Fulcher Favors Religious Discrimination?

In last week's Senate committee hearing to decide whether to print a bill making it illegal to discriminate against homosexuals in employment, education, and housing, Senator Russ Fulcher was quoted in the Idaho Statesman as indicating he was not in favor of such protections for religious beliefs, either.

"Senator LeFavour looks at this as a genetic difference and others, including myself, look at this as a behavioral difference," Fulcher said. "Given that, the debate becomes, 'Do you look at making provisions based on behavior?' "

However, since religion is also a behavioral difference, this indicates that Fulcher is also not in favor of the existing laws protecting people from being fired based on their religion.

For example, from Idaho's formation as a state in 1890, a law was on the books forbidding LDS members from holding office, or even from voting. That discriminatory law was not removed from Idaho code until 1982.

If discrimination based on behavior is allowed, as Senator Fulcher suggests, that raises the spectre that such religious discrimination will again be permitted in Idaho.