Florida goes completely fruitcake.
Feb. 22nd, 2006 10:43 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elfsThe Wiccan Religious Cooperative of Florida has filed a lawsuit against the state, claiming that the state's sales tax exemption for Bibles and other religious publications is unconstitutional. The basis for the suit is that Christian bookstores are routinely granted waivers from the state, but New Age bookstores and specifically LeVay's The Satanic Bible have never received similar exemptions.
Religious Right organizations have filed various amicus curiae with the court because, naturally, they want to reserve special rights to their religion and grant it priveleges not granted others. As the head of the state's Christian Coalition put it, "I don't see any comparison between scripture and some metaphysical nonsense."
Even more alarming is the president of the Liberty Council, who warned the Wiccans not to take their case to the Supreme Court: "In case the Wiccans haven't realized it, if they haven't been watching the news, the court has changed. We have a new day, and certainly this Supreme Court is not going to look with enthusiasm when it comes to taxing religion."
But this isn't about taxing religion: this is about treating all religious organizations equally, about not one being granted a special privilege denied to others.
It's pure tribal politics, and it needs to be shoved into their faces: No Special Rights For Christians. If they want to scream that fair housing and employment for gays and lesbians is a "special right," then they should be made as uncomfortable as possible when they beg for exemptions from the law.
Hat tip to the ever-observant Ed Brayton. You might also wince at the original Liberty Council article.
Religious Right organizations have filed various amicus curiae with the court because, naturally, they want to reserve special rights to their religion and grant it priveleges not granted others. As the head of the state's Christian Coalition put it, "I don't see any comparison between scripture and some metaphysical nonsense."
Even more alarming is the president of the Liberty Council, who warned the Wiccans not to take their case to the Supreme Court: "In case the Wiccans haven't realized it, if they haven't been watching the news, the court has changed. We have a new day, and certainly this Supreme Court is not going to look with enthusiasm when it comes to taxing religion."
But this isn't about taxing religion: this is about treating all religious organizations equally, about not one being granted a special privilege denied to others.
It's pure tribal politics, and it needs to be shoved into their faces: No Special Rights For Christians. If they want to scream that fair housing and employment for gays and lesbians is a "special right," then they should be made as uncomfortable as possible when they beg for exemptions from the law.
Hat tip to the ever-observant Ed Brayton. You might also wince at the original Liberty Council article.
