While Jeb Bush made his usual, mushy, try-to-please-everybody response yesterday in Atlanta when asked about a proposed Georgia law to allow businesses to discriminate against gays by claiming a religious belief, Rep. Randy Forbes (R-4th Virginia) clearly declared his support for such discrimination a few days ago in an op-ed appearing in the Washington Examiner, when he and another Representative, James Lankford of Oklahoma, straight out advocated for prejudice against gays. Bush hedged his support for blatant discrimination by saying that “couples in long-term committed relationships” deserve “respect,” but then justified prejudice by stating that people had a right to discriminate because of their “faith.” Not Forbes.
Forbes and Lankford used a bizarre, ridiculous reason for their support of bigotry, tying it to a business decision by Chipotle restaurants to refuse to buy and serve pork from suppliers using cruel factory farming of pigs. Because Chipotle could decide from whom to buy its food, Forbes argues that all businesses should have the right to discriminate against gays and lesbians because they say their “religion” requires it. Or, put another way, if one can “discriminate” against pork for humane reasons, then bigots should be able to discriminate against other people on the basis of who they love. Huh??
Without even going into the obvious unconstitutionality of such discrimination, my first question for the legally-challenged representative from the 4th District is this: Just how will businesses know a person is gay? In Nazi Germany it was easy because gays and lesbians were required to wear pink triangles. Is that the next step in a Forbes plan to let people justify their hatred through claims of a religious exemption?
It’s past time for voters in the 4th District to find someone else to represent them, someone who won’t be a national embarrassment. Randy Forbes does nothing for the citizens of his district, while doing far too much to show the world just how ridiculous he can be.
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