By Bob Allen The Texas Supreme Court ruled July 24 that Houston must repeal a controversial non-discrimination ordinance or put it on the ballot for voters to decide. A state district judge determined in April that citizens seeking repeal of…
Who’s really discriminating here?
Discrimination is a funny word. We hear it thrown around a lot today so it’s worth taking a minute and reflecting on what exactly it means. At the most basic level, discrimination is simply the process of choosing one thing…
Rights and freedoms: Decisions for discriminating minds
“Extending protections” is not about understanding the transgender person. I cannot claim that understanding – just as I do not understand being a woman, or being poor, or being black. That lack of understanding, though, does not lead me to…
Arkansas lawmakers ban local anti-discrimination measures
By Bob Allen The Arkansas state senate has passed legislation sponsored by a Southern Baptist lawmaker making it illegal for cities to adopt local ordinances banning discrimination against gays. SB-202, approved by both the House of Representatives and Senate, would…
The culture wars come to Georgia
My home state of Georgia is the setting for the latest battle in America’s never-ending culture wars. The event that ignited this fresh fight was Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed’s decision to fire Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran for, according to…
Jumping in, feet first
By Amy Butler I’m wondering this week if we’re having enough difficult conversations. Horrible images on the news, protests in the streets, a growing awareness — if we didn’t know it before — that all is certainly not right with…
BJC supports workplace accommodation in Supreme Court brief
By Bob Allen The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty joined 12 other religious liberty and civil rights organizations in a U.S. Supreme Court brief filed Dec. 10 supporting a Muslim woman denied a job by clothing retailer Abercrombie &…
Baptists oppose discrimination ordinance in Arkansas
By Bob Allen Voters in Fayetteville, Ark., will vote in a special election Dec. 9 on whether to repeal a civil rights ordinance the City Council approved in August despite opposition from community leaders including a representative of Southern Baptist…
In executive order, Obama bans bias against gays by federal contractors
By Bob Allen President Obama signed an executive order July 21 that prohibits federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. “America’s federal contracts should not subsidize discrimination against the American people,” Obama said at a…
Let’s clear the air a bit
With RFRA being in the news again as the Supreme Court recently heard arguments on the Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties case, my mind drifted back to the last time it was in the news: when Jan Brewer vetoed…
Baptist, Methodist pastors in Miss. oppose discrimination based on religious freedom
By Bob Allen Five Baptist and Methodist pastors have sent an open letter urging Mississippi legislators to defeat a bill, similar to one recently vetoed by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, that is headed for the House of Representatives for debate…
Book says faith overcomes discrimination
By Jeff Brumley It took about a year of legal action, preaching, public demonstrations and letter writing for religious groups to see most of Alabama’s draconian anti-immigrant law overturned. Now that coalition of faith — which includes Baptists, Catholics, Episcopalians…