The trend to deny services based on religious objections and personal beliefs now extends to mental health counselors and therapists in Tennessee. The American Counseling Association called the legislation, signed Wednesday by Gov. Bill Haslam, “an unprecedented attack” on the profession.

It’s similar to the effort to allow pharmacists to turn people away if patients, after consulting with their doctors, request birth control pills or emergency contraception. And, of course, we’ve heard of the Tri-Cities florist who didn’t want to sell wedding flowers to a gay couple and the Kentucky clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses.

Pretty soon it will be teachers, doctors, police officers, firefighters and, crucially, grocery store clerks.

“Flank steak? Try the carnivore-friendly line.”

(Moves to next line)

“Condoms? Seriously? Can you not see my cross?”

(Moves to next line)

“The newspaper? The one that endorsed gay marriage? Nice try.”

This trend got me to thinking: Should I have to attend editorial board meetings with groups pushing personally offensive agendas? Can I automatically reject their letters and columns? Why can’t I just refer them to the other working member of the editorial board (aside from the fact that there isn’t one)?

My life would be simpler if I could just forward emails and voicemails that ford the morality moat and take a battering ram to my beliefs. Problem is, I wouldn’t be doing my job, and the head of this castle wouldn’t be amused.

Oh well, I can always go into pharmacy or counseling or the floral business, and just do business with like-minded folks, if I move to the right state.

Sounds like heaven, which, of course, doesn’t have anybody who thinks differently. Certainly not journalists. On second thought, it sounds like hell.

DIVERSITY HIRE. The Spokane Valley City Council consists of five elderly white men, down from seven elderly white men after the resignations of Dean Grafos and Chuck Hafner. The council is accepting applications to fill the vacated positions. Councilman Ed Pace says he doesn’t want “duds,” but would he accept someone who doesn’t look like him, think like him or remember black-and-white TV shows? (Full disclosure: I do.)

One way to winnow the field to get the “right fit” would be to craft a strategic questionnaire. For instance:

Which of the following statements about the “The Andy Griffith Show” ring true?

A. Sheriff Andy Taylor was plum crazy for not carrying a gun.

B. Deputy Barney Fife’s Second Amendment rights were severely curtailed when Andy refused to let him have bullets.

C. In a couple of episodes, Andy recklessly cooperates with the feds.

D. Mayberry was a walkable city, but I liked it anyway.

E. Andy who?

THE PROPOSITION. Service on the Spokane Valley City Council is considered part time and pays about $10,000 a year ($800 a month), plus medical and dental benefits. I’d imagine that puts quite a damper on the number of people who apply, and helps explain the council’s current demographic profile (they all qualify for Social Security).

On the plus side, they understand each other’s aches, pains and cultural references. On the down side, they represent a population whose median age is 37.

We’ve heard a lot about the salary of Spokane City Council members, but what about the pay for the same position in the state’s 10th largest city (2010 Census)? Sound reasonable? Filters out too many people?

If you’d like to reply, send me an email and include your full name and hometown.

Opinion Editor Gary Crooks can be reached at garyc@spokesman.com or (509) 459-5026. Follow him on Twitter @GaryCrooks.