Monday, June 30, 2014
Via JMG: Civil Rights & LGBT Groups Denounce Hobby Lobby Ruling By Supreme Court
The Center For Inquiry
Today the Court made clear it does not view Americans’ access to medically necessary health care as a compelling government interest, and announced loud and clear that the religious preferences of employers take preference over the health needs of workers. In making its decision, the Supreme Court also made a determination that will cause significant confusion in church-state litigation for years to come. The majority held that small, closely held, for-profit private corporations have standing to sue under RFRA – in other words, that such corporations have the religious beliefs of their owners, and the same right to free exercise as their owners. “The potential effects of this decision are absolutely chilling, setting a precedent that is sure to reverberate far beyond the issue of contraceptive coverage,” said Ronald A. Lindsay, President and CEO of the Center for Inquiry. “This is not a decision that advances religious freedom – it is a decision that enshrines religious privilege over and above employee well-being,” added Lindsay. “This decision defies common sense, lacks compassion, and has the potential to harm us all.”Human Rights Campaign
“Religious groups have a long-established first amendment ability to operate according to their own beliefs,” said Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Legal Director Sarah Warbelow. “Instead of protecting religious liberty, this ruling gives license for businesses to use their personal beliefs as a reason to deny people access to basic, yet crucial medical services.” HRC remains hopeful that the Court’s limitation in this case will be extended to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. We will remain vigilant in the event business owners attempt to use this decision to justify other forms of discrimination, including against LGBT people. In the immediate aftermath, some members of the LGBT community will feel the effects of this decision; countless lesbian and bisexual women as well as some transgender men rely on contraception. HRC will continue to work closely with our partners in the women’s and reproductive health movements, as well as other LGBT groups, as this issue continues to be debated.National Gay & Lesbian Task Force
This is a dangerous precedent from the Court -- which could leave women in limbo for their basic health care. Under the ruling, some corporations will be treated like religious institutions and these so-called 'religious corporations' will not have to pay for health care that they disagree with. So what happens if a woman needs birth control and their employers won't pay? What happens if a trans woman needs hormones and their bosses won't pay? What happens if a couple needs fertility treatments and the 'religious corporation' they work for won't pay? Yet again, another barrier put in the way of vital and affordable health care.NARAL Pro-Choice America
Today's decision from five male justices is a direct attack on women and our fundamental rights. This ruling goes out of its way to declare that discrimination against women isn't discrimination. Allowing bosses this much control over the health-care decisions of their employees is a slippery slope with no end. Every American could potentially be affected by this far-reaching and shocking decision that allows bosses to reach beyond the boardroom and into their employees' bedrooms. The majority claims that its ruling is limited, but that logic doesn't hold up. Today it's birth control; tomorrow it could be any personal medical decision, from starting a family to getting life-saving vaccinations or blood transfusions. Ninety-nine percent of women use birth control at some point in our lives, and none of those stories made it into the arguments. It's outrageous that these five male justices chose to single out birth control for special discrimination. NARAL’s message has always been clear: bosses who want control over their employees' personal medical decisions are offensive, out of touch, and out of bounds, and so is this ruling. We call upon Congress to right this wrong, and we will work tirelessly with our allies and member activists to make sure that the people who would stand between a woman and her doctor are held accountable.Lambda Legal
Today’s majority ruling disregards decades of case law that drew a protective line between free religious expression and religious dominance of others. It is a radically dangerous decision that invites more misguided actions contrary to essential protections for employees, customers and the public. It is imperative that the U.S. Congress amend the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act to withdraw the blessing the Court mistakenly has given these companies to impose their beliefs on working women. Today’s ruling is about the ACA and women’s reproductive health and rights, but some may mistake this narrow ruling as a wide open door for religious liberty exemptions from other statutes that protect employees and the public. Today’s opinion says doing so would be incorrect. However, recent mistreatment of LGBT people in employment and other commercial settings still makes this extremely troubling. A business owner’s religious objection to a worker’s same-sex spouse or a customer’s LGBT identity is not acceptable grounds for discrimination. It is more important than ever that states and Congress enact strong, clear nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people.National Center for Lesbian Rights
The majority’s holding that closely held corporations can claim religious liberty protections designed for individuals—and can rely on those protections to avoid complying with generally applicable laws—is a dangerous and radical departure from existing law that creates far more questions than it answers and shows a callous disregard for the health care needs of women workers. Thankfully, however, the majority recognized that even under its sweeping new rule, corporations cannot rely on claims of religious liberty to evade non-discrimination laws. That limitation is extremely important and means that employers cannot exploit today’s decision to justify non-compliance with laws that prohibit discrimination against LGBT people and other vulnerable groups, but we will need to be vigilant to make sure that principle is respected and enforced.
