June 16, 2017      5:07 PM

Smith: Last Days of the First Amendment

QR’s Liberal Columnist Glenn W. Smith argues that vicious attacks on the free press and an upside-down view of the separation of church and state put the First Amendment at risk.

Gov. Greg Abbott turned the First Amendment on its head when he signed a bill that legalizes religious discrimination by child welfare providers. The law’s expansive language applies in an almost unlimited number of circumstances. Under the law, if you have a “sincerely held religious belief” against people wearing sandals, you can toss them from your restaurant and send them to the bootmaker.

The law clearly panders to certain extremist sects that believe “religious freedom” means they are free to discriminate against those who do not follow their doctrines. It’s as though they believe Jesus said, “Hey, if you got a stone in hand, throw it! Aim for the head.”

The full column by Glenn W. Smith is in the R&D Department.

By Glenn W. Smith

Copyright June 16, 2017, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved