WTF Just Happened In Puerto Rico With SB 238?

Oops, guess I spoke too soon about SB 238 passing the Puerto Rican House and Senate .

Seems that while the news was being trumpeted around the world about the sweeping trans inclusive version that would have protected TBLG Puerto Ricans against discrimination in public accommodations, housing, governmental services and other private entities, the faith based haters were still actively working to strip those categories from it before it reached Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla's desk for his signature.

According to an AP report they succeeded.   On May 27 a modified version of the bill was passed by the Puerto Rican Senate that removed the clauses banning discrimination against TBLG Puerto Ricans in commercial transactions, property rentals, public accommodations, and other circumstances.

So now the question inquiring GLBT human rights minds like moi are asking is which version of the bill did Governor Garcia Padilla sign into law?   Is it the version of SB 238 that has those clauses or the May 27 one the faith based haters were pushing to strip them from the bill and keep their special right to discriminate alive?

Governor Alejandro García Padilla signed the legislation at his official residence in San Juan along with HB 488, which adds domestic violence law protections for gender identity, sexual orientation, and marital status. 

He issued a statement via Twitter: 'The dignity of being a human being is inviolable because we are all the same and we must be equal under the law.'

He added: 'Today is a great day for Puerto Rico. I feel that I have fulfilled my duty as a Christian to sign these laws.'

But my question is how great a day?  Which version of SB 238 did you sign Governor Garcia Padilla?  If you signed the original sweeping bill, it was a doubleplus good day for the Puerto Rican TBLG community. 

If it was the modified one that strips commercial transactions, property rentals, public accommodations, transportation and other circumstances from it, you signed a worthless, unjust Massachusetts style law and far from 'fulfilling your duty as a Christian' to treat everyone equally, you just failed in that task. 

How can you even part your lips to call it equal if you have a LGBT non discrimination law that keeps you as a rainbow Puerto Rican from being fired from your job, but the transphobic bus driver transporting you to that job can kick you off his bus?  

You can work for a restaurant, but the homophobic restaurant owner can kick you out of his establishment if you and your trans, gay and lesbian friends attempt to eat there.  If you're trying to rent an apartment or beachside cottage the phobic building owner can refuse to rent it to you without fear of being punished for it.. 

Who the hell LGBT activist wise was watching the Puerto Rican legislature and the governor's office to ensure the tougher bill was the one that received Governor Garcia Padilla's signature?   Instead of doing the civil rights job right the first time you'll now have to (like Massachusetts is painfully doing right now) go back to the Puerto Rican Legislature and refight the pitched battle you just fought to have those categories the Senate just stripped out added back into the law.  

A human rights law without public accommodations language in it is not only unjust, it's a worthless law.

And since 2014 is an election year, good luck making that happen and getting a governor who narrowly won his seat in the 2012 election cycle to sign it.