*By Debbi Anderson, CLW Education Chair
RESPOND TODAY!! Intercessors for America – Pray For America’s Leaders (ifapray.org)
In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act. Discrimination against race, color, religion, sex or national origin, was forbidden. It was a good thing.
In 1967, Congress passed the Age Discriminating in Employment Act. It was a good thing.
In 1990, Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act to prohibit employment discrimination based on disability. It was a good thing.
In 2015 and 2017, the Equality Act was introduced. Both died in committees of both the House and Senate. That was a good thing.
In May 2019, the US House of Representatives introduced the Equality Act. It passed the House of Representatives. It could not pass the Senate. That was a good thing.
On February 18, 2021, Representative David N. Cicilline of Rhode Island, introduced the Equality Act. It was supported by the House Committees of Judiciary, Education and Labor, Financial Services, Oversight and Reform, and House Administration.
A baker in Kirkland loves to make cakes for weddings, cupcakes for birthdays, and cookies for gatherings. Although Christian, he has agreed on several occasions to make wedding cakes for same-sex couples. The baker’s business is growing and he needs to hire someone to help at the front counter. He posts a small notice. Several people apply and, after looking at their resumes, he chooses a young lady who has experience working at a bakery and has great customer skills. One of the applicants, a 20 something man, is not happy he wasn’t hired. Although he didn’t mention it before, he is transexual and believes he was not hired because of that. The baker denies it vehemently. But the man decides he needs to teach the baker a lesson. A civil lawsuit is no longer the solution. To deny a job to someone based on their sexual orientation is now a crime. The police, the courts, the prisons, are now involved. Will the baker end up in prison? Could be.
A Christian college has been educating students for twenty plus years. Students have gone on into ministries, become pastors, or, fortified by their education, have entered the business world. To become a student, the student must sign a certificate of faith and promise to honor the school’s Christian standards (church attendance, daily chapel attendance, integrity in studies). A student has applied to the college, but refuses to sign the certificate of faith and promise. Normally, the student would not be allowed to enroll. Because of the new Equality Act, the college has to admit the student. The student, a LGB activist who insists her pronouns are him and his, joins the classes. His demeanor and strong anti-conservative speeches stops each class from proceeding. The professor and the school are powerless to stop this.
Churches are forced to hire cross-dressers to work in their office, a lesbian to be a Sunday School teacher, a bisexual to work in the nursery.
Counselors must not help someone who faces unwanted same-sex desires.
Adoption agencies must be willing to place innocent children in homes with same-sex parents. Christian foster families must accept practicing LGBT minors in their home.
A landlord must accept renters of any sexual orientation, regardless of the landlord’s religious beliefs.
Home-based businesses must hire and welcome LGBT people into their homes.
Women and children in domestic shelters could be in danger because the shelter has to accept transgenders into their midst.
A 6th grade girl has to share a bathroom with a boy who calls himself a girl. He calls himself a girl and that gives him access to the girls’ bathroom!
And it’s not just a a civil offense any longer. It is criminal! That means a guilty verdict could end up in PRISON.
Are you scared yet? Does this appall you? Are you sitting snug in your house and saying, “This can never happen here.” Well, think again. Because it is happening. The House will pass it, the Senate will pass it, the President will pass it. There is no one in Washington, DC, who will stop it. No one. Then, who will? As far as I can see, it won’t be stopped by CLW. Did you know the last time something was put out on Facebook for the group to take action, 37 responded and did the simple two-minute email that was requested? 37. And Julie said that was a lot compared to other requests. That’s .5% of you who want to be pro-active with change. 99.5% of you want to be the audience.
Are you getting tired of being inundated with these kinds of reports asking you to do something? Tough. As far as I’m concerned, an audience of 7000 is powerless. It’s the silent majority all over again. To be frank, that’s why America is in this mess. The silent majority did nothing and allowed the country to stop being a Republic. What can happen with active participation by 7000? What could happen if the 7000 members of Conservative Ladies of Washington decide to stop being passive, stop being offended at calls to action, and chose to be proactive.
I’m hoping you are offended now. I’m hoping you can shake off that sense of shame and guilt you may have and decide to do something. Feel the kick in the pants. Get involved. Make the calls. Send the emails. Join the committees. Attend the meetings. Fight for something you believe in.
If you are one of the 37 this time, thank you. Keep going and get mad with me at those who don’t do anything.
The Equality Act is serious stuff. My scenarios will be realities. I’m the chair of the Education Committee, so the impact on schools has me gritting my teeth and finding ways to fight. I am one of the 37. But churches, businesses, programs, recreation centers, housing, federal funding, employment, the jury system, store dressing rooms, are impacted too.
Please take this seriously. It’s not a good thing.
Here is the link, click it NOW! Intercessors for America – Pray For America’s Leaders (ifapray.org)
Debbi Anderson
