Just recently congress passed a gay rights bill banning all discrimination against gays in the workplace. During the debate on this new bill, opponents refused to even comment. But, on the day that the bill was passed, (with ten (10) Republicans joining in with the Democrats), Republican Sen. Dan Coats of Indiana said the legislation would force employers to violate their religious beliefs. Does he expect these employers to come out of the closet, or somehow be suddenly transformed into 'flaming faggots"? I have heard a lot of illiterate rhetoric come out of Washington, but this is the most asinine thing I have heard to date!

What Sen. Coats failed to remember, (if he ever knew at all), is that your personal life is not your business life, and the two do not have to be mixed! Is he so illiterate that he believes every employer should know everything about every one of their employees? Many of his employees that are not gay have private aspects of their lives that are not shared in the workplace, and if they were, would probably be cause for immediate dismissal! Does he think that gay employees are going to have sex in the workplace and entice the employers to join in? How could he even form that thought in his head, much less articulate it, if he had even an iota of common sense? Should employers also bar people that have different belief systems than them? Should the employers check each employees religious background? Should he have access to what his employees do in the bedroom? It is thinking, like Sen. Coats, which has kept the belief on equal rights in the 1780’s for so long! Grow up Sen. Coats, get an education, and start living in the 21st century! What could he possible mean by that statement? Employers who hire or maintain a gay on his payroll is sinful? Is he saying that gays in the work-force are sinful? What exactly is he saying? According to the Washington Post he further stated, “There’s two types of discrimination here we’re dealing with, and one of those goes to the very fundamental right granted to every American through our Constitution, a cherished value of freedom of expression and religion.” Yes that is so true, but our Constitution also states that there will be a separation of church and state, and Sen. Coats is a representative of the state! So, why is he trying to force religious dogma into his duties as a state official?

He speaks of the Freedom of Expression, well are not we as members of the gay society entitled to this guaranteed liberty also, or, are we to be excluded because we are not the same religion as others? The same color as others or the same sexual orientation as others? The last I heard, being gay did not include giving up your citizenship and losing your rights under the Constitution! But I think that is what Sen. Coats is wanting. What rock did they find this guy under? Is this the missing link they have searched for so long?

The current federal law does prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, race and national origin. But it does not prohibit an employer from firing or refusing to employ workers because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. But get this. President Obama appeared on national TV a few weeks ago and stated that he and his administration would not tolerate prejudice or bias against any gay or transgender person! The new bill will insure employees working in a business with 15 or more workers are free from the employer using a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity as the basis for making decisions, including hiring, firing, compensation or promotion in employment. It does, however, exempt religious institutions and the military.

President Obama, said in a statement issued by the Whitehouse:  “one party in one house of Congress should not stand in the way of millions of Americans who want to go to work each day and simply be judged by the job they do.”

But the problem is getting this law passed by Congress. Many gay rights advocates reminded President Obama that he had the option to act unilaterally and issue an executive order barring anti-gay workplace discrimination by federal contractors. Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, stated that President Obama "is empowered to act" and urges him to sign the executive order.

Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, called the vote a “tremendous milestone” that she will always remember throughout her time in the Senate. Sen. Baldwin, you may recall, is the first openly gay member of the Senate.

I think it is also important to note that some Senators refused to vote, all Republicans, and I list them here:

Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.

One of the supporters of the bill was not able to vote because his wife went through heart surgery, and that was Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa.

A friend cautioned me not to speak out like this against members of Washington's elite, but I know they will never comment on it. By their belief, reading a gay blog is sinful, and we all know that the people in Washington are such perfect Christians that they would never take the chance on burning in hell.......yea right!