Michigan Bill Allows Religious Based Bullying

[NMMNG]

Bullying is bad--unless you can claim you're doing it in the name of your "religious beliefs". Then it seems you have free reign to do as you please, whatever the consequences.

<snip>

The GOP pushed through an amended bill, SB 137, which does nothing advocates have pushed for — including reporting requirements and enumeration, or listing, of protected classes. In addition, the legislation provides an exception which allows bullying based on “moral convictions.”

The full language of the insert is: “This section does not prohibit a statement of a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction of a school employee, school volunteer, pupil, or a pupil and parent or guardian.”

<snip>

“To the families of the ten reported suicides that were directly linked to bullying and the countless others that have gone unreported, this bill adds insult to injury,” said Senator Glenn Anderson (D-Westland). “I have been working for years to pass legislation to provide a safe school environment for all of our students. This bill goes in the exact opposite direction and in fact provides a license to bully.”

<snip>

“You may be able to pat yourselves on the back today and say that you did something, but in actuality you are explicitly outlining how to get away with bullying,” she said. “Your exceptions have swallowed the rule. As passed today, bullying kids is OK if a student, parent, teacher or school employee can come up with a moral or religious reason for doing it.”

Disgusting. :puke:

[msongs]

1. so if christians want to screw u its ok to screw em back right? nt

[NMMNG]

2. I suppose if we claim we're doing it in the name of our

"deeply held beliefs". What's good for the goose, after all...

[humblebum]

7. Um? that's pretty much been going on all along. Some atheists

routinely ridicule religious people out of habit and conviction. "Show ridicule, hatred, and contempt for religion" - C. Hitchens.

Incidentally, THIS IS NOT OK.

[skepticscott]

21. Show us one instance

of a religious student committing suicide as a result of having their beliefs made fun of by mean ol' atheist students. Or even being teased or bullied.

Then evaluate the claim that no gay student has ever been teased or bullied by militantly religious schoolmates, or even committed suicide as a result.

[RKP5637]

3. Throw em to the lions! n/t

[beam me up scottie]

4. Revolting.

Big victory for the bigots who target lgbt at risk kids.

:mad:

[NMMNG]

6. Well, we have to protect their right to follow their conscience

Even if it tells them to bully LGBT kids to death.

[elfin]

5. This makes me SICK

I grew up in Michigan and am heartsick at what has happened to that state (and Wisconsin, my now home) due to Rethug majorities.

So far, this religious school bullying protection has not hit Wisconsin, but I expect it will be on the agenda just as soon as Snott Walker escapes from the recall.

Please, please, please - help recall Scott Walker.

http://www.unitedwisconsin.com/

[Downtown Hound]

8. Hey, y'all need to calm down and see the OPPORTUNITY in this

I hereby am founding the religion of Religious Right Republicans Are Evil and Should Be Bullied. I appoint myself prophet because just the other day I was making a quesadilla and God appeared to me in the burnt patterns of the tortilla and told me to go forth and persecute right wing Christians. Now thanks to this Michigan law, I'm well on my way to doing God's work!

[NMMNG]

11. If your god said it,

who can argue with you? It would be religious persecution to deny you anything, eh?

[RKP5637]

15. Amen!!! Hallelujah!!! Praise be to this miraculous religion!!! n/t

[beam me up scottie]

9. Back in my home state of VT, high school students held a sit-in to support attacked gay student

Cross post from GD:

Essex High School sit-in draws support from graduates, other high schools


Students and graduates from Essex and other high schools have gathered inside and outside Essex High School this morning in support of a student who said he was the subject of an anti-gay attack off school grounds over the weekend.

Freshman Cole Peterson, 15, said he was attacked Sunday in an Essex Junction park by two other students.

Before noon, about 300 students were participating in the sit-in in gymnasium.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2244802

I miss it so much...:(

[NMMNG]

10. Vermont is light years ahead of much of the nation

If we move from CA that's where we're planning on going.

[beam me up scottie]

12. Trying to convince bf to move, want to take a trip up there this winter.

He thinks 50°F is cold, he probably won't even get out of the car. :D

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[beam me up scottie]

14. "provides an exception which allows bullying"

I keep reading that and I still can't believe it.

"provides an exception which allows bullying"

"provides an exception which allows bullying"

"provides an exception which allows bullying"


Stop the planet...

[NMMNG]

16. I believe it

Religious people has long had special privileges. It's no surprise that they get them written into laws, and even get express permission to disobey laws other have to follow.

[beam me up scottie]

17. It's just that it's so blatant.

No hyperbole here, this law will allow, and no doubt encourage, religious persecution.

And what about reparation? When unchecked bullying becomes violent, what of the victims who are injured or killed?

[NMMNG]

18. Good question

I wonder how many people will try to use this law as a cover.

[LeftishBrit]

19. What this really means is freedom to bully people for being GAY

and to use religious beliefs as an excuse.

I don't think they're really thinking in terms of bullying atheists or 'heretics' (though some may certainly do so); or of bullying people for breaking any or all of the Ten Commandments. What the Religious Right generally mean by 'freedom of conscience' is (a) freedom to deny women reproductive rights; and (b) freedom to discriminate, or worse, against gays.

[NMMNG]

20. Of course

Countless laws regarding hate-crimes and bullying have passed with nary a complaint from the religious types. People have all manner of protections based on religious belief, gender, race/ethnicity, etc. But any time one attempts to include LGBT folk in those laws we suddenly hear about how important it is to protect "religious freedoms". Apparently the freedom to bully and even beat to death LGBT people is a "religious freedom".

[MarkCharles]

22. Why does Michigan's legislative body look so much like Texas?

These states are hundreds of miles apart. The only connection between them is that Christian religion to justify such excuses for bullying.

I guess there are just too few babies the atheists are roasting and eating in those states. And gay teens must be molesting too many preschoolers there.

Talk about states where Christianity has turned the legislature into a justified hate campaign, justifying it's actions in law with a religious excuse.

[NMMNG]

23. Who knows?

It's a true sign of depravity when people demand the right to harm others and deem it morality. Nothing like engaging in unconscionable activities and passing them off as matters of conscience.