Today the House State Affairs committee voted, on a straight party line vote, to keep the Add the Words Bill from progressing to the full house for debate. It should not have come as a surprise, I suppose. But as I kept listening to the 21 hours of testimony, it was clear that the voices…
I’ve spent much of the week listening to testimony for and against House Bill 2, which would Add the Words “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the Idaho Human Rights Act. My testimony to the House State Affairs Committee is here. There were some beautiful stories shared, particularly when parents of trans children spoke of…
I was able to testify today in favor of House Bill 2, which would Add the Words “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the Idaho Human Rights Codes. my testimony starts at 1:49. Here are my edited remarks: My name is Marci Glass and I am the pastor of Southminster Presbyterian Church in Boise. I’m…
The Idaho House this week approved introducing a piece of legislation to add the words “gender identity” and “sexual orientation” to the Human Rights Codes. This means we will, after 9 years, finally get a hearing. This will allow people to share stories with legislators about the vital need to include these protections in the…
Idaho Governor Clement Leroy “Butch” Otter made this statement this week as he was sworn in for his third term in office. “Where we draw the line is having others’ views imposed on us as mandates out of misguided political correctness or a lack of respect for our history, traditions and values.” I heard that…
Donald and Lynn Knapp are licensed ministers in the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. Which is great and all. They also own a wedding business in City of Coeur D’Alene that illustrates how sacred marriage is by removing it from the church and putting it in a for-profit business called “The Hitching Post”. They…
I’m far from home tonight. Sitting on my hotel balcony, overlooking the Ohio River in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. I’m far from home when startling news has been announced. In a 57 page decision, US Magistrate Judge Candy Dale determined Idaho’s Constitutional ban against same gender marriage is unconstitutional. “… Idaho’s Marriage Laws withhold from them…
One of our news channels today aired this story about the cost of the Add the Words demonstrations at the Idaho Capitol this session. http://www.ktvb.com/news/capitol-watch/Police-protesters-talk-about-the-cost-of-Add-the-4-Words-protests-248917111.html And the dollars are real. Apparently it has cost the state $19,000 dollars to arrest over 100 unarmed and non-violent citizens who were standing at the capitol hoping their elected…
There seems to be some confusion in our political and cultural discourse lately about what, exactly, constitutes “religious freedom”. Rep. Lynn Luker had a bill before the Idaho legislature a few years back that he said was intended to protect religious liberty. “Republican lawmakers on the panel said they favored the bill to expand an…
Silence is not really my thing. I talk. For a living. I get in a pulpit and speak. I use my voice all the time. But today I participated in a silent protest at the Idaho State Capitol for Add the Words. There has been a campaign going for many years now to add 4…
Glass Overflowing 