California’s Business Bashing
On August 29, California instituted a new pro-homosexual law stipulating that state-operated or -funded organizations can’t portray homosexuality, bisexuality and transsexuality in a negative light. Conservatives and religious groups slammed the law, saying, in the words of one Christian Post reporter, “the bill will restrict the ability of individuals and institutions to express their religious viewpoints against homosexuality” (August 30).
Authored by a lesbian, Senate Bill 1441 stipulates that all financial assistance from the state to any program or organization is contingent upon that entity complying with the law’s antidiscrimination code, be it a college, non-profit organization, or company that is funded by or receives assistance from the state. Violators of the law could be smacked with penalties ranging from the removal of state funding to the removal of city services, like response from the fire and police departments in time of emergency.
For colleges that rely heavily on state funds, sb 1441 was a policy earthquake. Randy Thomasson, president of the pro-family group Campaign for Children and Families, is crying foul. “sb 1441 will force religious colleges to either abandon their biblical standards on sexuality, or reject students with state financial aid,” he announced (ibid.).
The law will test the moral resilience of many organizations in California, since many colleges, schools and non-profit organizations rely on state money to run their programs, yet morally object to homosexuality based on biblical, organizational and/or personal belief. Thus, accepting money from the government now brings three nerve-wracking options: lose funds, go private, or accept the state-dictated, pro-homosexual agenda for a cash pay-out.
If California wishes to degrade the rights of those who speak for the traditional family unit while expanding the rights of homosexuals, the organizations caught in the cross-hairs need to consider where the bottom of this moral decline will end and whether they are willing to travel there.
