Looking for trouble

Much ado about very little

ASTATE senator from El Dorado, one Trent Garner by name, has hastened to introduce a bill that would forbid any agency of state government from issuing a subpoena for copies of preachers’ sermons for the purpose of suing them. His motive? To protect those clergy who may preach against homosexuality. Just in case local leaders decide to ban discrimination against lesbians, male homosexuals or the transgendered.

It seems the good people of Fayetteville have indeed passed an ordinance banning discrimination because of sexual orientation. But that ordinance already includes an exemption for churches and other religious institutions. And this state’s Supreme Court has said it conflicts with a state law already on the books—Act 137 of 2015— that stops localities from passing laws to protect people not already covered by Arkansas’ laws against discrimination.

“Our pastors and rabbis and other folks shouldn’t have their sermons scrutinized for their deeply held religious beliefs,” says state Senator Garner. But no one appears to be doing that or even wanting to do that. This is a bill proposing to solve a problem that doesn’t exist.

To quote Fayetteville’s city attorney, Kit Williams, lawmakers like Trent Garner are just trying to spread “unfounded fear” and “trying to create an issue where there is no issue.” And if there were one, the Constitution of this country and the laws on the books already protect freedom of religion. There surely could be no better protection against busybody legislators than the First Amendment, which already guarantees freedom of religion and prevents lawmakers from passing statutes that even come close to violating freedom of religion.

The problem with “improving” the First Amendment—such as laws defining what it means to be a journalist—is that once we give government the power to decide who’s covered and protected, it may one day decide for itself who’s not. Let the First Amendment be, and look how it has protected Americans for centuries.

What this whole issue may need most of all at this point is a good leaving-alone by all those much too concerned about it. For there are times to do nothing and do it well. Don’t just do something, sit there! This is one of those times.