Did you hear that? It was the sound of Indiana Governor Mike Pence’s political future officially going up in flames.
In a hastily called press conference this morning, Pence once again addressed the homophobic “religious freedom” bill that he secretly signed into law last Thursday. And, once again, he made a complete ass of himself.
Pence opened by saying he was calling the press conference because “we’ve got a perception problem.” Then he blamed the national media for making “deeply offensive” criticisms against Indiana that have done longterm damage to the state’s reputation.
That’s right, the homophobic Republican lawmakers in Indiana who are drunk on supermajority power aren’t to blame. It’s all the national lamestream media’s fault.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Since Pence signed the law five days ago, he has faced an onslaught of negative criticism from business executives, corporations, non-profits, politicians, state employees, celebrities, and civil rights groups accusing him of supporting discrimination against gays and lesbians.
“This law does not give anyone the right to discriminate,” Pence clarified at today’s press conference. “This law does not give anyone the right to deny services.”
The only problem? The bill does allow businesses the right to deny services to people. Pence either didn’t read it closely enough or he’s lying through his veneers.
To prove he’s serious about fixing this “perception problem,” Pence then called on lawmakers to amend the law, saying he wanted new legislation on his desk by the end of the week.
When asked whether Christian businesses should be obligated to serve gay and lesbian patrons, Pence replied, “I don’t support discrimination against gays and lesbians or anyone else. I abhor discrimination,” before quietly adding that offering protections to gays and lesbians is “not on his agenda.”
Related stories:
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Indiana’s Antigay Discrimination Law Gets Shut Down In 30 Seconds
Dennis C. McGrath
Because, protecting citizens isn’t part of the Governor of Indiana’s job … make a note of that, Indianans.
Demitrius Wolfe
So ive got the perfect solution to quelling this bullshit.
If the government along with various states want to create ridiculous laws that exclude me from food, basic social services, housing, medical attention and denying me basic equality, dignity and repect due to unfounded ignorance and fear?.
Then i say its time we as LGBT people, start asking and questioning. “Should we continue paying into any system set up by state or federal government that protects all straight, religious, law abiding, tax paying citizens”?. Yet will not extend the same rights and protections to us?.
Wonder if anyone sees that the actions and new laws coming into fruition from state and federal agencies look rather similar to segregation?.
I seem to remember a wonderful catchy saying in history that would be very appropriate for this.
“NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION”.
Maar Anzualda
Then he should quit or be impeached. His job is to protect EVERY single constituent in his state; if he does not want to do the job – move/move him out of the way.
Giancarlo85
Wow. You are a public official and it is your duty to protect and serve ALL citizens of this country. I think he should resign immediately if he feels this way. Pence is completely lying. Indiana’s law is draconian and unconstitutional. It is the most extreme of its kind in the entire nation.
Atomicrob
The man’s an idiot, and a complete dolly when it comes to politics. I can’t believe anyone–other than the 3 homophobic bigots who stood with him when he signed the bill into law–would vote for this guy.
Michaelhs
Bless his heart! We should not call him a homophobe just because he is one. https://hulshofschmidt.wordpress.com/2015/03/27/bigot-of-the-week-award-mike-pence-and-matt-mclaughlin/
LubbockGayMale
He’s full of BS, of course, but enough powerful (rich) folks have enough influence to get the law passed while staying out of the limelight. Sure, he is taking the blame, but he’s just a tool of folks like the Koch Bros.
Jim
Imagine if he’d said “blacks are not on my agenda.”
Rick Kidd
He is such a lying scumbag.
Transiteer
This ranks right up there with the Idiots who say “I hate gays but have gay friends”. Bullshit is bullshit. Just look at the photo with this Moron signing the Bill with known anti-gay evangelicals around him. He didn’t know? Well, we sure do! With all the Money leaving Indiana now that this Inquisition Bill is passed, I hope everyone in Indiana can keep their faith while they lose their jobs.
mezzacanadese
Mike Pence has no-one to blame but himself for his predicament. Thank goodness there are people like Tim Cook and Mark Benioff who are using their wealth to fight for equality.
Milk
Wanna watch an idiot slowly digging his own grave. Here it is!
Travis Swenston
I thought part of the governors job was to protect ALL the people within his state?
esemple
Pence should accept responsibility for his actions and not blame the media for reporting them. He is a liar and he alone has damaged the State’s reputation.
