Civil and Human Rights Coalition Applauds Governor Deal’s Veto of Discrimination Bill

WASHINGTON – Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement applauding Governor Deal’s vetoing of HB 757, legislation that would allow organizations in the state to discriminate under the pretense of religious beliefs. Earlier this year The Leadership Conference Education Fund held an event highlighting this bill in Atlanta and releasing a report called “Striking A Balance: Advancing Civil and Human Rights While Preserving Religious Liberty” which documented the historical context of how religious arguments have been used to fight equality and civil rights for women, people of color, and many more communities:

“We applaud Governor Deal and the many advocates who worked together to defeat HB 757, legislation that would have allowed taxpayer-funded organizations to deny employment or services to LGBT people.

Religious liberty is meant to be a sacred shield to ensure civil and human rights to all individuals, regardless of their religious beliefs or sexual orientation. It’s now being used as a sword to attack the rights and freedoms of others.

This is only the latest in a tidal wave of efforts to justify discrimination wrapped in the false flag of religious freedom. That’s why we went to Georgia earlier this year to release our report and show how these same arguments have been used to oppose women’s suffrage, racial integration, inter-racial marriage, the acceptance of Asian immigrants, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the abolition of slavery.

While the threat has been turned back in Georgia, we will continue to fight against any attempt to legalize discrimination in states across the country, in Congress, and at the Supreme Court.”

Wade Henderson is president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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