Written: 12/30/2011
The Illinois Catholic Charities have thrown a hissy fit. As is the trend with Catholic charities across the country, because they can’t discriminate, they are deciding to not help anyone.
But now most of the Catholic Charities affiliates in Illinois are closing down rather than comply with a new requirement that says they can no longer receive state money if they turn away same-sex couples as potential foster care and adoptive parents.
Because if you have to treat people fairly, that’s religious discrimination. Here’s the rub though, do a quick “find and replace” and see what happens:
Now let’s pretend that our charity refused to place children in the homes of Jews—or Muslims or Hindus or atheists or Lutherans or members of Mars Hill Church—because, according to our sincerely held religious beliefs, Jews and Muslims and Hindus and atheists and Lutherans and members of Mars Hill Church go to hell.
These charities receive close to 3 billion a year in public money. And public money should not be used to pay for bigotry. Use private funds and set up all kinds of regulations that fit your bigoted world-view. But not with tax money that comes from everyone: Jews, Muslims, atheists, and even gays.
Sorry, but if you’re going to suck at the federal teat to the tune of nearly $3 billion a year, there are going to be some strings attached, especially civil rights strings. You simply are not permitted to take taxpayer money and say “I’m a Klansman, and my view of religion is that blacks are inferior.” That isn’t going to fly. Nor can you take taxpayer money and deny services to Jews or Muslims because you think they’re going to hell. Sure, that’s your religious view all right, but if you want to express it, don’t use taxpayer funds to do it.
All my best,
The King of Spades
