My Intended Remarks to the Torrance City Council–August 9th, 2016

Due to time constraints on public comment at the beginning of the meeting, and due to the length of the rest of the agenda, I was not able to stay and speak my comments against SB 1146, and to urge a resolution from the Torrance City Council in opposition.


Here are my intended remarks:

Good Evening, Torrance City Council.                                                                                           

Tonight, I will be addressing you in my capacity as Director for
California MassResistance. We are a pro-life, pro-family, and pro-liberty activist
group, based in Massachusetts. Our leading concern today is with SB 1146, and I
am urging this council to pass a resolution to oppose this bill.

This legislation, currently on suspense file before the Assembly
appropriations committee, would severely curtail the Title IX exemptions which
private Christian colleges and universities claim.

State Senator Ricardo Lara of Bell Gardens believes that these
exemptions amount to a license to discriminate. The truth is—no one is forced
to go to these colleges. These colleges exist to teach and preach according to
an open and apparent Biblical world view.

If anyone is engaging in a license to discriminate, it’s State Senator
Lara, who has repeatedly suppressed public comment. SB 1146 would essential
shut down every Christian college in the state of California. Can you imagine
private universities and their students forced to embrace secular views which
conflict with the mission and practice of these schools? Men being allowed to
enter women’s bathrooms? Pastors and professors silenced and prevented from teaching,
or students from learning?

The agitators pushing SB 1146 are themselves discriminating. This
legislation is a flagrant violation of the First Amendment: freedom of speech, press,
assembly, petition for grievances, and above all religion. Religious liberty is
the foundation of our society. It is not anathema.

The true persecution that we are enduring now is from the aggressive and
insensitive homosexual-transgender lobby in this state, trying to force everyone
to accommodate a radical, untrue, anti-biological world view of life, marriage,
gender, and sexuality. It is very offensive to me that individuals who engage
in destructive behaviors want to claim the mantle of their cause as an
extension of the Civil Right Movement. I have black friends who fully agree
with me and share my disgust.

The alarms have been raised all over the state—and the country.  Churches, charities, and other religious
institutions have confronted their elected representatives over SB 1146. I have
already met with Assemblyman David Hadley, and am urging him to cease from his
silence and declare his opposition to this bill.  And shame on our state senators Ben Allen and
Isadore Hall, who voted for this abusive travesty.

Fellow members of MassResistance have confronted their own representatives
up and down the state.

Two city councils—LA Mirada and Cudahy — have drafted letters or
sought resolutions of opposition to this terrible legislation. I am requesting
that the Torrance City Council do the same. Do the right thing. Stand up for
truth, and resolve to oppose SB 1146.

Thank You

Arthur Schaper