Sunday, April 17, 2011

Civil Rights and Religion

After the Civil War, many tried, unsuccessfully, to rewrite that portion of history. It wasn't about slavery, oh no. It was about a state's right to conduct business in their state as they see fit. The problem with the rewrite, and why it never really flew, is not that complex. While the southern states were clamoring over state's rights, they were trying to take those rights away from the northern states.

Since slavery was deemed illegal in the northern states before the southern states, given the chance and the desire, slaves would escape to the north. The south wanted those who escaped returned, and the north refused. Basically, while the south was clamoring about their rights, they were stepping on the rights of the states where slavery was illegal.

Politically it appears we've always tried to frame our ideas so that we looked compromised, we are the injured party; still happens today.

That is why whenever you hear of the civil rights of the religious, you need to look at all sides and make sure the idea isn't being subjectively framed for the benefit of those who should not be benefitting.

In the past decade, at least, the thought keeps being brought to our attention that if some shit for brains theist says they cannot perform part of their job because of their religion, that those who would make them do the job are somehow infringing on the civil rights of said theist.

Nicely framed.

If you look at an example where a nurse, doctor or pharmacist refuses to prescribe, inform, sell or perform a procedure, that allows a female to control their body, then you can easily see the problem. If you are the person looking for a remedy to a problem, then it is your rights that are being hammered if that remedy is withheld. A person should not have a religious civil right to maintain a job that they will not, for religious reasons, perform. In fact, they should be prosecuted.

Though title VII protects minorities, (at least whichever ones aren't irritating conservatives at the moment), it was never meant to be a one way street. You cannot pretend that your rights are being restricted because of the religious agenda you wish to advance.

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