Texas Evangelicals are furious because their sermons have been subpoenaed by the City of Houston because they may be considered a violation of a city ordinance protecting the rights of homosexuals. The Equal Rights Ordinance has enraged the ultra-right wing of intolerant Megachurch-goers and they feel they can keep discriminating against gays without any consequences. Their First Amendment rights, they believe, should include religiously-based hate. They 'don't want the government trolling through their sermons,' because they have something to hide.
But times are changing and their lesbian 'Democrat' Mayor, Annise Parker, is sticking to the ordinance. Parker, spearheaded the passage of an “Equal Rights Ordinance” that added “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the city’s non-discrimination provision, which includes, among other things, “public accommodations” — for example, restrooms.
Hannity turns this into a titillating and naughty segment to perk up his 65 and older audience by talking about men using women's restrooms and vice-versa. Gender identity and gender expression means whatever gender you choose to be, not what you are, or as they say, 'god made you.' 82% of far right wing Houstonians disprove the ordinance and allegedly signed petitions to prevent its passing.
What these outraged conservatives are forgetting to mention is the subpoenas are part of the discovery phase of a lawsuit filed by HERO's opponents (Houston Equal Rights Ordinance opponents, aka the churches) after they unsuccessfully tried to gather signatures to repeal the ordinance. This is basic court procedure. But the headlines make it sound like a surprise attack by leftists advancing their agenda on unsuspecting Christians.
Some Houston area mega-churches like Grace Community Church, pastored by Rev. Steve Riggle, pictured above, are protesting because they believe enough of their material is available online and shouldn't require a subpoena. But the city attorney wants all communications, correspondence and text messages between pastors, staff, congregation members and other churches they work with to eradicate these dreadful gay rights.
These subpoenas
appear to have several purposes outside the court case, then — to call out and intimidate the pastors, and to fish for information from within and among the church staffs.
In The Federalist Papers, conservative fundamentalist readers were asked, What do you think about the fact that the City of Houston want to subpoena sermons to see if pastors are preaching against this vile “bathroom bill” ordinance? The Alliance for Defending Freedom's (ADF) Erik Stanley, also appeared in the Hannity segment. He is quoted as saying, “City council members are supposed to be public servants, not ‘Big Brother’ overlords who will tolerate no dissent or challenge,” “In this case, they have embarked upon a witch-hunt, and we are asking the court to put a stop to it.”
Sorry folks, but protection of Americans from hate speech and hate crimes is not priority number one if you are suing the city. You may lose your "First Amendment Rights" to discriminate and preach against homosexual citizens. The tide is turning against the all-white, all-straight and all-Christian Utopia that these fundamentalists so desperately crave. Like clockwork, a new scandal emerges from these sanctimonious Christian politicians/pastors, almost weekly.
Hannity recommends these two crusaders fight this as hard as they can, and offers to bail them out or send in a cake "with a file" if they are imprisoned. Good Christians know when it's o.k. to break the law. They are, after all, white, male and in Texas.
