Human Rights Should Never Be Put To A Vote

The founders of our Constitution realized that there are certain thing that should not be put to a vote, they saw that the majority should not be able to oppress minorities by a popular vote. They created protected classes such as religion and over time the states have also expanded the rights of their citizens.

Montana must rewrite transgender bathroom ballot description
SF Gate
By Amy Beth Hanson, Associated Press
September 20, 2017


 HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The Montana Supreme Court ordered the state attorney general to rewrite ballot language for an initiative that would require people to use public restrooms and locker rooms designated for their gender at birth.

The court ruled Tuesday in a challenge from the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana, saying the language did not include the initiative's specific definition of "sex" and was otherwise vague.

The justices agreed with the ACLU that the ballot language does not specify that the law would apply to local government buildings and public education facilities and does not include how much it would cost them to comply.

It also isn't clear in the language that people could sue the state for emotional or mental distress if they encounter a transgender person in a public bathroom and the facility had not taken reasonable steps to prevent it, the court said.

And who is behind this attack on us?

The conservative Montana Family Foundation has until June to gather nearly 26,000 signatures to get the initiative on the November 2018 ballot. State lawmakers rejected a proposed referendum on the issue this year.

Foundation President Jeff Lazloffy said the organization is happy with the decision and that the issues raised by the ACLU were "fairly minor." But he said it may not be possible to determine the financial effects of the initiative.

Let’s hope that this ballot initiative will never get on the ballot.