A Republican California state senator has introduced a measure making political affiliation a protected class under California’s anti-discrimination laws.
She promotes it as a way to fight “cancel culture.”
State Sen. Melissa Melendez’s (R) proposal, known as the Diversity of Thought Act, would amend the Fair Employment and Housing Act to prohibit political bias discrimination when California residents are applying for jobs or seeking housing.”It is unfathomable to me that corporations and members of the public would ruin a person’s career, business and family because of their political ideology,” said Melendez, who was elected to California’s 28th Senate District in May.”Free speech covers all speech, not just that with which you agree,” she added.
The effort comes hard on the heels of Disney firing Mandalorian star Gina Carano for a tweet she compared being a Republican today to being Jewish prior to the Holocaust.
In addition the the “Diversity of Thought Act,” there is a second measure she is proposing that makes political affiliation a protected class in schools.
“Schools are compelled to have policies against discrimination and bullying on the basis of a student’s gender, race, religion and sexual orientation, among other protected classes. Melendez’s bill would add political affiliation to that list.Under state law, schools must have not only policies against discrimination and bullying on the basis of these protected classes, but a process to field allegations of such conduct and investigate them.“Cancel culture and the efforts to silence differing opinions and voices should be a growing concern for all of us,” Melendez said in a statement.
Of course, a Democrat member of the state’s legislature responded just as you would expect and in the process demonstrating the need for these protections.
…Democratic state Assembly member Lorena Gonzalez of San Diego – who drew attention last May for her “F— Elon Musk” tweet in reaction to the Tesla CEO threatening to pull jobs out of California – fired back at Melendez.”Your choice to hate & actively puruse hate does not make you part of a protected class,” Gonzalez wrote on Twitter.Just three months before her anti-Musk tweet, Gonzalez was caught on video shouting “F— Donald Trump!” at a campaign event for then-presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
I admire the senator’s moxie very much. But it will be hard to fight cancel culture in the epicenter of the blackhole of political diversity.
In related news, prices for Carano’s “Cara Dune” action figures have skyrocketed.
The decision — and, it seems, Carano’s popularity with the “Mandalorian” audience — has sent prices for Cara Dune figures skyrocketing on secondary retail sites like eBay, with some sellers listing limited edition Cara Dune toys at up to ten times their suggested retail price.“Action figures for Gina Carano’s ‘Mandalorian’ character are being hawked for big bucks online after a top toymaker reportedly said it would no longer produce the items following the actress’s firing from Disney for controversial social media posts,” the Hill noted. “Some sellers on eBay were listing their six-inch Cara Dune figurines for nearly $500, while others were being sold for $250 a piece on Tuesday.”
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