Oh, brother. Here we go again.
Evidently, Republican lawmakers in the great state of Arkansas have learned absolutely nothing from the fallout currently taking place in Indiana after lawmakers there passed a bill legalizing discrimination against gay people, because yesterday they voted for their own “religious freedom” bill and–guess what? — it passed!
The bill sailed through the Arkansas Legislature and is currently on its merry way to Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s desk, where it is expected to be signed without delay.
Just like Indiana’s law, Arkansas’ “religious freedom” bill grants business owners the right to discriminate against anyone — gay, Muslim, female, you name it — who they feel “substantially burdens” their religious beliefs, whatever the hell that means.
How about we take this to the next level?
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During Monday’s committee hearing, some lawmakers expressed concerns that the bill may infringe upon people’s civil rights, so they proposed a solution: adding a non-discrimination disclaimer to the legislation.
But Rep. Bob Ballinger (R), the bill’s proud author, said that would be “too confusing,” since people have different definitions of discrimination.
“If that means that you can force somebody who has deeply held religious beliefs to engage in some activity that violates their deeply held religious beliefs, and that the state has the right to force them into doing it, I can’t say that I do agree with that,” he said.
Gov. Hutchinson seems giddy to sign the bill the moment it hits his desk. In a statement last week, he said: “Arkansas is open for business, and we recognize and respect the diversity of our culture and economy” before adding, proudly: “I will sign this bill.”
UPDATE: Gov. Hutchinson has backtracked on last week’s promise to sign the bill. At a press conference held earlier today, he told reporters: “The issue has become divisive because our nation remains split on how to balance the diversity of our culture with the traditions and firmly held religious convictions. It has divided families, and there is clearly a generational gap on this issue.” Therefore, he added, “changes need to be made. The bill that is on my desk at the present time does not precisely mirror the federal law.”
Related stories:
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Cam
So lets see,
My religious belief is that anybody in Arkansas who discriminates against LGBT’s owes me $10,000 each time they do it.
Remember, if they don’t pay me, THEY ARE Denying me my religious freedom!!!!
Craig Marker
Natural state with the exemption of Big Energy.
Ken Nolan
The governor has announced that he will not sign the bill until clarifications have been made. He has sent it back to the state.
Xzamilio
I’m too done with this faux narrative of religious liberty. I’m even more tired of these dishonest immoral monsters continuously carrying on this same fake message.
I’m not tolerating intolerance.
http://shallowvoices.blogspot.com/2014/01/religious-homophobia-not-tolerating.html
KL
Asa is sending HB1228 back for revisions. He will not sign it in its current form, and only when it fits Federal Law. It’s progress, at least. CNN just now reported it.
polarisfashion
The primary purpose of any business is to make money. By refusing to serve anyone for any reason, you are losing money. If your business operates in a community that has more non bigots than actual bigots, then you night as well hang a “going out of business” sign in your window because you won’t have enough customers to keep you afloat!
KL
I live in Little Rock and was at the Capitol Monday with the HRC protest. No one saw this unified amount of backlash coming. As optimistic and hopeful as I am with the small amount of progress in Arkansas over the last two years, the level of support against discrimination has shocked even me. Thank you, America!
Giancarlo85
@KL: Correct. He doesn’t want his state to ruin its reputation. But I don’t know what Arkansas has to offer. Thanks for Bill, but that’s the only positive the state has given this nation.
jwtraveler
@polarisfashion: Unfortunately there are more than enough bigots in the country to keep these businesses afloat. And then there is the vast majority of people who don’t pay attention or just don’t care. It wouldn’t work in SF or Manhattan or Cambridge, MA or some other liberal places, but they’re a small minority.
GG
– Protection from having your sensibilities offended is not the government’s job.
– Being offended is to be EXPECTED by virtue of living in a pluralistic society.
– Discriminations is not a religious freedom.
– Exactly what religious rights are being denied?
– Objecting to aspects of other Americans is no justification for discrimination in the public market sector.
– Where, exactly, do your religion’s sources state “Thou shall not bake a cake for a same-sex wedding”?
Curty
No one cares about Arkansas so the backlash will be minimal at best. Indiana has more business influence due to sports… I don’t agree with this law of course but there is little to lose in the state compared to Indiana which is a big, sports city.
Darryl Moir
Time to bomb the USA bomb it right in to the ground so nothing is left.
Jameer Baptiste
Way late on your news, the governor already said he is not signing it until it’s redefined citing his son as the main reason why.
scottvegas
Cue the Duggar clan to sweep in and start howling…
bobbyjoe
Arkansas Hutchinson won’t sign the bill because Wal-Mart stepped in and said “don’t do it.”
These anti-gay activists forgot the first rule of Republicans: you can talk about God all you want, but business and corporations are the true Gods of the GOP. Once it became apparent that businesses were gonna pull their money and/or make major waves about this, all that holier-than-thou talk goes right out the window.
Ask Gov. Pence. His political career is utterly ruined. I reckon he forgot which Gods he was actually supposed to bow down to.
