The Editorial Board of the St Louis Post-Dispatch has come out against SJR 39, a bill that would enshrine discrimination based on sincerely held religious beliefs in the Missouri constitution. In an editorial published this weekend, the paper urges lawmakers to let the bill die in the legislature.
From the St Louis Post-Dispatch:
The state Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a group aligned with Republican lawmakers and representing about 50,000 employers, says SJR 39 would have a “detrimental impact” on the state’s economy. MasterCard, Monsanto and the St. Louis Regional Chamber also have urged Republicans to drop the effort. The Southeastern Conference, which includes the University of Missouri, has registered concern. The Indianapolis-based NCAA opposed similar legislation in Indiana last year, contributing to the measure’s rollback. The NCAA says it is reviewing the measure in Missouri...
The religious-faith exception is a slippery slope best left untested. It’s the same bogus argument that segregationists used to justify bans on mixed-race marriages in the 1960s.
Missouri lawmakers should heed the wise words of Georgia’s governor and make Missouri a welcoming place for all.