NY's Ballot Prop 1: An Insidious Attack on Faith and Family

Amid the critical importance of this year’s national elections, with control of the White House and Congress in the balance, it's vital that voters also pay attention to races for state and local offices, as well as various ballot proposals.

Each of these contests has profound implications.

In New York State, for instance, Ballot Proposal 1 — a state constitutional amendment deceptively mischaracterized by proponents as an "equal rights" amendment — will, if adopted, empower New York’s hard left, one-party government to wreak further havoc on voting integrity; undermine parental rights; attack religious freedom; and enshrine unrestricted abortion, up to and beyond the moment of birth, into the state Constitution.

By prohibiting "discrimination" based on "gender identity, gender expression," as well as "age," this proposal could be used to:

• grant a constitutional right for underage minors to have permanent "gender-altering" treatments and surgeries without parental knowledge or consent;
• Allow minors, even elementary school children, to "transition" at school, changing their names or “pronouns” and accessing puberty blockers and hormone treatments without parental knowledge or consent;
• require women and underage girls to compete against biological men and boys in scholastic sports, and share restrooms, locker rooms, and shower facilities with biological males.

Prop 1 also purports to ban "discrimination" based on "pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy."

This, joined to the "age" and "gender" provisions, could be used to:

• allow minor girls to have abortions without parental knowledge or consent;

• mandate that Catholic and other religious hospitals perform abortions and "gender transitioning" surgical mutilations, even on minors — or else close their doors, depriving millions of New Yorkers of the vital services provided by religious healthcare institutions;
• require that faith-based charities either act in violation of their religious beliefs — for example, housing biological males in shelters for abused women — or be shut down, depriving vulnerable people of their charitable services;
• force anti-abortion pregnancy support centers to provide referrals for abortion or be closed down, depriving mothers and babies of their life-affirming care;
• open the door for churches and religious organizations to be sued if their teachings, ministries, or hiring policies conflict with the "rights" of gender expression and identity;
• enshrine New York’s nine-month abortion "right" into the state Constitution.

And, by prohibiting "discrimination" based on "national origin," this proposal could be used to grant non-citizens, including those who have entered the country illegally, the right to vote in our elections — something the left has already endeavored to do in local jurisdictions, including New York City.

Now even those who, like me, urge greater compassion for those who come here illegally with benign intentions — usually, providing a better life for their families — should oppose this effort to allow non-citizens a voice in choosing our government.

First of all we know that among the current flood of tens of millions of people surging through our open borders, there are many thousands — terrorists, gang members, drug runners, those sent by countries hostile to America — who wish to do us harm. Do we really want to empower them to help select our government leaders?

Moreover, granting non-citizens the right to intrude into our election system will only—understandably — heighten resentment against all illegal immigrants, undermining efforts to treat with compassion those who come here with good intentions.

Why Prop 1 Is a Collection of Self-Evident Contradictions:

• Under the guise of prohibiting discrimination, it would undermine election integrity, and discriminate against people and institutions of faith.
• Under the guise of protecting privacy, it would destroy women’s privacy in restrooms, locker rooms, showers, and homeless shelters.
• Under the guise of promoting equality, it would undermine women’s equality in sports.
• And of course, it denies equality for unborn children, whose mass destruction would be further advanced by its provisions.

New Yorkers need to spread the word about the dangers Prop 1 poses to parental rights, religious freedom, election integrity, and the sanctity of life.

all Americans must carefully examine any propositions on their state ballots this election year, to guard against similarly insidious initiatives.

(A related column may be found here.)

For three decades, Rick Hinshaw has given voice to faith values in the public square, as a columnist, then editor of The Long Island Catholic; communications director for the Catholic League and the New York State Catholic Conference; co-host of "The Catholic Forum," on cable. He is now editor of his own blog, "Reading the Signs." Visit Rick’s home page at rickhinshaw.com. Read Rick Hinshaw's Reports — More Here.