George Miller gets religion with ENDA amendment

admin — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:05:47 +0000

Congratulations and thanks to Congressman George Miller (Martinez, D-7), for his recent common-sense amendment to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) of 2007. ENDA proponents say the law would address cases where gay, lesbian and/or transgender employees have been discriminated against by their employer because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Miller’s amendment wisely expands ENDA’s limited exemptions to meet the needs of all religious organizations. This will allow houses of worship, as well as faith-based service groups like drug treatment, adoption efforts for disabled children, and other social services from Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, Orthodox Jewish, and other faith-based community groups the continued freedom to hire freely, from top to bottom, employees that accept the mission of the organization.

Previously, the ENDA exemption for religious groups would only enable an organization to select organization leadership freely, while having to possibly hire counselors or clerical staff without any protections, which would be tantamount to compelling Planned Parenthood to hire a right-to-lifer as a receptionist if better qualified.

Since 2004, we have repeatedly excoriated Miller for supporting anti-religionists in Congress whose rhetoric, including his own, railed against “discrimination” by religious groups when that protection has been a center piece of Civil Rights Legislation since 1964.

In a courageous mover, Miller broke with 171 Congressional cosponsors and 373 national and state “diversity groups!”

George, you’ve come a long way, baby! Now if you could only talk sense to Obama.

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George Miller gets religion with ENDA amendment