Re: Anti Conversion laws.
Namaste.
"Over here" we have the First Amendment to the US Constitution:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The US Supreme Court has categorically upheld that to include state laws, not only federal laws. The only place that religious proselytization can be prohibited is on federal, state or private property. Private property for public access (an airport, public park) is "iffy". Federal and state property includes courthouses, schools and any facility funded by public (i.e. taxpayer) funds. However, it does not preclude "free exercise of religion".
When I began to display images of deities on my desk at work, I expected some sort of comment. I was ready with "Are we going to have a constitutional issue here?"; there is no company policy against religious displays. As an aside, half of our employees are Indian and half are Hispanic, so we get all kinds of food and festivities (my company is highly rated as all-inclusive and welcoming).
We are waging a battle against the fundamentalist Christians who want to lobby Congress and pass legislation based on their religious beliefs. We cannot have that. Congress knows this, but it is a waste of time and taxpayer money when a bill, proposed in the House or Senate by a "lobbied" senator or congress(wo)man, has to be debated.
The First Amendment is indeed a double edged sword. It gives us rights that can be taken too far.
śivasya hridayam viṣṇur viṣṇoscha hridayam śivaḥ
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