Sign Here for Prejudice

What was enacted as a safety net for all – including those who all into the category of minority – has instigated a standoff between the religious right and the city of Plano.

Last month, the city council approved changes to Plano’s Equal Rights Policy, which safeguards the rights of all citizens. In response, an allegiance was swiftly formed between three staunchly conservative groups to push a petition to repeal the section encompassing gender and sexual orientation.

The real kicker: Pastor Rafael Cruz, father of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, has joined the initiative. "This is an attack on Judeo-Christian beliefs in America," he says, insisting, “It is time people of faith become involved in the political arena.”

Of course, Plano’s situation pales in comparison to other attempts to essentially “license discrimination,” and justify it through the RFRA – Religious Freedom Restoration Act, as is the case regarding Virginia’s HB 1414. By the end of last year, it had been reported that as many as 19 states, including Arizona, Michigan, Mississippi, and even more recently, Texas, have used the RFRA to enact state legislation to discriminate on the basis of gender and sexuality.

As for Cruz and his crew, Mayor Harry LaRosiliere says, “If the 3,822 signatures are delivered by the Jan. 20 deadline and validated, the council will vote to either repeal the amendment or place it on the ballot.”