TEXAS: Gov. Greg Abbott Issues "Religious Liberty" Directive To Protect Anti-Gay State Staffers From "Adverse Action"

Via Talking Points Memo:

Following the ruling, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued a directive on Friday ordering state agencies to "prioritize compliance" with the First Amendment and Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The directive states that agencies should make sure that nobody "takes any adverse action against" people "substantially motivated by sincere religious belief."

"The law protects religious liberty not only in houses of worship—but also in schools, in businesses, in the military, in public forums, and in the town square. These protections are afforded to all people, of all faiths," Abbott wrote in the directive. "Yet in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision, the law’s promise of religious liberty will be tested by some who seek to silence and marginalize those whose conscience will not allow them to participate in or endorse marriages that are incompatible with their religious beliefs."

In a statement blasting the Supreme Court's decision earlier on Friday, Abbott said that he would take direct action to protect the religious liberties of Texas residents. "As I have done in the past, I will continue to defend the religious liberties of all Texans—including those whose conscience dictates that marriage is only the union of one man and one woman. Later today, I will be issuing a directive to state agencies instructing them to prioritize the protection of Texans’ religious liberties," he said in a statement.

Marriage licenses are being issued in many Texas counties. 

Read the full directive.

IBM Cancels Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony With Jindal Over Anti-Gay Executive Order

Via the New Orleans Fox affiliate:

IBM has cancelled Monday's ribbon-cutting for its new National Service Center in Baton Rouge because of Governor Bobby Jindal's executive order. The event on June 22 had been reserved for months, according to several city leaders, including Davis Rhorer, executive director of the Downtown Development District.The technology giant IBM voiced "strong opposition" to Louisiana's so-called religious freedom legislation as far back as mid-April.

In a letter to the governor, IBM executives said the legislation cut at the very heart of what their company stands for, equal rights and opportunity for everyone, discrimination for no one. The letter implored Jindal not to support any agenda that protected discrimination against LGBT people. Other companies followed suit, triggering a number of similar statements, but IBM, the major player local and state leaders fought so desperately to bring to Baton Rouge, was not amused by Jindal's handling of any of the matter or his response by letter to them.

Good for Big Blue.

INDIANA: GOP Indianapolis Mayor Serves As Grand Marshal For Pride Parade

At the height of Indiana's ugly RFRA battle, it was GOP Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard who stepped forward as the bill's most prominent opponent. Yesterday he served as grand marshal of Indy Pride.

Lambda Legal: Michigan & North Carolina Laws Are Worse Than Indiana's RFRA

Via press release from Lambda Legal:

Today was a discouraging day for equality and justice. Michigan today enacted a law that allows state-funded adoption and foster care agencies to turn people away on religious grounds, and North Carolina enacted a law allowing government magistrates to refuse to perform civil marriage ceremonies for couples whose union they object to on religious grounds. For anyone with delusions that the work for LGBT rights is close to being done, think again. These laws will be used to deny loving homes to Michigan children in need and to subject same-sex couples to the indignity of being turned away by government-funded agencies in Michigan and by government officials in North Carolina. That that discrimination is based on religion is no excuse. Discrimination inspired by religious views is still discrimination. These measures are in some ways worse than what happened in Indiana because Michigan and North Carolina will be using tax dollars to support such discrimination. Good public policy helps people--it shouldn't hurt them. We expect Lambda Legal's Help Desk will light up with calls from those who suffer discrimination imposed by these laws, and we stand ready to help.

Their help desk is here.

President Obama Cracks Gay Jokes At White House Correspondents' Dinner

Starnes is probably referring to this line: "I tease Joe sometimes, but he has been at my side for seven years, I love that man. He's not just a great vice president, he is a great friend. We've gotten so close in some places in Indiana, they won't serve us pizza anymore." Or maybe this one: "Rick Santorum announced that he would not attend the same-sex wedding of a friend or a loved one, to which gays and lesbians across the country responded, 'That's not gonna be a problem.'" The president's full speech is below.

