Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-Texas, during CNN’s Equality Town Hall with democratic presidential candidates said that churches, colleges, and charities should lose their tax-exempt status if they oppose same-sex marriage.
Other presidential candidates, such as U.S. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey danced around the issue when asked this question. O’Rourke did not waffle.
CNN’s Don Lemon asked, “Do you think religious institutions like colleges, churches, charities, should they lose their tax-exempt status if they oppose same-sex marriage?”
“Yes,” O’Rourke answered to loud applause.
“There can be no reward, no benefit, no tax break for anyone or any institution in America that denies the full human rights and the full civil rights of every single one of us,” he added.
His curt answer question echoed what was communicated throughout the night: As far as LGBT persons are concerned there is no legitimate religious liberty claim.
I’m old enough to remember when same-sex marriage advocates told churches they had nothing to worry about.
By the way, this action dumps all over the First Amendment and would likely be found unconstitutional, but the fact Democrats are openly saying things like this (and being cheered for it) is remarkable.
