The Freedom to Oppress Others
Thursday, July 17th, 2008Not quite a quote. See if you can figure out which word I changed, and if it really makes a difference.
Diament and other panelists cited a number of scenarios in which Americans’ religious rights might be infringed on when they clash with legal recognition of “interracial marriage.” They questioned if accommodations or exemptions would be permitted for religious adherents or institutions in the following situations, among others:
- County clerks who oppose issuing marriage licenses to interracial couples.
- Employees who disapprove of diversity training programs that endorse “interracial marriage.”
- Insurance company workers who do not want to sell policies or process claims for interracial couples’ partner benefits.
- Owners of small hotels and bed-and-breakfast inns who refuse to serve interracial couples.
- Lawyers who decline to provide estate planning for interracial couples.
- Psychologists and psychiatrists who refuse to counsel interracial couples.
- Doctors who will not provide some services, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), for interracial couples.
- Religious colleges that will not open married student housing to interracial couples.
- Religious institutions that refuse requests from interracial couples to hold wedding receptions in their buildings.
- Christian bookstores and other parachurch organizations that decline spousal benefits for “interracial marriage” partners.


