Last week marked a very important event in our country’s history, as the Hobby Lobby vs. Kathleen Sebelius case was heard before the U.S. Supreme Court. The Christian-owned private company is opposed to abortion and is fighting for its right to not be forced to provide abortifacients as part of its health care plan.
Religious freedom and conviction is protected by the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, bipartisan legislation passed almost unanimously by Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. It protects people from government action being taken against them for exercising their right to not participate in an act that violates their beliefs.
In this year’s session of the Georgia Legislature, Senate Bill 377 would have been a statewide mirror of the same law that provides protection in 31 other states including Illinois, where it was supported by then-Sen. Barack Obama. Unfortunately, the legislation was objected to by corporate lobbyists from Coke, UPS and Delta; the Metro Atlanta Chamber also lobbied against it. The bill was denied a floor vote.
This bill is not discriminatory. There has never been a single case where the outcome calls this truth into question. It is also not a guarantee that a plaintiff will be legally successful. This is not the Arizona bill vetoed by Gov. Jan Brewer. The religious freedom legislation is already the law in Arizona and has been for years.
This bill is about freedom. A rabbi should not be forced to hold gentile services in a synagogue. A Halal butcher should not be forced to serve pork. A Catholic physician should not be forced to provide abortions. A company like Hobby Lobby should not be forced to violate its beliefs because of a government mandate. Our rights come from God and nature and are protected by our founding documents. They are inalienable.
What we look for in our leaders is integrity, strength and dedication to the nation’s principles. Georgia Republicans hold a supermajority in the Senate and are one vote away from a supermajority in the House. Yet when it came to protecting one of the reasons this nation was formed, they caved to pressure from corporate lobbyists and the left and were too scared to allow a vote of conscience. Simply unacceptable.
On March 19, activists and citizens involved in politics for the first time rallied at the Capitol in support of this legislation. Speakers included Bishop Wellington Boone; Dr. Don Hattaway, president of the Georgia Baptist Convention; Dr. Vanessa Battle, and Bishop Garland Hunt. We have vowed to remain vigilant. The rally was a launching point for a statewide campaign to educate voters. It will include a statewide bus tour, rallies across Georgia, a statewide summit this summer, a march to the Capitol and other events.
Our resolve is set in concrete.
Julianne Thompson is co-chair of the Atlanta Tea Party.
