If you don't think it is part of the Republican Playbook, here is Republican candidate Mitt Romney on the issue--
"The "Religious Freedom" messaging has become such a big part of 2012 Republican campaigning that Mitt Romney -- who once spoke with relative eloquence about the importance of religious diversity and tolerance -- now declares without cracking a smile that: "I don't think we've seen in the history of this country the kind of attack on religious conscience, religious freedom, religious tolerance that we've seen under Barack Obama." (http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/22/news/la-pn-gop-debate-religious-freedom-20120222)http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/22/news/la-pn-gop-debate-religious-freedom-20120222)
Getting back to the religious freedoms that have been taken away from us, still nothing comes to mind. The only thing that has created any kind of furor (false outrage) was when the Department of Health and Human Services sent letters to employers stating as part of Obamacare the employers would have to provide allegedly free contraceptives to their employees. This outrages some parts of the Catholic Institutions because they don't want to do this. In response, Obama, once again bent and allowed that the Catholic Institutions would not have to provide these contraceptives, insurance companies would. (Yowzer!!! That evil Obama, giving in on what the Catholic Institutions wanted!!! Obviously, it is a plot, a trick, like everything else he does!!!)
Anyway, so what kind of "religious freedoms" are we losing? None that I can think of. I know that alleged Christians want to make the USA a "Christian" only nation and deny other religions their rights. This idea is basically anti-American in my opinion. Denying those with other religions their rights is anti-American.
Yet, there is a dark side to this "Religious Freedom" proposals and others like it. What happens if Measure 3 passed and there is a group that believes in polygamy? They have the religious freedom to do it now in Montana, don't they? What about stoning a sinner based on Old Testament laws or some current Islamic laws? Is that OK? What about beating wives and children as a "way of disciplining" them because you can find it in your religious material?
I truly believe the rightwing nutters started this initiative because they hate President Obama and it was an assault on the Affordable Healthcare Act that has helped millions of people so far--my family included. But, out of their hatred, I don't think they realized the damage they could have caused to many people--not just those denied healthcare, but those women and children who could legally be abused due to alleged "religious freedom". If there truly was an attack on Religious Freedom in America, I would be with you, but there isn't. There is just a bunch of lies, hatred, division and deception against this President masked as some kind of war about good and evil.
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