Patrick Laney
Looks like a homophobe. Talks like a homophobe. MUST be a homophobe…
SteveDenver
Putrid Pence is SO UNDERSTOOD.
Jim Guinnessey
Mike Pence, like Kentucky and Kansas GOP governors are all phonies and full of you know what. Pence and other GOP panderers are the real home grown terrorists.
Damon Robbins
He looked very unhappy at the press conference today.Bottom line is he and most of his Republican Cronies tried to sneak a discriminatory law onto the books!
Curty
He is sorta backtracking… only sorta because of the backlash and how businesses are against the law… the only fix is to repeal the bill or prohibit discrimination against LGBT Americans.
PARKAVMAN
He does not want to do anything. He wants people to believe him that no one would think of using the law to discriminate. His guests at the private signing included three of the state’s for vocal homophobes and he didn’t want to identify themto the photographer. He didn’t need to, they were well known.
The GOP controlled legislature is starting to see the damage he caused and may do something. The quickest and easiest would be repeal it, but that may not happen. Arkansas will be the next battleground.
Dino Diamantakos
Rick Caffey
Liar..repeal and resign
Donnie Bailey
Luis H. Lopez
Passing a law that deny people equality is a an act of tyrants!
Ronnie Carsant
Douche bag! Of course he’s back tracking now. Isn’t that how it always is? Too late. Already showed his true colors.
Ralph Trojanowicz
Repeal the law you goof!!
Robert Becker
Blame the media.. blame misunderstanding.. but above all, do not accept responsibility for signing a very bad bill. Steven king said “You can put frosting on a turd, but it is still a turd” Pence needs to scrap this bill, add antidiscrimination language protecting the LGBT community to the states civil rights laws, and read the next bill that is proposed. Oh, and those people who aren’t Nuns and Monks standing around you at the signing ceremony… they are bigots… loose them or your frosting will begin to come off.
Giancarlo85
So where are all the log cabin republican idiots? I wonder what happened to that delusional libertarian on here.
polarisfashion
When will his boy toy come out? Seems all the most homophobic men are gay themselves.
Javier Rodriguez Fontanez
Douchebag
schwma
The political trajectory of Mike Pence……#nosedive #hasbeen
jwtraveler
Equality is like pregnancy. It’s all or nothing. There’s no middle ground.
YoFakeBitchAss
He made his bed…Now he gonna lay in it.
Chris
When perception matches reality, governor, you do not have a perception problem. You have a problem based in reality. And you, sir, are either a real homophobe for your unwillingness to veto this bill; or you are a huge hypocrite for signing it, even if you did not support it. Anyway you cut it, you are a loser.
Bob LaBlah
People, let them have their goddamn law and their goddamn god as well. I look at it like this; if these people are that damn stupid to not accept that a HUMAN BEING walked down from a mountain with ten commandments for the ignorant and honestly believe that a god told him these things then let them.
Now for the fun part: sooner or later, after losing business because the very people they had hoped would follow along refused to because all of a sudden they begin to think “something is wrong here” they are going to have to go to their creditors and explain why they have no money to pay them. I honestly do not think that Jesus bullshit is going to be useful when they too (their creditors) are going to have to order resupplies and have no money to pay either.
I can’t wait to see what happens when the summer gets here and the rethuglicans try explaining this latest tale of lunacy. I doubt even ol’ Sister Sarah will go along with this one. I even have my doubts about Michele Bachmann resurfacing to promote this shit either. Now Alan Keyes (the fool who to this day can’t accept his loss for the senate to Obama), Dr Idiot (I forgot his name) or that black ventriloquist dummy from South Carolina calling himself a senator (never mind that he was more or less “appointed” as was George Bush) last but not least, Rev Robertson, yes.
Latest poll (for whatever the hell they mean or should I say who was asked) say three quarters of the state want it repealed because of how it makes them and the state look. What does that say about a law only one week old?
Leonard Woodrow
This man is a liar or a fool! Don’t trust him.
Errol Semple
Pence should take responsibility for his actions.
Realitycheck
Is he related to Sara Palin.
1EqualityUSA
I love how whenever they try to slam us, it comes back tenfold and bites them in the hindquarters. One step back, ten steps forward. Awakening a sleeping giant in their quaint home towns.
