Bishops Issue Statement on HB 4

The bishops of Kentucky have issued the following statement on HB 4.

As the General Assembly considers HB 4, we urge legislators to take a cautious approach.
We acknowledge, and are glad to see, that HB 4 is more limited than some previous proposals. And, we certainly agree that the goal of eliminating unjust discrimination is a laudable one.

However, our concerns with HB 4 lie with the reality that while it is certainly true that an individual, by virtue of their race, sex, religion, or other identity, might not have brought about injustices by their own actions, it is also true that those who are in positions of power or who benefit from systemic inequities have a moral responsibility to address injustice.  Addressing systemic injustices requires affirmative efforts, not just prohibition of discriminatory activity. We are especially concerned that the restriction on investigations of “bias incidents” until they have already escalated to outright harassment could prevent university administrators from providing a safe environment for all students.

As Pope Francis has said, “The message of peace is not about a negotiated settlement but rather the conviction that the unity brought by the Spirit can harmonize every diversity. It overcomes every conflict by creating a new and promising synthesis. Diversity is a beautiful thing when it can constantly enter into a process of reconciliation and seal a sort of cultural covenant resulting in a ‘reconciled diversity.’ As the bishops of the Congo have put it: ‘Our ethnic diversity is our wealth.… It is only in unity, through conversion of hearts and reconciliation, that we will be able to help our country to develop on all levels.’”

A PDF version of this statement can be found here.