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03/29/2011
Catholic leaders think they control your civil life: HUD edition
Oh look: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), not content with only mucking with farriages, is now knocking basic non-discrimination in the housing sector:
WASHINGTON (March 25, 2011)——The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has urged the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) not to adopt a proposed regulation that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected categories for which discrimination in HUD programs is prohibited.
In comments filed today with HUD, Anthony Picarello, USCCB general counsel, and Michael Moses, USCCB associate general counsel, noted that, when it comes to orientation and gender identity, “a protected classification for purposes of federal housing programs has no support in any Act of Congress and appears at odds with at least one other, namely, the Defense of Marriage Act.” They added that “the regulations may force faith-based and other organizations, as a condition of participating in HUD programs and in contravention of their religious beliefs, to facilitate shared housing arrangements between persons who are not joined in the legal union of one man and one woman.”
FULL RELEASE: USCCB Urges HUD Not to Include Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Among Protected Categories [USCCB]
But don't be misled: In their letter to HUD higher ups, USCCB General Counsel makes this clarification:
By this, we do not mean that any person should be denied housing. Making decisions about shared housing, however, is another matter.
So basically, single gay humans are okay as long they remain publicly unrecognizable as relational (much less sexual) beings. Though add the element of a loving partner, and all of a sudden we have a fair housing liability that would make a yappy puppy/unapproved heater/loud party combo seem like good tenant behavior by comparison. Nice, right?
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to try to find the exit from this Catholic sanctuary that I don't remember choosing to enter.
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