A McMaster Mind of Religious Liberty

Tony Perkins | March 14, 2018

(Family Research Council) – It’s time to stop playing politics with kids’ well-being. That was Governor Henry McMaster’s (R) message to the liberal forces of South Carolina. Tired of watching the LGBT lobby sabotage faith-based groups, the South Carolina chief stepped in to stop them.

McMaster, who’s been a vocal advocate of adoption and foster care organizations like Miracle Hill, took his support a step farther this week. To the cheers of local groups, the governor signed his name to a new executive order that protects the religious liberty of faith-based groups in the state. Over the past few months, groups like Miracle Hill have been under fire from far-Left activists, who think that political correctness should trump a child’s well-being in placing them for adoption. State officials, who’d threatened to strip Miracle Hill of its license if it didn’t open up its programs to same-sex couples, were stopped in their tracks by McMaster’s order, which insisted that “The state finds no compelling interest in limiting faith-based organizations.” 

Like so many social service groups, Reid Lehman, Miracle Hill’s president and CEO, said he’s grateful for the governor’s intervention. “We are fighting for a robust childcare system in the state,” he said. “What the governor is doing is helping make sure that religious childcare providers have a fair playing field.” In the name of “equality,” extremists have demanded that organizations like Catholic Charities turn a blind eye to their beliefs — and reams of social science — which agree that a married mom and dad is the best environment for raising kids. “There are quite a few that would lose their ability to provide foster families if this action with DSS is allowed to stand,” Lehman said. “The need in our state is too great for that.”

Hats off to Governor McMaster for ensuring that South Carolina’s children don’t just have homes — but thrive in them.


Tony Perkins’ Washington Update is written with the aid of FRC Action senior writers.

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