Luke Ash, a pastor who worked at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library in Louisiana as a library services technician, refused to refer to a female colleague by male pronouns.
Lying is a sin, and Ash did not want to do so or participate in someone else’s delusion. The library fired him.
Liberty Counsel (LC), which represents Ash, sent a demand letter to the library last October, reminding officials that Ash has First Amendment rights. LC demanded that the Library Board reinstate him and respect his religious freedom.
The Library Board apparently believes that Ash has no rights under which the government is bound to respect. Does this paraphrased quote sound familiar? Now the library will have to argue the same in court. LC filed a federal lawsuit on Ash’s behalf. From LC:
Liberty Counsel is seeking a permanent injunction that declares the library’s “Inclusivity Policy” is unconstitutional for violating his constitutional rights of free speech, religious exercise, equal protection, the Louisiana Preservation of Religious Freedom Act, as well as his religious protections under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The lawsuit also requests that the court order the library to reinstate Pastor Ash to his prior position, restore his benefits, and award backpay, damages, and attorney’s fees and costs.
You’d think that employers, especially government employers, would tread carefully when it comes to impinging on an individual’s First Amendment rights. Free exercise of religion is enumerated in the Constitution. Forcing employees to indulge in a colleague’s perverted sexual fantasies is not.