Donnie Terflinger
http://gawker.com/arkansas-governor-refuses-to-sign-anti-gay-religious-bi-1695029736
jayj150
On a side note, where are our ‘trans brothers and sisters’ to show their support when you need them?. It’d be nice to hear from them, for once, to show that they care about about our rights as much as they expect us to care about theirs. Come on, Molloy, Cox, Mock, use your social media power to fight this law, as you’ve used it vigorously to fight Rupaul, Piers Morgan or to defend convicted child-killers. I keep hearing we have to have their back because “they’ve fought restlessly for ours”, yet, whenever I hear from them is to: a)Condescendingly demonize us and police our language and culture. B)Whine about people not learning to speak their neo-language.
But I guess if you’re a perfectly feminine “straight woman” such as Cox or Mock, these don’t affect you directly, so why bother.
AtticusBennett
@jayj150: where are YOU, btw? all i see is the same anonymous wimp with no balls trolling every LGBT site with the same tired anti-trans idiocy.
show yourself. show all the amazing work you do. oh wait, you can’t. because you’re an internet coward with no balls and no spine, and likely a family that has ignored you for a decade or more.
so yeah. show us all who you are, and what an amazing loud and proud politically active gay man you are.
or post a screen pic so we can see how glamorous life is in your parent’s basement.
Curty
@bobbyjoe: Aint that the truth…
John Behr
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/04/01/govt-and-business-leaders-object-to-ark-religion-bill/70757942/
Edwin Andino
It’s a simple Wall Street matter. Know where you spend your money!
Bruce Dillon
DISLIKE! Discrimination!
(*;*()
onthemark
@Curty: Arkansas has the significant gay resort town of Eureka Springs:
http://gayeurekasprings.com/
chuck
GAWD IS FAKE!
tusgold
Bottom line this will proceed in the exct same manner as segregation and racial discrimination. The Courts will jam it down the homophobes throat and it will settttle for a bit and the as we have to day with bllacks it will rear its ugly head in more subtle ways. In my opinion I want businesses to ban me. I don’t want to give them a dime of my money. Get marriage equality and let the businesses do as they please. I think gay Americans and our supporters will know not to go there.
tusgold
After the unknown Governor of Indiana comes on everyones TV and is getting prepared for the biggest shit storm he’s ever been in Asa Hutchinson, foormer congressman, says I want some action too! To show just hoow bad of a shit storm Hutchinson is in Wal-Mart is going abbsolutely CRAZY and telemarketing olle Asa saying don’t you dare. When Waltons speak Asa listens. Wal-Mart want zero to do with this clusteerfuck and is trying like hell to stop it. Current 20 states have bills like this in an attempt to circumvent marriage equality. Now on the Supreme Justice Kenedy is the swing vote. He wrote the decision of why DOMA is inconstitutional and at worst it looks likke 5-4 the good guys and gays win.
1EqualityUSA
tusgold, The Supreme Court may just put an end to all of this, so as to take this “social issue” off of the table in time for 2016. As for your comment stating, “Let businesses do what they want.” Even the tiniest encroachment on our equal status is too much. If businesses are serving the public, the proprietors of these public service businesses cannot discriminate. These lemmings are unable to think for themselves. The law suits are compounding as the gay community is forced to funnel money to fight for basic, inalienable rights. Imagine what we could do if we were free of this additional cost of living tacked on to “Unpopular” Americans. Today, it is we who endure this, who’s next?
sectbrawn
There’s only one conclusion to be drawn when the people from Wal-Mart come out swinging against something like this: Repunklican laws are bad for business.
Daggerman
…I’m starting to really loose patience with twits like this! What do these cretins think, that they can tell who’s gay and who’s not—for all they know, which throws the whole issue out, someone next to someone in their fucking office could be secretly homosexual!!! I truly cannot believe that people, assume so badly and are very worthless.
Cam
One phone call from Wal-Mart and the governor says he won’t sign.
But lets be real here. If Wal-Mart actually gave a crap, the bill wouldn’t have moved that far in the first place.
They saw the backlash in Indiana and figured they’d better say something. They said something, and when Wal-Mart speaks, phony religious beliefs seem to fly out the window.
Realitycheck
Glad to hear (no matter the reason) the governor of Arkansas will not sign the bill as it is.
Basically the back lash against Indiana has sent a stern warning to all other 19 states that
were getting ready to enact similar laws.
What we need is a federal law protecting LGTB all over the USA, and screw the crazy
religious bigots.
DogCollarPistolWhip
Good NEWS! Arkansas’ legislature passed a revised bill that is in line with the already existing federal RFRA. It isn’t ideal, but it isn’t the egregious bill that was passed in Indiana.
Dipest
I’m not American but I look up to America thinking that people there live a good life, but I can’t get this thing of discriminating that people have, if you’re black, if you’re or aren’t religious, if you are gay or straight. Every image that is given from America is that rights are the most respected thing there, but it seems that the subject of discrimination is within the same people that proclaims that. In the era of rights for gay people can there be a state, that is ruled by the same constitution the other states are too, that passes a law on the contrary? Can there be a whole state that thinks that people with different sexual tastes aren’t human and because of that they can be discriminated?
Are they part of the whole country or are they trying to be an island within the same territory and the same flag?
I don’t get it!