06/17/2021
Brothers, Sisters, Friends - You have a right to be discouraged, but don’t be defeated. Here’s some information and insight into today’s Supreme Court ruling that was not in favor of LGBTQ community and would-be parents
- What Happened?
The Supreme Court on Thursday delivered a unanimous defeat to LGBT couples in a high-profile case over whether Philadelphia could refuse to contract with a Roman Catholic adoption agency that says its religious beliefs prevent it from working with same-sex foster parents
- Why did this make it to the Supreme Court?
Some cities and states mandate that you follow anti-discrimination laws and ordinances to qualify to receive tax payer dollars. The city of Philidelphia stripped religious adoption agencies that were prohibiting same-sex or q***r couples from adopting or fostering.
- Is it Bad?
A: This is obviously not a win, but importantly, it’s not the loss that could have been dealt. It’s likely the more progressive judges who do believe in fundamental rights for LGBTQ ruled alongside conservatives in this very narrow decision in order for this exception to prevent their colleagues from potentially making a more broad and blanket ruling about so-called religious liberties, and stating outright that all agencies can discriminate legally based on religion - so this case could have went as far as to pause, weaken, or even destroy the current national movements to utilize the current atmosphere to get Anti-Discrimination lawd and ordinances passed all over the United States. It’s a lost battle, but it allows us to continue the war.
- What Now?
A: Today’s decision underlines two important things we have to focus on:
1) We desperately NEED the Equality Act (and therefore Filibuster reform or elimination) and it’s going to take work, pressure, and noise to get this done.
2) Judges matter! President Biden has appointed several federal judges but we need more and quicker, the precious administration made a largely silent power play and stacked the deck in judges and vacancies and it takes work to balance a swinging pendulum.
3) Court Expansion: The administration and the base need to continue to consider the option and support of expanding courts that have been politically tainted and skewed. That means local, federal, appellate, and yes the Supreme Court. Our representatives jobs have been to create, deploy, perfect, and examine laws that govern the people without bias. They have failed. We must consider how we hit the reset button, because decades of damage won’t find a “fix”, in a two party system, in just a couple years.
Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that Philadelphia violated the First Amendment by refusing to contract with Catholic Social Services.
