It Came Back to Bite Them.

The battle rages on between North Carolina’s Governor, Pat McCrory, and Attorney General Loretta Lynch over the state’s “bathroom law” that effectively discriminates against transgendered individuals by mandating that they use public bathrooms that align with their birth certificate.  Part of the motivation for this legislation is the unfounded fear that a transgendered male would frighten little girls in the women’s restroom.  They apparently did not think of this.

But, here is where it gets interesting.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as originally proposed would outlaw discrimination because of race, color, religion, or national origin.  During an attempt to generate more “Nay” votes, a bigoted segregationist, Virginia’s Democratic Rep. Howard W. Smith, who staunchly opposed the legislation, decided to add “sex” to the list of protected classes.  He hoped to sway male chauvinist supporters to change their minds.  Instead, the law passed with the added class.

If that southern representative had not tried to kill the bill, the Justice Department may not have been able to sue North Carolina for violating the Civil Rights Act today.  It came back to bite them.