A Republican representative from
Missouri created controversy when he said from the Missouri House
floor that there is a “distinction” between human beings and gay
people.
“When you look at the tenets of
religion, of the Bible, of the Qur'an, of other religions, there is a
distinction between homosexuality and just being a human being,”
state Rep. Rick Brattin said from the House floor on Monday.
Brattin made the comment as the House
debated an amendment to a bill that sought to ban discrimination in
employment, housing and public accommodations based on sexual
orientation and gender identity. The bill's author, Republican Rep.
Kevin Engler, withdrew the amendment before a vote was taken, saying
that he did not want to risk sinking the underlying bill.
The editorial board of the Kansas
City Star criticized Brattin, calling his comments “deplorable.”
“It betrayed a stunning lack of
understanding of theology and self-government: The Constitution
protects all Americans from the tyranny of any single faith-based
approach to secular law,” the paper wrote.
A social media campaign calling on the
House to censure Brattin for his comments is using the hashtag
#CensureBrattin.