Indiana’s anti-LGBT law is even worse than it seems
The study of the jurisprudence of legalized bigotry took a big step forward in Indiana. The trigger was Indiana’s Republican Gov. Mike Pence signing a law purportedly aimed at expanding protections for business owners’ religious beliefs and practices.
The effect of the law, as an army of critics has pointed out, is to provide religious cover for discrimination against customers and employees.
Here’s how Advance America, an organization that helped lead the campaign for SB 101, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, described its rationale:
“Christian businesses and individuals deserve protection from those who support homosexual marriages and those who support government recognition and approval of gender identity (men who dress as women).
I must confess that this Indiana/Hoosier topic doesn’t seem to want to leave my mind.
Why?
Because I believe in freedom and equality for all? Because I think I can determine what is right or wrong? Because I believe that this RFRA law signed by Gov. Pence is totally discriminatory? Because I believe this law, as originally signed, sets a precedent and opens the door for discrimination of many minority groups? Because I am a member of the LGBTQ community? Because bigotry, hate and discrimination are not supposed to be true American values?
Because I had high expectations of this country? Because I was taught the difference between right and wrong? Because I know the difference between real need and taking advantage? Because this smells fishy rather than pizza?
Because this says a lot to me about the business owners? Because this says even more about the people who are sending their hard-earned money to this fund?
You name it.
Lady, you don’t need to be sad for me. I know where I stand in my religious freedom and the beliefs that I hold dear. I know that my relationship with god is a good one for me.
Like Rosie explains below, I have a hard time imagining anyone (gay or straight) catering their wedding reception with pizza. There’s no need to worry your little head with this concern. It would never happen where people from my community are concerned. We are way too classy for that.
Get off your cloud … don’t consider yourself that lucky. Could anyone explain to me how these two thoughts go together:
“Her family ‘doesn’t hate gays’ but simply would not deliver pizzas to a gay wedding because of their religious beliefs.” Yet, they would serve them in the pizza place …. sure that’s where the profits come in.
I truly think those who have donated money have been taken for a ride.
Now nearly $800,000 richer, Indiana pizzeria co-owner is ‘sad, very sad’ for gays
Crystal O’Connor: ‘We have to accept them, and we just ask they accept us’
BY GREG HERNANDEZ
Flush with nearly $800,000 in donations from supporters, the owners of Memories Pizza in Walkerton, Indiana, aren’t through talking about gay people.
‘God has blessed us for standing up for what we believe, and not denying Him,’ Crystal O’Connor tells Fox News.
She also said her family ‘doesn’t hate gays‘ but simply would not deliver pizzas to a gay wedding because of their religious beliefs.
The family was the first Indiana business to publicly state this after the state’s governor, Mike Pence, signed a ‘religiousfreedom‘ bill into law that would allow private businesses to do so.
Memories Pizza was so besieged by phone calls and online comments that they temporarily shut their doors. This resulted in a Go Fund Me campaign that as of Friday afternoon was closing in on $800,000.
Of the LGBTI community her family has offended O’Connor says:
‘All we can do is pray for them, and truly, we’re not really angry at them. We’re sad for them. Very sad.
‘We have to accept them, and we just ask they accept us.’
It’s OK to serve gays in restaurant, but a sin ‘if we cater their wedding’
~~Published on Apr 2, 2015~~
Indiana pizzeria owner speaks out against religious freedom backlash
A pizza restaurant in a small Indiana town has turned into a flashpoint in the national fight over religious freedom and gay marriage. Crystal O’Connor, one of the owners of the family-run Memories Pizza, told a local news outlet that, hypothetically, they would not cater gay weddings. They got quite a lot of social media trolling in response, as well as lots of threats.
As a result, they had to shut down. However, on Fox Business Network tonight, O’Connor told Neil Cavuto “we have decided that we will reopen again,” they’re just not sure when. They want to wait until the anger and threats subside.
O’Connor had said in the now-infamous local TV interview that they wouldn’t mind serving gay customers, just that they wouldn’t cater gay weddings. Cavuto asked her about why that’s the case. O’Connor explained:
“It is not a sin that we bring gays into our establishment and to serve them. It is a sin, though, if we cater their wedding. We feel we are participating, we are putting a stamp of approval on their wedding.”
She did emphasize that they “show no hatred” towards gay people and told Cavuto she just feels sad for all the people attacking them.
No service for gays ….. then no spending any gay money in your state. I can take my honest and hard-earned money other places. And, FYI, I have been “thrown out” of better places.
The Indiana law is modeled after the 1993 federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, but unlike the federal law, which only bars the government from placing a substantial burden on the free exercise of religion, Indiana’s version applies to businesses and private individuals as well. In the wake of dozens of court decisions legalizing same-sex marriage across the country and with the Supreme Court scheduled to rule on the issue in June, such measures have cropped up in dozens of states. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed a similar measure last year.
