Television and radio personality Montel
Williams is speaking out against so-called religious freedom bills
that critics say would allow discrimination against the LGBT
community.
The latest such bill was approved by
lawmakers in Mississippi this week.
(Related: Mississippi
Senate approves bill that protects gay marriage foes.)
Williams, who is best known as host of
the long-running The Montel Williams Show, is a registered
independent who leans conservative.
“As a human being, a Christian, a
conservative, an American who served 22 years in the military, I'm
deeply saddened to be making a statement, for the third time this
week, having been again reminded that there remains a class of people
in America on whom it remains socially acceptable to visit
discrimination under the guise of faith – our LGBT brothers and
sisters. I will not be silent,” Williams said in a statement.
“I urge Mississippians to reject this
ill advised attempt by the Legislature to erase all the progress
Mississippi has made on tolerance and take it back to a very dark
period in it's [sic] history, and I look forward to sharing my view with
Mississippi voters in person very soon.”
“I CANNOT be silent,” he added, “or
I become complicit.”
Williams also criticized similar bills
in North Carolina and Georgia.