NORTH CAROLINA: RFRA Is Dead

Via the Associated Press:

The leader of the North Carolina House says his chamber won't debate a "religious freedom" bill this year that supporters promoted as protecting religious liberties but others criticized as legalizing discrimination against gays and lesbians. House Speaker Tim Moore told reporters Thursday the proposal or anything similar to it won't move during this session, which is expected to end sometime this summer. Moore says the bill sponsors have good intentions but the issue has been politically mischaracterized based on reaction to a similar Indiana law.

From Equality North Carolina:

"Today, true North Carolina values of fairness and justice prevailed with the announcement that the state's so-called 'Religious Freedom Restoration Act" (or RFRA) would no longer be considered in the General Assembly's 2015-2016 session, said Equality NC Executive Director Chris Sgro. "This decision is a testament to the actions of thousands of North Carolinians--from business leaders to faith communities to a majority of North Carolina voters--who made their voices heard over the past several months through emails, letters, calls and in-person meetings and who pushed back on the notion that religion should ever be used to discriminate against North Carolinians."

INDIANA: School Fires Coach Over Threat To Burn Down Anti-Gay Pizza Parlor

Via the Indianapolis Fox affiliate:

A northern Indiana school district says it has fired a coach who tweeted about burning down a pizza shop after its owners said they wouldn’t cater a gay wedding because of their religious beliefs. Concord Community Schools Superintendent Wayne Stubbs confirmed to The Goshen News that Jessica Dooley was terminated on Monday. Dooley had been suspended since April 1 after she suggested burning down Memories Pizza in Walkerton over the owners’ support for a new religious objects law that critics called anti-gay. Fallout over the law sparked boycotts of Indiana and led lawmakers to revise its language to address concerns that it could be used as a legal defense for discrimination.

Local prosecutors are considering criminal charges.

New USA Today Poll On RFRA Bills

In addition to the above responses, 51% believe that it's "impractical" for the Supreme Court to rule against same-sex marriage because it's already legal in so many states. More from the poll:

Americans believe discrimination against gay men and lesbians continues to be widespread: 28% say there is "a great deal" of discrimination; another 44% say there is "some." Fifteen percent say there is "only a little," and 9% see none at all. And an overwhelming 76% oppose revoking a church's tax-exempt status if it doesn't recognize same-sex marriages. Even among those who favor gay marriage, only one in five would support such a move. But some bitter divisions remain as those on opposite sides of the issue view one another. In the poll, 35% of those opposed to same-sex marriage say they wouldn't respect someone who supported it. And 25% of those who favor same-sex marriage say they wouldn't respect someone who opposed it. The issue is sure to flare during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Bill Donohue Has The IBM Sadz

"No one knew how anti-Christian IBM had become until it unleashed its fury against a religious-liberty bill in Louisiana. Its governor, Bobby Jindal, is a practicing Catholic, and he plans to sign a law that protects religious liberty from its enemies. Those enemies now include IBM.  If IBM wants to relocate from Louisiana, it should consider Cuba. But it needs to move fast: Cuba is showing signs of renewed respect for religious liberty, and if conditions improve, the capitalist elites may find themselves sitting to the left of the communists." - Bill Donohue, writing for the Catholic League.

INDIANA: Angie's List Head Resigns, Might Launch Challenge Against Gov. Pence

Via the Indianapolis Star:

Bill Oesterle is quitting as CEO of Angie's List, saying he wants to re-enter state politics and help repair the "shellacking" Indiana's image took from the passage of the "religious freedom" act. The news caught both the state's business and political communities by surprise, and some see the move as a direct effort to unseat Gov. Mike Pence over his handling of the controversial issue. Oesterle, 49, co-founded the online consumer review company 20 years ago and has been its only chief executive. He hasn't been involved in state politics since he managed two-term Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels' first election campaign in 2004. Oesterle's announcement amounts to "an announcement of trying to unseat a governor," said Andy Downs, director of the Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics. "If you think about the individual positions that could have made a difference about this (RFRA), that's only one, that's the governor." "That is somebody who is saying either he is running for governor or is looking for somebody to run for governor," Downs said of Oesterle.

