Christopher Shays: “I believe people competing for a job should be judged on the strength of their candidacy, not on their gender, the color…”

“I believe people competing for a job should be judged on the strength of their candidacy, not on their gender, the color of their skin, their sexual orientation, or their religious beliefs. Supporting this amendment was not an easy decision for me. I have grappled with this issue for years because the Civil Rights Act includes an exemption for religious organizations, but I have come to believe that, where Federal dollars are involved, Congress should not condone discrimination on any grounds, even on religious grounds. With the help of tax dollars, faith-based organizations are able to provide a wide range of social services to their communities, but allowing them to discriminate against those who wish to be of service, simply on the basis of their religion, casts a shadow on the wonderful work these groups are doing. I understand some faith-based organizations would prefer to have ideologically consistent staffs, but I believe a person willing to take a job with a religious group and commit to advancing the mission of that group can do so whether or not they believe personally in the institution's message.”