Comments

1
I'm assuming the assholes at ALEC are behind this.
2
The thing is, Christians are the majority so anyone who discriminates against them risks losing a large share of their customer base. Only the majority can discriminate with impunity.
3
@2 True, but I think even among the subset of "Christians", there are a lot of people who would be uncomfortable patronizing places that put up a sign out front saying who they will and will not serve, including a pretty large number of young people for whom gay marriage isn't a big deal.
4
How about: "I believe in a loving supreme being who condemns all forms of discrimination. I therefore refuse to serve bigots."
5
At least Satanists can say with straight faces that "The devil made me do it."
6
What we need is that old time religion. I say we worship Antinous as a god. Antinous was emperor Hadrian's lover. When they were in Egypt the land was parched and the Nile had not flooded. The Egyptians insisted what was needed was a human sacrifice. Hadrian refused. But Antinous knew that would hurt Hadrian's rule in Egypt, so he drowned himself in the Nile. The Nile flooded and Hadrian declared Antinous a god. Temples were built for him. Anyone who doesn't believe that Antinous was the messiah should be discriminated against.
7
Could the same laws also allow, say, teachers to refuse to teach children of same-sex parents? or kick potentially-gay kids out of their classrooms? (it seems like that's a possibility in the way they've been reported, but I haven't seen it specifically mentioned)
9
@8 Thus what I said at 6. Gay people could claim gay is a religion.
10
Maine's bigot bill was already defeated in the Senate and has been defeated again in the House.
11
@1 this one may be homegrown by the Goldwater Institute. They can hold their own in the discrimination business.
@7 They potentially could in the charter schools. Not a lot of enforcement or accountability there, which is why they are so popular with the upper-middle class whites; keep their kids away from the (brown or low-income) riff-raff. The charters claim they are public schools to get public money, but when the state asks for an accounting of the money, they say they don't have to comply because they aren't public, or that they are exempt from the accountability of public schools. They could easily get away with discrimination, and many already do. Better yet, AZ passed a voucher plan so now public school dollars can be used at private religious (hate) schools. I can't see it happening (much) in the public schools except for some of this Mormon-dominated areas like Chandler, Gilbert, or Mesa, or the small towns like St Johns, Safford, etc.
12
I'm just hoping that soon I can legally hang up my old "Help wanted {Irish need not apply}" sign. I mean I really hate those damned...I mean I sincerely religiously believe that the Irish are, uh...unsanctified. Yeah, that's it.
13
Hey Dan,
“I don't remember where I read it but this is a good idea: these laws should include a provision requiring business owners who wish to access their "protections" to publicly post signs in their windows and on their websites that list the types of people they refuse to serve.”

I know at least one place you might have read it:
http://www.thestranger.com/slog/archives…
14
@11
Um… I know little about the Goldwater Institute, but I do know that Barry Goldwater was pro-gay rights:
“The big thing is to make this country, along with every other country in the world with a few exceptions, quit discriminating against people just because they're gay. You don't have to agree with it, but they have a constitutional right to be gay. And that's what brings me into it.” –Barry Goldwater; Washington Post interview (1994).

He championed homosexuals serving in the military and worked locally to stop businesses in Phoenix from hiring on the basis of sexual orientation. He signed on as honorary co-chairman of a drive to pass a federal law preventing job discrimination against homosexuals. The effort, dubbed Americans Against Discrimination, was spearheaded by the Human Rights Campaign Fund.

Also, FYI: His wife helped start Planned Parenthood in Arizona, his daughter had an abortion (yes, he was pro-choice too) and his grandson, who he was close too and supportive of, is gay and HIV positive.
15
Alternatively, why not start a campaign for businesses which will NOT discriminate to positively affirm that - perhaps with a nifty window sticker, like those "people love us on yelp" ones you see everywhere. This straight guy, for one, would go out of his way to patronize only businesses which did so...
16
@2,

In some parts of this country, you're going to have a tough time starting your own business if you don't claim to be a "Christian" whatever. Christian plumber, Christian electrician, Christian dog walker. Whatever service you provide, you'd do best claiming to be part of the cult, regardless if it's actually true.
17
@16 - True, to a point. "Love all, serve all" would be a good sign for non-bigoted companies and wouldn't offend the Christianists. The ones who do wish to discriminate though should have to make it clear so that they can be avoided. To not post such a thing is just asking for a lawsuit, it may be "legal" to discriminate if they get their way, but surely humiliating people that walk through the door because they aren't aware could be cause for action.