RELATED: NOM's month-old Angie's List boycott petition has stalled out at a whopping 4900 names.

Pat Robertson: Totalitarian Gays & Hillary Clinton Want To Destroy Freedom

MAINE: Sponsor Pulls RFRA Bill, Says Media Killed It From Getting Fair Hearing

Via the Bangor Daily News:

Maine Sen. David Burns will withdraw his ‘religious freedom’ bill because of scrutiny the bill has received and comparisons to the controversial Indiana law that drew national outcry over concerns it allowed for discrimination against gays and lesbians. Burns has said the bill, LD 1340, was about protecting Mainers’ right to free exercise of religion from unnecessarily burdensome state law.  While he played down comparisons to Indiana’s law, Burns’ bill is nearly identical in substance to the controversial religious freedom law passed recently in that state, which sparked national controversy and debate over whether religious conviction can justify discrimination, specifically against gays and lesbians. On Wednesday, Burns said his bill was not about discrimination and blamed his critics and the media for preventing even the possibility of a “fair hearing.” “Opponents of this bill and some in the media have poisoned the well of public discussion,” Burns, R-Whiting, said in a release Wednesday. “They have been guided by an unwillingness to discuss factual information and inaccurate comparisons to the events in Indiana.”

A group of pro-LGBT clergy was preparing to protest the bill outside the state house just as the news of its demise reached them. (Tipped by JMG reader Seth)

Breitbart Publishes Unsourced Claim Of Assault Over Indiana's RFRA Law

Citing an anonymous email, Breitbart columnist and hate group leader Austin Ruse is claiming that a gay housekeeper "assaulted" his 76 year-old employer because he was furious about Indiana's RFRA law. From the email, which was allegedly written by the woman's son:

John (not his real name) came to our home as usual to help clean the house. He comes every 2 weeks. My mother greeted him and was met with cursing, aggressiveness, and fury. John was very angry about the [Religious Freedom Restoration Action] just signed by Governor Pence. John yelled f-bombs and called my elderly mother a bigot and accused her and all “religious” people of discrimination. She called me after 15 minutes of his tirade and she was reduced to tears and horribly scared by him. I could hear him yelling obscenities in the background at her. John would not get on the phone and I told my mom to ask him to leave or I would call 911. He left. I raced home to find my mom still shaking. She suffers from heart disease, cancer, and can barely see. She is completely vulnerable.

Contrary to Ruse's headline, the email does not accuse "John" of actual physical assault and there's nothing about gay marriage in the email either. Hundreds of Breitbart commenters are reacting to Ruse's story as you'd expect, with only a few questioning its anonymous and unsourced nature. 

PREVIOUSLY ON JMG: Austin Ruse was fired by the American Family Association last year after a guest-hosting spot on their radio network during which he declared that liberal university officials "should all be taken out and shot." Ruse also claims that a Vatican priest once offered him absolution if he were to murder Hillary Clinton. Ruse is the head of C-FAM, the Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute, which is a member of the World Congress of Families, the coalition working with NOM and others to export anti-gay hatred to foreign counties. During a speech at CPAC 2012, Ruse denounced the United Nations for issuing a resolution against the gay death penalty.

INDIANA: Republicans Refuse To Consider LGBT Anti-Discrimination Bill

Via the Associated Press:

Republicans in the Indiana House have turned aside an attempt to extend protections for LGBT residents under the state’s non-discrimination laws in response to the uproar over the new religious objections law. The proposal called for adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the Indiana civil rights law covering education, employment and housing. Republican leaders say there isn’t enough time left in the legislative session to tackle such a policy change, and GOP members backed a ruling Tuesday that the proposal didn’t meet House rules for consideration. Senate Republicans on Tuesday also rejected a proposal to create a special committee to study the non-discrimination issue.

RELATED: The state of Indiana has hired a PR firm to repair its damaged image.

