Mississippi Same-sex Law

[Gregory Matthews]

A Federal court has lifted an injunction that had prevented a Mississippi law from going into effect that allowed government employees, under some conditions to refuse, for religious reasons, providing services to citizens.  This law also allowed commercial businesses to refuse services for the same reasons.

There is simply something wrong that allows a government employee to refuse to provide a government service to  one person based on a religious reason.

But, this case is far from over.  The Federal court did not issue this ruling on the basis of its Constitutionality.  Rather it ruled that those who had attempted to litigate it lacked "standing."   A central rule of law is that one can not  litigate against the government unless one has "standing."  IOW, one who attempts to so litigate must prove that they have personally suffered wrong.  Even then they may not be allowed to litigate.  In this case the Court ruled that none of the litigants had standing. 

I will suggest that other litigants will now come forward who do have standing.  This Mississippi issue has not yet gone away.

See:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/22/us/mississippi-gay-religion-injunction.html