Realitycheck
Human filth, M. Pence should take his suit off and wear a trash can.
Giancarlo85
@Bob LaBlah: Well I have no issue with what you wrote, but if we let them have their laws that would hurt LGBT people in Indiana I think.
Cam
@Bob LaBlah: said… “People, let them have their goddamn law and their goddamn god as well.”
________________________
So should people have “Let Them” have their laws against interracial marriage? Or child abuse?
No, the came up with a law legalizing discrimination.
When the LGBT community was listening to groups like HRC when they said “Shut up, don’t upset anybody” there was no movement on rights.
When the community started speaking up and fighting back, there has been unprecedented movement on civil rights in the last few years.
What you propose is going back to the “Sit down, and shut, up” years.
NJjoe
Digging a grave for himself with a backhoe. Did anyone see him George’s “This Week?” He could not answer George’s question (paraphrasing) “Does this discriminate against Gays and Lesbians?” He back-peddled in typical conservative fashion refusing to give an answer to a simple yes or no question while he stumbled over his words each time he was asked.
Hiding behind the curtian of religion to deny gays of our freedoms is anti-American and will backfire in Pence’s political career. Hoosier’s should be ashamed of their tool of a Governor.
Giancarlo85
@NJjoe: Republicans are incapable of providing coherent and clear answers to simple questions. Whenever anyone asks them anything that is too specific they start crying and claim they are being victimized or some other shit. Even some republicans on this website do that.
AtticusBennett
homophobic bigot signs into law a new bill that exists solely to persecute LGBT people, has professional bigots there at the signing, blames the liberal media for…..pointing out the facts. yeah. sounds very republican all right.
NJjoe
@Giancarlo85: I’ve noticed that of republican posts on this site. They are incapaple of so much more to boot. Republicans, always been their shit of handling, fielding questions presented to them. I’ve always refered to them as the “crybabies” of Washington for years. Their players on a B-Horror film, always playing the victim. It’s their MO.
Queerty could have used today’s photo of Faye Dunaway as “Joan Crawford” pasted on top of Pence’s photo. 🙂
NJjoe
I seen I have several mispellings in my post. I can’t see, I can’t flnd my glasses!
Jeff Scott
What happened to separation of church and state?
Robert Casey
douche
Matthew Farris
#bitchplease
tusgold
Note to self Check Governor Pence’s and see if every not being discriminated against is on agends including LGBT.
So what these looks like to me is a ready made list of haters and bigots who get none of my 106,000. Oh Good, I’m sick of making sure I only spend my money with gay friendly businesses thank you for just telling me anad no you can’t take your sign down in a week and I’m going to stop in and congratulate you. ONCE A BIGOT ALWAYS A BIGOT. So fat the only business I’ve read about is a pizza joint is not catering gay weddings. Noow the last time a pizza place catered a wedding was when I was…….NEVER
tusgold
well if look at this from another perspective we don’t want to spend our money and let some homophobe profit and donate to the Republican hate machine
tusgold
20 other states have. Just a bit of trivia over half on Obamas campaign money bundlers (aas in collecting enough money to and then donate it an example might be $250,000 or $500,000. It is the BIG money.
tusgold
@1EqualityUSA: Wal Mart is freaking OUT! They been hammering him big time and they are not going to end up in this shit storm. They already have a growing minority that despises the whole company. If the LGBT community puts thiis on their hit list to have removed it WILL be gone
CALL WAL_MART AND ASK THEN WHAT THEIR POSITION IS? IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE
tusgold
@Jeff Scott: unleash the power of the LGBT on Wal Mart anf it will be dealt with. Threaten to not shop there until itts repealed
tusgold
@Giancarlo85: I agree Carlo we can’t let our brothers and sister be alonne in the fight. Follow the money call WalMart tell them you wont support any business in Arkansas. They are freakig out as it is
tusgold
@Cam: Good job Cam
tusgold
@Jeff Scott: Ithink the seperation of my Vusa from Was Mart will have more impact if we all join in
Michaelhs
Pence is a homophobic piece and a misgoynisitic piece of hell: https://hulshofschmidt.wordpress.com/2015/03/27/bigot-of-the-week-award-mike-pence-and-matt-mclaughlin/