In a report, LGBT-rights group Human Rights Campaign outlined the danger posed by these “super RFRAs”: “These bills are often incredibly vague and light on details — usually intentionally,” the report reads. “In practice, most of these bills could empower any individual to sue the government to attempt to end enforcement of a non-discrimination law.”
Pence, on the other hand, maintains that the bill would not sanction discrimination. “This bill is not about discrimination, and if I thought it legalized discrimination in any way in Indiana, I would have vetoed it,” the governor said in a statement.
Amazingly how Republican Governor Mike Pence’s “Religious Freedom” law seems to cover 3 of the 14 characteristics common to fascist governments.
1. “Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights”– Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of “need.” The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.
2. “Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause” – The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial, ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.
3. “Religion and Government are Inter-twined” – Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government’s policies or actions. So, if you believe for one minute that this new Republican Party is not trying to morph our Democratic society into a Fascist Regime then you need to wake up before it’s too late and you wake up and are no longer allowed to vote (unless you own property or make over a certain amount).
Check out Dr. Lawrence Britt’s 14 defining characteristics common to fascist regimes, it reads like the Republican Party Platform.
Governor Mike Pence just signed into law a measure that would allow businesses to turn away gay and lesbian customers in the name of “religious freedom.” In a recent statement, Pence said, “The Constitution of the United States and the Indiana Constitution both provide strong recognition of the freedom of religion, but today, many people of faith feel their religious liberty is under attack by government action.”
Pence has a history of anti-gay politics, namely attempting to amend Indiana’s constitution to ban same-sex marriages last year before being beat down by Democrats. The state isn’t exactly known as the most gay-friendly of the 50: At the moment there is no law in Indiana that protects its citizens from discrimination based on sexual orientation. But there are a few counties that do protect those rights, and people against this “religious freedom” law are afraid businesses will use it to get around the local defenses. While Pence hasn’t specifically mentioned the anti-LGBT effects this law could hold, a few of his allies have been vocal about the possibility of businesses using it against gay, lesbian, and transgender Americans. Other supporters have stated that it doesn’t necessarily target the LGBT community, but allows business owners in the wedding industry — such as florists, bakers, and photographers — who disagree with same-sex marriage to deny services to those customers.
As a result, people are “boycotting” the state (hence the trending hashtag) to show their disapproval of the bill. Gen Con, Indianapolis’s biggest convention, threatened to take its event elsewhere, and the NCAA is worried how the legislation could affect next week’s Final Four championship. Jason Collins, the first openly gay NBA player, tweeted at Governor Pence, “Is it going to be legal for someone to discriminate against me & others when we come to the #FinalFour?”
~~Indiana boycott urged after religious freedom law passes~~
~~Published on Mar 28, 2015~~
Indiana boycott urged after ‘religious freedom’ law passes
Activists have encouraged a boycott of Indiana after the US state enacted a “religious freedom” law, which they say discriminates against gay people.
Supporters say the law prevents the state from forcing people to provide services contrary to their religion.
Similar bills are being considered across the US as court rulings have made gay marriage legal in more states.
Several groups plan to do less business with the state, and celebrities criticised the law on Twitter.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association said it was “especially concerned” about how the law would affect its employees and student athletes.
Next week, the NCCA will host the finals of its annual basketball tournament in Indianapolis, the state’s capital and its largest city.
On Friday, Arkansas moved closer to passing a similar “religious freedom” measure.
Several large conventions based in Indiana — including the large gamer gathering GenCon — have threatened to hold their events elsewhere because of the law.
Salesforce, a California company with ties to Indiana, cancelled all employee travel to the state and said it was considering decreasing its investment in Indiana
Governor Mike Pence said he signed the law to “help protect churches, Christian businesses and individuals from those who want to punish them because of their Biblical beliefs”.
Mr Pence, a Republican, said he would not have signed the law if he thought it was discriminatory.
Corporate executives such as Jeremy Stoppelman of Yelp and Tim Cook of Apple have urged other states not to follow Indiana’s example.
“These laws set a terrible precedent that will likely harm the broader economic health of the states where they have been adopted, the businesses currently operating in those states and, most importantly, the consumers who could be victimised under these laws.” Mr Stoppelman wrote in an open letter.
Sponsors of the bill say it is closely modeled on a federal religious freedom law passed in 1993 and that 19 other states already have similar laws.
But Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard, a Republican, said the law sends a “wrong signal” to visitors and could make the state seem unwelcoming.
Star Trek star George Takei, who has a large following on social media, has pushed for a boycott of the state. The term #BoycottIndiana has been a top trending topic on Twitter for more than a day.
“Sad this new Indiana law can happen in America today,” Hillary Clinton, a presumptive presidential candidate, wrote on Twitter on Thursday. “We shouldn’t discriminate against people because of who they love.”
~~Indiana boycott urged after religious freedom law passes~~
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