Seriously, none of this would have happened if those awful fucking bakeries would have just posted some anti-gay sign on the wall. Nothing illegal about it and the gays and fair-minded citizens would have avoided the place like a plague.

I stopped shopping at a place once that had Fox News blaring on the TV set (it was retail, not a sports thing). They were showing who they are and what they support, and by leaving, so was I. There was no altercation at all.
18
I guess this would mean all those Evangelicals will stop claiming atheism is a religion? Evangelicalism, it's not Christian is nothing good, is literally one of the worst people the human race produces.
19
I hope it also protects individuals who work at restaurants, etc.: "You must reject Christ and all His teachings if you want these Chicken McNuggets!"
20

Hooray for Maine defeating this bill! Proud of my state.

21
It would be easy to write these laws so that, if the sign weren't posted, the discrimination would be not allowed. That way, as #14 (and according to them--- Dan) said, real Christians and other tolerant types could shop elsewhere. That might make it past the appellate process. But these bigots are not only hateful but stupid. (Or else they are actually on our side and pass laws so bad they HAVE to be rejected by the court system, and in the process discredit the teabaggers. Yeah, that's it, they are really our FRIENDS!
22
This totally discriminates against atheists. We won't have rights to discriminate against anybody.
23
Mr O - I'd have thought the Irish would be a good fit for your temperament, that you wouldn't like the Scots but would forgive them for the sake of their kilts, and that, if you had to pick a scapegoat, you'd choose the Welsh.
24
Mr. ven @23, in truth the only group prejudice I hold with is a vague distaste for Albertans. Ugh, Alberta...the Texas of Canada.

Correction: the only two prejudices I hold with: Albertans and Texans.
25
Did anyone else have a flashback to the Dubya years when they heard this? In the "Goddamn, you're not even trying to disguise this heinous bullshit you're selling to us" sense?
26
Discriminate against tailgaters and people who drive around with studded tires, where will it end?
27
@3: "I think even among the subset of "Christians", there are a lot of people who would be uncomfortable patronizing places that put up a sign out front saying who they will and will not serve"

Among Christians, yes. Among "Christians", no.
28
@14 I know a lot about Barry Goldwater, and even more about the Goldwater Institute. Trust me when I say he would not recognize it today, and that they are perfectly capable of putting forth some hideous legislation all on their own.
To educate yourself, start here....
http://www.prwatch.org/files/Report_on_t…
However, I have found out it was written by the Center for AZ policy, and some "Christian" group called Alliance Defending Freedom.
29
Well, after that highly publicized trial in Florida something had to be done. You don't expect Arizona to lose it's title as America's shithole lying down do you?
30
opps, I should have said "those highly publicized trials". I forgot there's been three more in last two months alone.
31
Add Arizonans to my list of disfavored people:

"Republican Governor Jan Brewer has not yet said if she will sign [SB 1062] into law. A decision is expected next week."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canad…
32
@31 I'm just going to tell you right now that unless some internal schism happens between the Arizonian republicans (possibly over lost tourism and other revenue hits boycotts could cause) she's going to sign. In fact I'd give it a 75% chance.
33
One can only hope it will start spreading throughout the USA that Christians can be discriminated against again.... I mean c'mon the Puritans made laws agains Quakers, banning them from being employed in certain jobs, forced them, legally, to fund their churches they never attended, all the while lynching them. I thought conservatives wanted to "take back America", well lets give it to them, that way all the thousand of kinds of Christians on the USA can kill each other off and leave the rest of us alone!
34
And now there are a bunch of (R) legislators urging the governor to veto the bill, calling their own votes in favour a mistake, and saying it was all done to present a front of Republican unity?

As Mr Carvey (in persona) would say, Well, isn't that special?

Please wait...

Comments are closed.

Commenting on this item is available only to members of the site. You can sign in here or create an account here.


Add a comment
Preview

By posting this comment, you are agreeing to our Terms of Use.