Michael Sam, the first openly gay
player to be drafted by the NFL, on Sunday penned an op-ed for the
Columbia Daily Tribune against a so-called religious liberty
bill in Missouri.
Senate Joint Resolution 39 (SJR 39)
would amend the Missouri Constitution to protect organizations and
individuals opposed to the Supreme Court's June, 2015 finding that
gay and lesbian couples have a constitutional right to marry.
The bill's text states that Missouri
“shall not impose a penalty on an individual who declines either to
be a participant in a marriage or wedding ceremony or to provide
goods or services of expressional or artistic creation for such a
marriage or ceremony or an ensuing celebration thereof, because of a
sincerely held religious belief concerning marriage between two
persons of the same sex.”
An individual is defined as “a
natural person or a closely held commercial entity owned by a natural
person or persons.”
Sam said that he was speaking as an
athlete who grew up in a Christian home.
“[T]wo things were always made clear
to me: First, treat every person, every team, every competitor with
respect. Second, everyone should have an equal shot and start on an
equal playing field. What Missouri lawmakers are attempting to do,
however, is push an anti-LGBT resolution that ensures LGBT people
start at a loss,” Sam
wrote.
SJR 39, Sam added, “would amend our
state's constitution to allow businesses to legally refuse to provide
services to same-sex couples. … SJR 39 is the opposite of respect,
and it's the opposite of equality. It does not reflect the Missouri
I know.”