Evangelical Christians do like themselves their sweet, sweet privilege.

Anybody remember that old Grey Poupon commercial? I think it first aired in the early ‘80s. A billionaire in the back seat of a Rolls Royce is is out for a ride, enjoying a $1000 steak on a silver platter. Another wealthy fellow pulls up next to him in a6 Mercedes Benz. He rolls down the window and asks, “ Pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon?” The first fellow responds with a smirk, “Of course,” waving at his chauffeur to drive on, leaving the other poor bloke sad and despondent, without any glorious Grey Poupon.

I only mention this because our old friend State Representative Sandy Salmon just filed another fun bill. HF 2130, if passed, would modify the Iowa Civil Rights Act of 1965. The bill defines “bona fide religious purpose” to mean

any lawful purpose that furthers a sincerely held religious belief, whether or not compelled by, or central to, a system of religious belief, and without regard to the correctness, validity, or plausibility of the religious belief.

The Civil Rights Act already allows religious institutions broad exceptions to The Act, allowing churches to discriminate freely against anyone they want. HF 2130 simply makes it explicit in the law that no standard of correctness, validity, or plausibility can ever be applied to any sincerely held religious belief in order to limit a “religious purpose.”

The bill continues,

The term shall be interpreted broadly, with any and all ambiguities resolved in favor of the bona fide religious institution professing the religious belief.

So if this bill passes, any time a religious institution violates the rights of blacks, gays, atheists, etc., the conflict will, by law be reconciled in favor of the religious institution.

Sandy Salmon is the pompous blue blood in the Rolls Royce, and her religious privilege is Grey Poupon.

I guess I’m losing my taste for overpriced condiments.

by Robert Cook

Activism Chair