WASHINGTON – Interfaith Alliance president Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy issued the following statement today in response to President Obama’s announcement of plans to sign an Executive Order barring discrimination by federal contractors on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity:
“I am deeply grateful that President Obama has decided, today, to move forward with plans to enact an Executive Order protecting the freedom of our LGBT brothers and sisters to work for federal contractors. This policy is long overdue. For years Interfaith Alliance has urged the president to protect LGBT workers through executive action, just as we have tirelessly urged Congress to enact non-discrimination legislation. While Congress continues to neglect its duty, I am overjoyed to witness this decisive action toward ensuring all Americans the God-given right to be treated with dignity and respect in workplace.”
“We look forward to working with the president to see that this Executive Order is the most comprehensive policy possible. The tenet that religion should never be legitimated as a license to discriminate remains our core belief; that federal money must never be used to fund such discrimination must remain the bedrock of religious freedom in America. It is my sincerest hope that the president will heed this principle as he considers the contours of his forthcoming executive action.”
Interfaith Alliance is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.