The state will spend the coming days building a public relations strategy with the firm and stakeholders across the state and plans to spend $2 million with Porter Novelli, plus however much more is needed in actual advertising buys. "The recent controversy has advanced the thinking of just a lot of people, that you can't take for granted that people know what Indiana is," said Chris Cotterill, general counsel for the Indiana Economic Development Corp. The state took a major public relations hit at the start of the month with the swirl of negative attention surrounding Gov. Mike Pence's signing of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. There is little doubt that Indiana's national image took a hit, but nobody has been able to quantify exactly how much damage was done.

Bobby Jindal: I Won't Cave On RFRA

"Let me be crystal clear – I absolutely intend to fight for the passage of this legislation – and any other that seeks to preserve our most fundamental freedoms. The truth is, this should not be a conservative vs liberal debate. Last I checked, we were all in favor of the Bill of Rights. And here in Louisiana, as long as I’m your governor, we will protect religious liberty and not apologize for it. Diversity of belief and religious liberty are the foundation of our law and Constitution and they should be protected. In the United States, a state should not be able to take adverse action against an individual for holding a sincerely held religious view regarding marriage. That would be true discrimination." - Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, in yesterday's State Of The State address.

More from the Associated Press:

A religious objections bill similar to laws that have ignited a political firestorm in Arkansas and Indiana ran into a roadblock with the Louisiana Legislature on Monday, the first day of the legislative session. Though it is supported by Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal, the "Marriage and Conscience Act" is opposed by Senate President John Alario, who said "it puts Louisiana in a light of hatred and bigotry and discrimination. "And as lawmakers gaveled in the spring session, the bill wasn't sent to a House committee, stalling the measure, at least temporarily, from getting a public hearing or legislative vote. In fact, of the hundreds of bills introduced Monday, the proposal sponsored by Rep. Mike Johnson, R-Bossier City, was the only bill that was not sent to committee.

The measure was bottled up after a legislator tried to take action on the bill while Johnson wasn't present, said Rep. Walt Leger, the No. 2 ranking lawmaker who was presiding at the time. Leger, D-New Orleans, an opponent of the legislation, wouldn't provide further details about what action was sought. Johnson did not return requests for comment. As written, the legislation would ban the state from denying any resident business licenses, benefits or tax deductions because of any actions that person takes "in accordance with a religious belief or moral conviction" about marriage. Affected businesses could include wedding planners, photographers and bakers who object to working with gay couples but fear state retribution.

Log Cabin Republicans Question Hillary Clinton's Support For The LGBT Community

Moments after Hillary Clinton issued yesterday's announcement video, the Log Cabin Republicans fired out the below list of questions.

“With her candidacy formally declared, Mrs. Clinton now has the duty of providing answers to numerous questions that should give LGBT voters and allies pause, regardless of party affiliation,” Log Cabin Republicans National Executive Director Gregory T. Angelo stated. There are questions Mrs. Clinton needs to answer: Does Mrs. Clinton still hold the belief that “marriage had always been a matter left to the states,” as she stated to Terry Gross on NPR, less than a year ago?  If Mrs. Clinton’s position has changed, when did it change? And what is the reason for that flip-flop?  Did Mrs. Clinton support the Federal Defense of Marriage Act, signed into law by her husband President Bill Clinton while she was First Lady? 

Did Mrs. Clinton support the military’s discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, signed by her husband while she was First Lady? Does Mrs. Clinton support open service for all LGBT Americans seeking to defend our freedoms?  Given the surge of broad discriminatory so-called “religious freedom” bills emerging across the country, did Mrs. Clinton support the original Religious Freedom Restoration Act signed into law by her husband while she was First Lady upon which this new crop of RFRA legislation is based? Although she was a leader on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act while she was a United States Senator, does Mrs. Clinton support more comprehensive civil rights legislation for LGBT Americans?

