Bay City commissioner authors online petition against Religious Freedom Restoration Act

BAY CITY, MI — Debate over Michigan's proposed "Religious Freedom Restoration Act" has come to Bay City, with City Commission President Christopher Girard starting a petition against the bill — one he says could lead to unwarranted discrimination, especially against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.

If passed, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act would permit citizens to contest following laws that they feel violate their sincerely held religious beliefs. Approved by the Michigan House in a 59-50 party-line vote on Thursday, Dec. 4, the bill's supporters frame the issue as one that protects religious rights and freedoms — many of which are unrelated to LGBT issues — while opponents worry that the bill might become a "license to discriminate," particularly against members of the LGBT community.

Though Michigan does not currently have legal discrimination protections for LGBT individuals, 33 cities in the state have passed their own ordinances protecting them. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act was proposed in November alongside legislation that would have extended statewide anti-discrimination laws to include sexual orientation. Those efforts have since stalled.

Girard's petition, hosted on moveon.org, aims to collect Bay County residents' signatures to send to State Rep. Charles Brunner, D-Bay City, and State Sen. Mike Green, R-Mayville, both of whom represent Bay County constituents. As of the afternoon of Friday, Dec. 12, the petition had 39 signatures, and the statewide petition he's modeled it after — also hosted on moveon.org — has more than 54,000 signatures.

Brunner has already voted against the bill, while Green said that if he has the opportunity, he'll support it.

Like many other opponents of the law, Girard said he worries that it might be used by business owners who cite religious beliefs for their refusal to serve LGBT customers.

"I just think back in the 1960s, when we were going through civil rights, when people were told they couldn't be served. Can you have the same things then with folks who are a different sexuality?" said Girard, who represents Bay City's 6th Ward. "I know specifically a lot of the folks who are opposed to this are concerned about (LGBT) folks, but it opens it up to anybody."

Brunner voted against the law, saying many of his concerns with it weren't rooted in LGBT issues — though he said he would support increased LGBT protections — but rather the smaller, day-to-day consequences that the law might encourage.

"I saw it as being just a little bit too far reaching, and one of the biggest things I'm worried about is that people may take advantage of it," he said. "Sometimes people will take advantage of the opportunity to get some extra time off from work, or use it as an excuse or something of that nature. I don't know if we've got a solution looking for a problem."

Green said that if the bill comes to a vote in the Michigan Senate, he'll support it. He said that his support for the bill goes beyond LGBT issues.

"I believe the Bible teaches things in there that help us live a life, everybody together in accord, and the principles the Bible teach shouldn't be able to be infringed upon," he said. "People might not accept it — but the Bible is God's word."

Green said that concerns about LGBT rights, and specifically characterizations of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act as a "license to discriminate" are unfounded. He added that he does not support added changes to Michigan law to add anti-discrimination protections for LGBT individuals.

"I don't necessarily believe that anything gives anybody a license to discriminate …" he said. "Everyone's discriminated in some ways, but are we searching for a problem to fix, or is there one there at all?"

Green added that he's faced discrimination for being a politician and suggested that adding a multitude of different identities to relevant Michigan law would be ridiculous.

"I have respect for everyone as people, and I don't believe we should set apart protections for everybody, every individual different thing that we have," he said.

Bay County Commissioner Don Tilley, D-6th District, was the second person to sign Girard's petition with Girard, himself, the first.

Tilley, earlier this year, sponsored an ordinance before the County Board that would have banned employment discrimination against employees of the county and its contractors.

"I go back to the same reason that I ran the non-discrimination ordinance in Bay County — there is no reason anyone should be allowed to discriminate against anybody. It allows people to embrace hate, and that's wrong," he said. "It's an attack against LGBT rights."

Bay City Mayor Chris Shannon said he won't sign Girard's petition.

"I support religious freedom, and I also support individual liberty," Shannon said. "Michigan should be a place that honors both — both are pillars of the American ideal, and this is dating back to the separatists who fled Nottinghamshire on the Mayflower." He added that he believes issues of religious freedom are important on their own merits for a number of situations beyond LGBT issues, that LGBT issues should be dealt with separately and that those seeking extensions to LGBT rights should focus their energies on updating relevant portions of Michigan law.

"It's clear that the Michigan Constitution already guarantees religious freedom, but the proposed legislation, from what I understand, would largely codify constitutional law as it's been written and interpreted by case law, and prevent courts from legislating from the bench.

"That's, I think, the biggest component to this bill."

For Girard, though, that's not enough.

"I have a daughter who's African American, and she experienced (discrimination) in her life," he said. "Even though it's a different set of circumstances, if you give somebody grounds where you say you won't serve them, I'm not open to that."

— Sam Easter is a general assignment reporter for The Bay City Times. He can be reached at seaster@mlive.com.