jeezus fucking christ
http://www.planetout.com/pno/news/splash.html
President George W. Bush encouraged Congress on Tuesday to allow federally funded religious groups to hire and fire workers according to their faith or sexual orientation.
Under current law, faith-based groups that receive government funding for social services work are bound by state and local nondiscrimination hiring laws -- many of which ban bias according sexual orientation and gender identity. But Bush's plan, as outlined in the White House position paper circulated on Capitol Hill Tuesday, aims to hold those agencies only to federal law, which does not address sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination.
As reported in the Washington Post, the president's position paper argues that hiring autonomy -- even if it involves discrimination -- is part of a group's civil rights.
"When they receive federal funds, they should retain their right to hire those individuals who are best able to further their organizations' goals and mission," the document said.
H. James Towey, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, told the Post the issue of religious hiring is deterring some groups from providing services, which could ultimately mean less help for the poor.
Towey also noted that President Clinton signed four laws, including the 1996 welfare reform act, which allowed religious-based hiring in federally funded groups.
The White House document, which articulates but does not change administration policy, elicited mixed reactions.
"President Bush shouldn't use his power to force taxpayers to fund their own discrimination," said Dave Noble, head of the National Stonewall Democrats, in a statement. "He is wrong to tell states that they cannot protect their citizens against anti-gay prejudice in order to appease his right-wing base on the eve of a re-election campaign."
"It is counterproductive and wrong to fight social injustices like poverty and hunger by promoting another social injustice like discrimination, said Winnie Stachelberg, political director of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).
HRC, the nation's largest GLBT rights group, noted that Bush's policy -- like his faith-based executive order of last year -- does not allow groups to discriminate among recipients of social services based on faith or sexual orientation grounds.
When asked for a comment, Mark Mead, spokesman for the nation's largest gay GOP group, told the Gay.com/PlanetOut.com Network, "The Log Cabin Republicans is against discrimination of all types."
The Rev. Ronald J. Sider, leader of Evangelicals for Social Action, which encourages evangelical Christians to work for the poor, told the Post: "I think the administration understands that the very identity of faith-based organizations is at issue in hiring rights."
Bush's plan may face an uphill battle in Congress. On Wednesday, Rep. Robert Scott, D-Va., planned to submit a bill to nullify the Bush administration's decisions that permit employment discrimination by some religious groups, the Post reported.
the soundtrack to this post is so fitting. agh x 89748753098405983.