Liberty Institute Denounces Revised San Antonio Ordinance As An Egregious First Amendment Violation

Attorneys Warn that Revised San Antonio Ordinance Does Not Protect Individual Religious Liberty

SAN ANTONIO, Aug. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Liberty Institute President and CEO Kelly Shackelford issued the following statement in response to the City of San Antonio's revised "anti-discrimination" ordinance proposal:

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Liberty Institute President and CEO Kelly Shackelford said, "San Antonio's proposed anti-discrimination ordinance remains an egregious violation of the First Amendment. Now the city and the press are sowing confusion to get the proposed ordinance passed, stating that the language in the proposed ordinance that would violate San Antonians' freedom of speech and freedom of religion has been removed and misreporting the opinions of local pastors on the anti-discrimination ordinance. Unfortunately, the latest draft of the proposed ordinance still prohibits anyone acting on a city board of commission from 'demonstrating a bias by word or deed' against a person because of that person's sexual orientation or gender identity, still requires almost every person who contracts with the city to follow the city's beliefs about sexual orientation and gender identity, and still provides no protection for individual religious liberty."

Liberty Institute attorneys warn that it is unconstitutional to prohibit the free exercise of religion and to make it a "thought crime" to hold traditional biblical views on sexuality. To view a recent letter the attorneys submitted to San Antonio's mayor and city council, visit online: http://www.libertyinstitute.org/document.doc?id=94

About Liberty Institute
Liberty Institute is a national nonprofit legal group dedicated to defending and restoring religious liberty across America — in our schools, for our churches and throughout the public arena. Liberty's vision is to reestablish religious liberty in accordance with the principles of our nation's Founders. For information, visit www.LibertyInstitute.org.

SOURCE Liberty Institute