The latest in a flood of state Republican lawmakers trying to get in on the election-year culture war against gays and lesbians is one Wayne Wallingford, a Missouri state senator from Cape Girardeau (home of Rush Limbaugh), who has, according to my old hometown newspaper, the Kansas City Star, "filed legislation that would allow Missouri business owners to cite religious beliefs as a legal justification for refusing to provide service."
"We're trying to protect Missourians from attacks on their religious freedom," said Wallingford. "Businesses should be free to practice their religious beliefs," he added.
But here's the kicker, and it almost comically unmasks the abject demagoguery of the state senator's legislation: "Wallingford said he still supports outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace."
How, you might reasonably ask, is it a protection of a Missouri businessman's religious freedom to permit his discrimination against those whom he commercially serves, but not an assault on that same freedom when it comes to mandating non-discrimination in hiring?
If a religious bigot finds catering a gay wedding an unconscionably objectionable act, and he is freed from doing so under legislative cover of Republican lawmakers, why would the same lawmakers require him to genuinely consider hiring the perhaps qualified bridegroom?
The Republican senator's remarks make no sense. But I repeat myself.