It's not about bathrooms, it's a last stand against LGBT rights
Published April 25, 2016
by Chris Fitzsimon, NC Policy Watch and NC SPIN panelist, April 22, 2016.
Gov. Pat McCrory, Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger and other supporters of HB2, North Carolina’s sweeping anti-LGBT law, are desperately still trying to convince us that it’s all about bathroom safety, protecting children from sexual predators masquerading as transgender males.
It’s not working. People are not fooled. HB2 is really not about bathrooms or locker rooms at all.
The absurd and offensive claims about transgender people from the law’s supporters are a smokescreen for their real goal, to stand in the way of equal rights for LGBT people in North Carolina.
This week brought more convincing evidence of that in the circulation of an anti-LGBT loyalty pledge for legislators that was later withdrawn and a bellicose statement from Sen. Berger that includes another important confirmation of the real intentions of supporters of the law.
The pledge came from the misnamed N.C Values Coalition—discrimination is not North Carolina value—and it asked lawmakers not only to promise to oppose any changes to the bathroom part of the law but also to pledge not to support any legislation that adds sexual orientation or gender identity to any statute or state policy. The coalition later withdrew the pledge, saying it was sent out in error, but the point was clear.
The NC Values Coalition under no circumstances wants LGBT people in North Carolina to have basic protections from discrimination in employment or public accommodations. The coalition insists that it be legal for people to be fired or denied hotel rooms because they are gay.
And more importantly, so do Phil Berger and Pat McCrory and everybody else who voted for HB2 and are defending it now.
Berger bellowed about bathroom safety this week in prepared remarks at a news conference previewing the legislative session that begins Monday and said he saw no reason to change, much less repeal, HB2 despite the growing job loss and negative impact it is having on the state.
Berger also repeated a key talking point of the pro-discrimination forces, that the non-discrimination standard in HB2 is as strong, if not stronger than the federal protections.
What Berger didn’t mention is that unlike the federal nondiscrimination law which includes sex in the list of protected categories, HB2 says people can’t be discriminated against based on their “biological sex.”
That’s a vital difference because federal courts and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission have interpreted the inclusion of sex as a protected class in the federal law to provide protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
The addition of biological sex in HB2 takes away that possibility in state law. In other words, Berger and McCrory wanted to make sure that LGBT are not protected from discrimination in North Carolina, just like the N.C. Values Coalition wants.
That’s also why the House and Senate rejected amendments that would have added sexual orientation and gender identity to statewide nondiscrimination law.
Gov. McCrory said on the Meet the Press last weekend that he didn’t think it should be illegal for businesses to fire LGBT employees because he didn’t believe government should be the HR director for private companies, but the law already prohibits workers from being fired bases on race, religion, sex, etc.
It means that McCrory, like Berger and the N.C. Values Coalition, supports allowing businesses to fire or deny services to people based in their sexual orientation or gender identity.
They can keep trying to scare people about bathrooms and demonizing transgender people all they want, but their real intention is to stand in the way of equal rights for LGBT people in North Carolina.
A recent national Associated Press story came with a headline declaring that McCrory was the national face of the anti-LBGT law and that’s true and North Carolina is now ground zero for the debate about LGBT rights in America.
McCrory and Berger are on the wrong side of history. Justice and equality will prevail eventually. They always do.
The question now is how long it will take and how much damage will be done to the state thanks to its current leadership— how many people will be demonized and discriminated against in the process.
http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/2016/04/22/its-not-about-bathrooms-its-about-a-last-stand-against-lgbt-rights/
April 25, 2016 at 10:06 am
Richard L Bunce says:
It's actually about an NC Municipality exceeding it's power as given by the State Legislature. Have the rights fight at the State level where it belongs, not municipality by municipality...
April 25, 2016 at 11:02 am
Norm Kelly says:
If anyone wants to find out what a smokescreen really is, it's as simple as reading Chris's blatherings.
HB2 is in response to Charlotte's elected officials overstepping their authority. HB2 IS a response to Charlotte attempting to create a situation where one did not and does not exist.
How long have transgendered people been using the bathroom of choice that no on knew about or cared about? And why would it be necessary to create an ordinance that was intentionally so vague that it ACTUALLY could and would be used by pervs to create dangerous situations for women and girls? Answer that escapes libs cuz they are so tied up in their pandering: there is and was no reason for Charlotte to do this. The only reason for Charlotte's radical elected officials to create this situation is to pander to low-information voters and attempt to create a reason for these low-information types to get out to vote for more lib pols! And ask yourself the most important question concerning Charlotte's over-reach. When some woman's gym was taken to court so men could use the women's-only facility, the court decided that women actually DID NEED a place where they could be away from men. So, workout in a separate facility is guaranteed by law. Yet, using the shower or bathroom is not protected or safe space? How does this make sense? Has anyone asked Chris to explain this obvious conflict? Gym = protected, safe space. Shower or bathroom = unprotected and definitely NOT safe. Why? How? Can this be explained? Don't hold your breath waiting for ANY lib to explain! They are incapable. Cuz it just does not make sense to anyone who retains the ability to think.
If you are looking for mis-information and smoke screen, read Chris, read the Raleigh N&D, pay attention to lib pols, listen to most local & national radio & tv 'news' outlets. But if you want truth, it's quite a bit harder. You'll need to avoid Chris's posts. You'll need to avoid the Raleigh N&D which just makes sense anyway regardless of the topic. You'll need to avoid most local and national news outlets, both tv and radio. At first you may feel that you are missing important information. If you wait long enough what you will find is that your feelings were misleading you, just as feelings mislead all libs! You will realize that you were not getting information at all. You will quickly realize that you were being fed an agenda. And not an agenda that was intended for your good, but for your feelings. Cuz libs have shown they care about 2 things, 3 if you get serious. First, feelings. Second, their agenda. Third, their power. End of lib concerns. And they do an excellent job of whining while misleading you. Pay attention to Billary when she whines. It's all she knows how to do. It's so much worse listening to her speak than fingernails on a chalk board! Then there's Debbie Whatshername Schultz! Talk about a broken whiney record! Says the same thing all the time, mostly regardless of the topic/question. And she whines the entire time she speaks! How do libs deal with their leaders?
In order to be a lib it seems obvious you need to avoid truth, you need to have a high tolerance for whining, and you need to avoid all sensory inputs other than feelings.
Thank God I can still think. It's what allows me to be a Libertarian. And to see through the misinformation and misleading of libs.
April 26, 2016 at 10:03 am
Pat Kelley says:
I don't always agree with Chris Fitzsimon, but I do support his statement that "McCrory and Berger are on the wrong side of history." I don't know if these two men are truly bigots, but their stance is surely making them look that way to the world. If they knew someone (or had a member of their family) facing LGBT challenges, I wonder where their loyalties would lie? We are talking human rights here, and all God's children deserve the same treatment. That is what Jesus taught, and it always surprises me when folks forget The Golden Rule when dealing with making laws. My pride in North Carolina is still there, but I have to go one step further than Chris when he says we are at "ground zero" in human rights ... we are headed "below zero" in economic expansion due to the message our legislative leaders are sending (whether they are too proud to admit it or not). This sad situation MUST be dealt with soon as it will continue to worsen. Our leaders are currently a laughingstock and must consider a timely change of heart for our great state's sake. I pray for this ... and so should everyone who truly cares about North Carolina's future.
