Rand Paul: “today, we find ourselves debating an intolerance-laden bill advanced by those who will claim to be the ``tolerant''…”

“today, we find ourselves debating an intolerance-laden bill advanced by those who will claim to be the ``tolerant'' ones. What the bill's proponents are really saying is that they are intolerant of an individual's freedom to associate with those whom they, as individuals, see fit. Two vital issues are raised by this bill's ascendancy to the House floor. The first is that of our constitutional right to freedom of association. The second being the notion of ``federal charters.'' On June 28, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Boy Scouts of America was within its rights when the private organization expelled an adult scout leader because he was gay. In its five-to-four opinion, the court found that requiring the Boy Scouts to admit homosexuals violated the group's free association rights. Nevertheless, this Congress has decided to bring to the floor a bill attempting to penalize this private group of citizens for exercising their first amendment ``freedom of association'' rights. This is very close to denying the very right itself.”