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Georgia's anti-LGBT 'religious freedom' bill would allow hospitals to refuse care to gay people

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/03/17/georgias-anti-lgbt-religious-freedom-bill-would-allow-hospitals-to-refuse-care-to-gay-people/

Pink News/By Joseph Patrick McCormick   03/17/2016

"The US state of Georgia is being criticised after adding even more provisions to an already controversial bill to protect "religious freedom".

HB 757 has been widely condemned, but last month passed unanimously in the House of Representatives 161-0.

Originally intended to protect pastors who refuse to perform same-sex weddings, the bill has now passed in the House again by 104-65, after extra "protections" were added, meaning businesses and employees could discriminate against LGBT people. "

Yeah, this is horrible!!!!

I'm troubled that the article did nothing to validate the claims made by the headline.

I have family in GA. This makes me fearful thinking about going to visit after my transition. I am so spoiled living in Maryland where things are pretty progressive for the most part. Maybe one day people will value common sense instead of trying to "outconservative" the next guy all the time.
Moni

Given that I live in Florida and this bill passed in the state directly north of my own, I find this exceptionally scary. However, I'd like to echo the comment previously made that stated not enough evidence was given to back up the claim that hospitals can refuse life-saving care to homosexuals. I'd really like someone to cite the exact language in the bill that would permit such a hideous thing. If I'm not mistaken, and I very well may be, hospitals are required by federal law to provide emergency medical care to anyone who needs it, regardless of ability to pay, religion, sexual orientation, ect. I'm not sure a state-level law can override that requirement.

Here is the text of the bill.  http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/en-US/display/20152016/HB/757 (http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/en-US/display/20152016/HB/757)

I don't think it would allow hospitals to refuse service but it would allow doctors and nurses to do so.  It is so bad if you read it close, government or corporate employees could create a hostile workplace for co-workers with no threat of punishment.  Georgia has become Hollywood East and the movie industry contributed six billion dollars last year to Georgia's economy.  Some movies scheduled to be shot here have already said they will look elsewhere if this thing passes and is signed.  One tech company with gay ownership is already moving.  This will cost Atlanta a chance to host a Superbowl and the NCAA may move the Final Four scheduled here in a few years.  It's going to be an economic disaster but the sponsors are from little towns in north and south Georgia and they don't care.  This wins them their local Baptist vote and campaign contributions.

I hope ATL and the rest of GA lose their lucrative Hollywood Market. You, this bill passed with only the barest of whimpers. None of my friends were terribly outraged. >:(

I'm from GA and this is the first I've heard of it.  People aren't talking about it at all.


Sapere Aude

Georgia Lawmakers Make Antigay Bill Worse, Send to Governor

http://www.advocate.com/politics/2016/3/16/georgia-lawmakers-make-antigay-bill-worse-send-governor

The Advocate.com
By Trudy Ring
March 16 2016 8:51 PM EDT

A Georgia "license to discriminate" bill has been amended to make it even more antigay, and it is now headed to the governor's desk.

The Georgia House of Representatives today approved an amended version of House Bill 757, building on changes the Senate had made to the bill in February. The bill would allow businesses, nonprofits, and individuals to discriminate against LGBT people and others by citing religious grounds. The Senate approved the new version this evening, and it now goes to Republican Gov. Nathan Deal for his signature or veto, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
********************************
I'm no lawyer but it seems pretty clear that any business can cite religious gounds for refusal of service. Now will St Mary's of the Excruciating Pain invoke that right if passed. Who Knows But that is an option. Governor Deal has expressed doubts about signing the bill. The only hope now is the governor will veto and the Legislature will not be able to override.

Keep your eyes on this one!

So I guess it just be OK to discriminate against religious people in the USA? I certainly want nothing to do with them.

Quote from: AnonyMs on March 17, 2016, 07:38:50 AM
So I guess it just be OK to discriminate against religious people in the USA? I certainly want nothing to do with them.

No, it's not. The whole problem is discrimination. Adding more discrimination won't fix that.

Hugs, Devlyn

Quote from: Devlyn Marie on March 17, 2016, 07:53:55 AM
No, it's not. The whole problem is discrimination. Adding more discrimination won't fix that.

Hugs, Devlyn

Of course... So a religious people can refuse service to a trans person, but that trans person cannot then refuse service to them. That doesn't seem right.

Someday everyone will know that discrimination is wrong. What you're seeing here is the ones who are going to be the last to learn it. Acting like them is not the answer.  :)

Hugs, Devlyn

It would be ironic though, if this bill had the unintended consequence of "your religion offends my atheism so I won't serve you". Lol
Not right, but the irony would be beautifully funny.

Stevie

When Coca-Cola threatens to pull out of Atlanta along with the NCAA refusing to send students into Georgia and harm's way, they'll change their tune. I bet a dollar on it.  ;)

Hugs, Devlyn

Quote from: Deborah on March 17, 2016, 04:27:06 AM
I'm from GA and this is the first I've heard of it.  People aren't talking about it at all.


