Politics Why Indiana's Religious Freedom Law Is Such A Big Deal

Discussion in 'Blazers OT Forum' started by Denny Crane, Apr 1, 2015.

  1. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/01/indiana-religious-freedom_n_6984156.html

    If you’ve been following the controversy over Indiana’s new religious freedom law, you might be confused about what it really says and what it will actually do.

    Some people describe the law as a “sword” that would allow discrimination against same-sex couples. Others say it’s a “shield” that would give people more freedom to follow the dictates of their faith.

    Some say the law would give businesses more leeway to pick and choose which customers to serve. Others say it won’t make much difference -- that even with the law in place, virtually all businesses will end up behaving just as they would have before.

    Some say the statute represents a significant change in the legal landscape, enacted at the behest of the Republican Party’s most conservative supporters. Others say it is strikingly similar to existing laws, including one that Congress passed with overwhelming bipartisan majorities and that a Democratic president, Bill Clinton, happily signed more than two decades ago.

    Which one of these statements is correct? All of them.
     
  2. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/02/us/arkansas-indiana-religious-freedom-hutchinson-pence.html?_r=0

    Arkansas Governor Asks Lawmakers to Recall Religious Freedom Bill

    LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Facing a backlash from businesses and gay rights advocates, Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas on Wednesday called on state lawmakers to either recall or amend legislation billed as a religious freedom measure so that it mirrored a federal law approved in 1993.

    Mr. Hutchinson, a Republican, said he understood the divide in Arkansas and across the nation over the question of same-sex marriage and its impact on people’s religious beliefs. His own son, Seth, he said, had asked him to veto the bill, which critics say could allow individuals and businesses to discriminate against gay men and lesbians.

    To ensure that the state is “a place of tolerance,” Mr. Hutchinson said, he was considering using an executive order that would seek to balance the “competing constitutional obligations” if the legislature declined to make changes to the bill.

    “What is important from an Arkansas standpoint is one, we get the right balance,” he said, “and secondly, we make sure that we communicate we’re not going to be a state that fails to recognize the diversity of our workplace, our economy and our future.”

    “This is a bill that in ordinary times would not be controversial,” Mr. Hutchinson said. “But these are not ordinary times.”

    (what the hell are ordinary times, fool?)
     
  3. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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  4. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    WTF republicans.

    You suck as much as the democrats.

    How about doing something good for a change? That goes for both parties. I have no hope for democrats, though.
     
  5. magnifier661

    magnifier661 B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

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    I am against any law that takes away our constitution. This law violates that, so I am 100% against it. I suspect this will get eventually changed when activists take this to the Supreme Court. No way it sticks...
     
  6. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    I'm actually torn on this one

    People really probably should be able to use their private property as they see fit. Even if that means bad things like discrimination are possible. That's the downside. The upside is Liberty is protected and advanced.

    So some businesses would discriminate. That's a civil matter. Sue them in court and let the justice system figure it out. If they discriminate, people should boycott the establishment and favor the one across the street.

    On the other hand, we do have laws against businesses discrimination. With that in mind, this law is completely unjustifiable.
     
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  7. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    [​IMG]
     
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  8. magnifier661

    magnifier661 B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

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    I get the freedom of religion part, but I think giving a law for a religious discrimination is absurd! As you said, let the people boycott or picket the establishment and allow the market to dictate the outcome. With enough protest, I would suspect the church business would change their tune.
     
  9. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    yep. Their customer base is 30% smaller than the competition's.
     
  10. magnifier661

    magnifier661 B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

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    Does that mean human rights is 90% dead?
     
  11. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    I wanted to add that many businesses didn't want to discriminate in the old days. But they were required to by law. Fucking government.

    I'm fine with feds telling the states they can't make laws requiring segregation.
     
  12. magnifier661

    magnifier661 B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

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  13. oldmangrouch

    oldmangrouch persona non grata

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    This goes waaaay beyond discrimination.

    What if some dirtbag declares that beating his wife and kids is an exercise of his religious freedom? Forced marriage for underage girls? "Honor" killings? Attacking women for appearing in public without veils?
     
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  14. magnifier661

    magnifier661 B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

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    Or wanting religious freedom to wear this!!!!

    [​IMG]
     
  15. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    Without this sort of law...

    Should a jewish business be required to make a cake with a swastika on it?

    Should a black business participate in KKK ceremonies (like making a cake with a burning cross)?
     
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  16. BlazerCaravan

    BlazerCaravan Hug a Bigot... to Death

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    My understanding of things is usually wrong and not good, but as I recall the only reason this law can exist is because homosexuality isn't protected under federal law (whereas discriminating against race is protected against). So without this sort of law... it's still illegal to do the above.

    But again, I'm not pretending to be a lawyer played by William Shatner, so I'm probably wrong.
     
  17. donkiez

    donkiez Well-Known Member

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    In principle I agree with you and Im torn also, but have any of these ever been a problem? Actually has anything ever been a problem with this issue other than denying gay people service? It does bring up the interesting question of where do you draw the line and where does the line even start. Really though business should be in the business of making money, green doesn't discriminate.
     
  18. BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94

    BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94 AWOL

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    I don't know why this is a thing. Don't business' have the right to refuse service no matter what anyway? It all seems unnecessary.

    The real problem is people get super offended and sue/contact the media when they can just go to another place and be served. It's the business that's losing out on their money anyway.
     
  19. MarAzul

    MarAzul LongShip

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    We are now discussing where Government has no fucking business being. I don't give a shit how badly you think you need protection, it will bite you eventually.
    Empowering the government to tell you who you must do business with, buying or selling is just silly, and enriching more lawyers.
    People must find their support group and the government has no role. If you don't like it where you are, your feet can change your location.
    You have a right to pursue happiness, not find it. You have a right to seek friends, not have the government make you one.
    No Baker will refuse to sell a cake knowing nothing but you want a cake. You can fuck that up though by insisting he know more than he wishes to know. Who the hell is wrong then?
     
  20. EL PRESIDENTE

    EL PRESIDENTE Username Retired in Honor of Lanny.

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    NAH BRO. YOU HAVE TO MAKE ME MY "I LOVE SLUTS" CAKE, BRO.
     

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