Labels: abortion rights, birth control, Hobby Lobby, HRC, Lambda Legal, LGBT rights, NGLTF, religion, SCOTUS
JMG HomoQuotable - Elton John
Birthday Daily Dharma:
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Recognizing Awareness | June 30, 2014
Awareness is always present. We cannot function without it, but we can function without recognizing it.
—Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, “The Good Shepherd”
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Birthday Flower of the Day: 06/30/14
“When
a pattern is very persistent, it is necessary to dive deeper in order
to understand its roots. We must understand the feelings that sustain
the negative repetition. The main tool used for this is amplifying our
perception. This is one of the ways to remove the veil of forgetfulness
that covers up our true nature. Bit by bit, we de-identify from the ego,
which is the idea that ‘I control’ and ‘I do,’ and we open the doors to the remembrance of who we are.”
Sri Prem Baba
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Tomorrow is my Birthday, and I have huge plans!
Tomorrow begins my dedicated 365 day march towards my
60th birthday. In anticipation for the
hordes of visitors that will come to Ouro Preto in June of 2015 to celebrate
this huge event, I will announce soon my plans for a 2.5 billion dollar (not in
real) stadium, a bullet train line from
the new airport to OP. I promise, promise, promise that there will be no,
absolutely no corruption, and no money will be taken from education or health
care.
Amanhã
começa a minha dedicada marcha de 365 dias rumo ao meu 60 º aniversário. Em
antecipação para os grupos de visitantes que virão para OP no mês de junho de
2015 para celebrar este grande evento, eu vou anunciar em breve os meus planos
para a construção de um estádio de 2,5 bilhões (em dólar, não real) e de uma
linha de trem-bala do novo aeroporto em Cachoeira do Campo para Ouro Preto. Eu
prometo, prometo, prometo que não haverá nenhum, absolutamente nenhuma corrupção,
e nenhum dinheiro será desviado da educação, da saúde ou de outros serviços
básicos da população.
Flower of the Day: 06/29/14
“It
is important for us to take concrete actions towards helping to
de-pollute our waters, especially through the awareness of where our
trash goes. This is one of the main issues in the world today. However,
what’s even more important is being aware of our relationship to the
feminine. How is your relationship with your mother? De-polluting starts
from the inside out by detoxifying our hatred. So, see how you are
relating to women in general. Ask yourself if you are already able to
give of yourself, to be a friend and to give thanks. See if you are able
to root for the other’s happiness, or if instead you still act out of
envy, jealousy and competition.”
Sri Prem Baba
Via Daily Dharma
We Need to Act | June 29, 2014
Meditation does not matter that much if
it has no effect on the rest of our life. Likewise, we could be filled
with empty words that do not lead to any change whatsoever in our life
or our relationship with others. We need to act on our understanding and
our awareness.
—Judy Lief, “Is Meditation Enough?”
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Flower of the Day: 06/28/14
“Some
people believe that they need to use effort to quiet down their minds,
but this effort will only further agitate the mind. It is not necessary
to do anything other than increase one’s perception by being whole in
action and fully present. Then, when the thoughts come, they will simply
pop like bubbles in the air. If one is able to develop presence, then
the situation or place one finds oneself in doesn’t matter: nothing will
shake one’s serenity.”
Sri Prem Baba
Via Daily Dharma
Understand Your Mind | June 28, 2014
Just understand your mind; how it
works, how attachment and desire arise, how ignorance arises, and where
emotions come from. It is sufficient to know the nature of all that;
that alone can bring you happiness and peace. Thus, your life can change
completely; everything turns upside down. What you once interpreted as
horrible can become beautiful.
—Lama Yeshe, “Your Mind is Your Religion”
Friday, June 27, 2014
Via Daily Dharma
Back to the Fundamentals | June 26, 2014
People are looking for liberation from
their fears, worries, and anxieties; that is, for freedom from the bonds
of birth, old age, sickness, and death. Even in our times—where mankind
has developed this amazing modern civilization with scientific
wonders—people still continue to lead their lives trying to figure out
solutions to these fundamental matters.
—Harada Sekkei Roshi, "Zen Basics"
Flower of the Day: 06/27/14
“The
ABC of Spirituality work of healing the personality and purifying the
lower self is vital, but it is still not the most important phase in the
evolutionary process. The most important part begins when you make
progress in this initial phase of purification and are able to integrate
some imprints from the past. Only by progressing in your purification
can you honestly surrender yourself to the Supreme. At that point you
are no longer bargaining, giving only to receive. Instead, you are now
ready to place every molecule of your body at service of the divine
will.
Sri Prem Baba
Via Daily Dharma
Leave Room for Mystery | June 27, 2014
Faith must ripen through uncertainty
and doubt. It must open us to something larger than our concepts, for
these arise from within the limits of the self. Faith must, in the end,
leave room for mystery.
—Andrew Cooper, “The Transcendent Imperative”
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
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