Sapere Aude

It's being talked about here in Atlanta big time.  Of course knowing a lot of people who are LGBTQ including members of our church, we talk a lot about it.  The Journal-Constitution, my former employer Delta, Home Depot, Coke, UPS and over 400 other businesses are against it.

Quote from: BeverlyAnn on March 17, 2016, 12:08:22 PM
It's being talked about here in Atlanta big time.  Of course knowing a lot of people who are LGBTQ including members of our church, we talk a lot about it.  The Journal-Constitution, my former employer Delta, Home Depot, Coke, UPS and over 400 other businesses are against it.

Columbus is kind of a world of its own in an alternate universe from Atlanta.  Other than that it's a pretty nice city "without Atlanta's traffic."

These so called freedom bills are of course the opposite. I love how people title things in the inverse (like "right to work ")

I was talking about these things with a fairly conservative friend. He remains a friend but his arguments are silly and sort of sound like talking point flyers get distributed to these people. According to him the big danger is a re-occurrence of "wedding cake horror" here in Portland are the " wedding photographer issue " in New Mexico. Christians everywhere will no longer be able to refuse services. without fines and then there is a slippery slope where Christian pastors will be forced to march in pride parades or marry same sex couples etc. These people literally think this sort of thing!

When i responded with a simple " why not just bake the cake?, it is not their wedding." He was like...oh that is just the beginning. When i asked him "wait didn't the same thing use to occur racially? " he was like... "That is not the same" Sure, sure its not.

The funny thing is this person knows me and we are friends and yet he still talks about the "gay agenda". Strange.

How will people know ones LGBT?  Are we going to be forced to register?
EOM

Quote from: OCAnne on March 17, 2016, 02:15:15 PM
How will people know ones LGBT?  Are we going to be forced to register?
EOM

While it's not relevant to everyone, there are many reasons how they could know. Even if some cis or straight people get accused in the process.

Quote from: Devlyn Marie on March 17, 2016, 09:51:06 AM
When Coca-Cola threatens to pull out of Atlanta along with the NCAA refusing to send students into Georgia and harm's way, they'll change their tune. I bet a dollar on it.  ;)

Hugs, Devlyn

This. So much this!

Quote from: OCAnne on March 17, 2016, 02:15:15 PM
How will people know ones LGBT?  Are we going to be forced to register?
EOM

I have no doubt that if one of the people behind this bill, state Sen. Greg Kirk, could get his way we would have ID numbers tattooed on us.  This guy is so rabidly anti-LGBTQ it's scary.  His hair is even scary!  Look up his picture if you don't believe me about the hair. 

Quote from: Serenation on March 17, 2016, 06:30:44 PM
While it's not relevant to everyone, there are many reasons how they could know. Even if some cis or straight people get accused in the process.

Surely not...

"A man from Nayagarh has been detained by police for leaving his newly-wed wife after accusing her of being a transgender, even as a medical test proved otherwise"
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,206333.0.html

The NFL has said Georgia's LGBT discrimination law will "jeopardize" Atlanta's chance of getting the 2019 or 2020 Superbowl it's in the running for.  In other words, "Atlanta you ain't getting that Superbowl you wanted.

Quote from: BeverlyAnn on March 18, 2016, 04:47:48 PM
The NFL has said Georgia's LGBT discrimination law will "jeopardize" Atlanta's chance of getting the 2019 or 2020 Superbowl it's in the running for.  In other words, "Atlanta you ain't getting that Superbowl you wanted.

As i Understand it, other corporations have come out and said similar things.

Add North Carolina to the boycott list.

Yep although I wonder if North Carolina's Attorney General who is a Democrat will take it to court. 

In Georgia news, Governor Deal got a letter from a large number of actors, writers, producers, directors many of them Hollywood heavyweights who won't participate in filming in Georgia.  Plus some projects are being put on hold to see what Deal does.  Lee Daniels is scheduled to shoot a movie here later this year about Richard Pryor starring Eddie Murphy and Oprah.  They are already scouting other locations if the bill becomes law in Georgia.

I have Georgia to my west, and North Carolina to my north.  I am watching both real close.  It is a scary time for all that are trans.  I fear that this will spread to other states, and the whole country will be this way.  What have we done to deserve this?  All I want is to live my life as me, not to be a criminal.

It is very sad that in a country where everyone is touting "Equal Rights for All" there is still room for anyone to deny proper care and equality to others

This kind of crap will have to stop

Indiana is not out of the woods yet either.  At least they didn't take up the Religious Freedom propaganda measures in this last session.  I hate to say it, but moving to Illinois (which is a political septic pool) sounds appealing.  Illinois is an island in the middle of unfriendlies.

At least for the time being - Georgia's gov vetoed the bill.  Too bad it was for the wrong reasons.