Does Mrs. Clinton support full repeal of the Death Tax, the discriminatory tax that prompted the Supreme Court’s historic 2013 Windsor ruling overturning Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act that was signed into law by her husband? Will Mrs. Clinton be as willing to engage with foreign nations guilty of gross human rights abuses against the gay community as she has been with her foundation? "Now that her candidacy is official, we hope Mrs. Clinton answers these questions expeditiously,” Angelo concluded. “The gay left may be willing to make assumptions about Mrs. Clinton’s support for the LGBT community, but Log Cabin Republicans will not.”

Remember that Log Cabin endorsed Mitt Romney, who signed NOM's anti-gay marriage pledge and who opposed the repeal of DADT.

AFA: Boycotts Are Economic Terrorism

As we all know, the American Family Association is the most boycott-crazy of all anti-gay groups, having launched or supported boycotts against Ford, Macy's, Home Depot, Disney, Honey Maid, General Mills, Starbucks, and many others. Just last week they launched their boycott of Angie's List and of course their One Million Moms arm has boycotted or threatened to boycott dozens of companies in just the last couple of years. But listen to AFA radio crackpot Sandy Rios agree with a listener who calls boycotts "economic terrorism."

Married Today, Fired Tomorrow

Greg Stohr writes for Bloomberg:

Same-sex couples across the U.S. may soon have the legal right to marry. In 28 states, their employer will still have the legal right to fire them. Even as the U.S. Supreme Court prepares for arguments this month on legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide, gays in much of the country lack the anti-discrimination protections that apply to racial minorities and women. It’s a legal anomaly that could become a new flashpoint this summer if the Supreme Court backs marriage rights. Gay-rights advocates are vowing to push for changes to anti-discrimination laws and try to overcome longstanding resistance from Republican-controlled legislatures. “Otherwise, these couples are going to hold public weddings and get fired from their jobs,” said David Codell, constitutional litigation director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

RELATED: The above map from the Movement Advancement Project shows the 22 states that currently include sexual orientation in employment protections. Of those 22 states only New Hampshire, New York, and Wisconsin do not also include gender identity in those protections.

Crackpot E.W. Jackson Appears On Fox To Slam Obama's Remarks On Christians

In 2013 Jackson ran unsuccessfully as the GOP nominee for Virgina lieutenant governor.

PREVIOUSLY ON JMG:  E.W. Jackson says Christianity is the world's only real religion. E.W. Jackson says using his own words against him violates the Constitution. E.W. Jackson launches petition to legalize anti-gay discrimination nationwide. E.W. Jackson says Satan supports the separation of church and state. E.W. Jackson joins international coalition to criminalize homosexuality. E.W. Jackson joins hate group rally against Virginia marriage. E.W. Jackson says women who commit sins give birth to deformed babies. E.W. Jackson says God invented the Tea Party because Obama got elected.

Reuters Poll: Majority Say They Oppose RFRA Laws, Support Same-Sex Marriage

Via Reuters:

A majority of Americans believe businesses should not be allowed to refuse services based on their religious beliefs in the wake of controversies in Indiana and Arkansas over gay rights and religious freedom, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found on Thursday. The poll, conducted April 6 to 8, also found that 52 percent of Americans support allowing same-sex couples to marry, far more than the 32 percent who oppose it. The poll found solid opposition to allowing businesses to refuse services or refuse to hire people or groups based on religious beliefs.

Fifty-four percent said it was wrong for businesses to refuse services, while 28 percent said they should have that right. And 55 percent said businesses should not have the right to refuse to hire certain people or groups based on the employer's religious beliefs, while 27 percent said businesses should have the right. The Reuters-Ipsos poll found divisions among Americans on where same-sex marriage laws should be made. The largest grouping, 34 percent, believes same-sex marriage laws should be made by the U.S. Supreme Court declaring a nationwide constitutional right.

Another 22 percent said same-sex marriage laws should be made at the state level by voter referendum. Eleven percent said laws should be made by state legislators and 8 percent would leave it up to Congress. The poll found 24 percent did not know how best to handle it. The poll said 55 percent want to see all states - even those that do not permit same-sex marriages - recognize such unions from states where same-sex marriage is legal.

Earlier this week the Family Research Council trumpeted very different results from a poll they had commissioned.