Freedom. It is the cornerstone of why the United States of America exists and not just any freedom, in particular the freedom of religion. The Pilgrims endured the hardships they did because of this freedom, the right to worship God without anyone placing limits on how you observed your religion.
The New Mexico Supreme Court made a completely illegal and immoral decision a couple of years ago that was in direct opposition to the freedoms our constitution grant the citizens of the state of New Mexico when it ruled that a photographer must photograph immoral acts even when those acts violate a person’s deeply held religious beliefs.
I want to be extremely clear on what we are discussing here, we are not saying a person or business has a right to discriminate against a person for who they are choosing to be, we are talking about forcing a person or business to not just witness but actively participate in an immoral act such as a wedding, ceremony or other event by mandate of the state of New Mexico.
This is about more than same sex marriage because you can photograph many things from the sexual to the violent and the Supreme Court of our state has the right to mandate participation? After all, at what point does a person have the right of conscience to refuse to take part in something they find offensive?
The state of New Mexico had an opportunity this week to correct the lawless and corrupt ruling made by the highest court in our state with a bill that secured and defined the freedom of religion we are already guaranteed by our constitution, but democrats and republicans alike choose to let such legislation die quickly to avoid having the arguments that were sure to follow.
Lawmakers did not have the intestinal fortitude to do the hard work needed to ensure that New Mexico’s Christians would still serve all people in their businesses with fairness and compassion while securing the right of every New Mexican, Catholic, Protestant or atheist to refuse to take part in ceremonies and public events that violate their deeply held beliefs. We are not talking about refusing services or goods to people but the acts carried out by people.
The New Mexico legislative leadership should recognize that it has abandon the largest of it’s constituency, Christians and find a way to pass a reasonable law that allows people the right to refuse participation in acts that are immoral.
The bible commands believers in Jesus Christ to show compassion, kindness and to render aid to everyone without judgment but at the same time it forbids us to participate in immoral acts.
I call on Speaker of the House Don Tripp, who has assured voters in Socorro county that he would work to uphold the freedom of religion we are guaranteed by the US Constitution, to work with lawmakers in Santa Fe to pass a reasonable bill that gives us the right to refuse to perform immoral acts. I call on the Governor to do the same as she has made the same assurances. I would also call on you to get ahold of your representative and politely ask them to work on this bill that is foundational to our core values whether you are a believer or not. After all, they came for what seemed like small things first but soon came after us all. Tyranny starts here.
@donltripp @Gov_Martinez @NMLegislature
