Tag: Indiana

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Haters Screaming For A Veto In Indiana Over RFRA “Fix”

The haters are losing their minds over the proposed “fix” for the Indiana state “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” because it deprives them of their true goal – which was to discriminate against LGBT folks.

From Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage (via email):

Stung by a furor of false accusations against the Indiana Religious Liberty Restoration Act, some Republican legislators are proposing to “fix” the law by stripping it of any chance to protect people of faith against being forced by law to participate in same-sex ‘marriage’ ceremonies that violate their deeply held religious beliefs. Worse, they are rewarding gay activists and celebrities like Miley Cyrus who intentionally and massively mischaracterized the legislation passed last week with expanded “anti-discrimination” provisions that will be used as a club by these same activists to punish people of faith for supporting biblical principles in the way they live their lives.

Russell Moore, the president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, recently tweeted: “This Indiana ‘compromise’ is a train wreck. It should be voted down.” This “fix” legislation must be defeated! It is like paying ransom to a kidnapper — a complete abandonment of principle in the face of political pressure from those bent on redefining marriage and imposing a radical agenda on the country. Please sign this petition immediately so that Governor Mike Pence and top Republican legislators realize that we will not stand for this abandonment of people of faith in order to reward the radical left who have grossly mischaracterized the Religious Liberty Restoration Act.

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council (via press release):

“On the eve of Good Friday, Big Business is encouraging elected leaders to take the silver over religious freedom.

“This new proposal guts the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and empowers the government to impose punishing fines on people for following their beliefs about marriage. Religious freedom should not be held hostage by Big Business. Big Business is now putting religious freedom in a worse place than before RFRA was signed into law.

“Gutting RFRA in this manner would put people of faith in the crosshairs of government discrimination as never before. Far from being a ‘clarification,’ this would gut religious freedom in Indiana. Religious freedom doesn’t need a ‘fix.’

“This proposal would force religious businesses and even nonprofits deemed ‘not religious enough’ to participate in wedding ceremonies contrary to their owners’ beliefs.

“If the government punishes people for living their faith, there are no limits to what government can control. We urge the governor to veto this measure that will be used by the government to bring financial ruin on people like florist Barronelle Stutzman, bakers Aaron and Melissa Klein, and wedding photographer Elaine Huguenin.”

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NCAA Final Four Coaches Issue Statement On Indiana’s “Religious Freedom Act” Debacle

The four coaches of the NCAA Final Four teams have issued a joint statement addressing the ongoing  issue of Indiana’s RFRA law as the basketball world focuses on Indianapolis this weekend:

“We are aware of the recent actions in Indiana and have made a point to talk about this sensitive and important issue among ourselves and with our teams.

“Each of us strongly supports the positions of the NCAA and our respective institutions on this matter – that discrimination of any kind should not be tolerated.

“As a part of America’s higher education system, college basketball plays an important role in diversity, equality, fairness and inclusion, and will continue to do so in the future.”

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Indiana Governor Approves “Fix” To Religious Freedom Law

Indiana lawmakers have announced changes to the state’s current RFRA bill that specifies the new religious freedom law cannot be used as a legal defense to discriminate against patrons based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Indianapolis Star reports:

Indiana Republicans said Thursday morning that they are presenting an addition to the controversial RFRA legislation that will make it clear no one will “be able to discriminate against anyone at any time.” Senate President Pro Tem David Long, R-Fort Wayne, and House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis said at a press conference at the Statehouse that leaders will present the proposal to lawmakers at 9:30 a.m. after speaking with corporate and civic leadership this week. “Hoosier hospitality had to be restored,” Bosma said.

The leaders referenced the intense backlash that rained down on Indiana after Gov. Mike Pence signed the bill last week. “It was never intended to discriminate against anyone,” Long said. “That perception led to the national protests we’ve seen.”

A legislative report says the RFRA will be amended to say the law “does not authorize a provider to refuse to offer or provide services, facilities, use of public accommodations, goods, employment, or housing to any member or members of the general public on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or United States military service.”

UPDATE:

By a vote of 66-30 in the House, and 34-16 in the Senate, Indiana lawmakers have approved changes to the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act to allay fears that it would allow businesses to discriminate against gays and lesbians.

The revised law explicitly bars a business from denying services to someone on the basis of categories that include sexual orientation and gender identity.

Gov. Mike Pence signed the legislation this afternoon.

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Indiana Pizzeria: We Would Turn Away Gay Wedding Customers

Crystal O’Connor of Memories Pizza

A Indiana pizzeria has gone on record as saying they would turn away gay or lesbian couples who would order pizza for their wedding reception.

(Who serves pizza at a wedding reception?)

The family-owned Memories Pizza, located in Walkerton, told a local news team Tuesday night that they would refuse service to a same-sex wedding.

“If a gay couple came in and wanted us to provide pizzas for their wedding, we would have to say no,” owner Crystal O’Connor told ABC 57. “We are a Christian establishment.”

She had been asked about the Religious Freedom Restoration Act signed by Governor Mike Pence (R) last week, which critics say would legitimize discrimination of the exact sort O’Connor described.

The family emphasized that they would not refuse service to gay couples who came into the pizzeria to eat, but would not cater same-sex weddings. “We’re not discriminating against anyone,” O’Connor said, “that’s just our belief, and anyone has the right to believe in anything.”

Her father added that the homosexual lifestyle was a “choice,” as he chose to be heterosexual. “Why should I be beat over the head to go along with something they choose?” he asked.

Conservative proponents of the current RFRA have repeatedly said not one business in Indiana has said they would turn gays away.

Well, now there is.

The restaurant apparently has a One-Star rating on Yelp.

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Indiana: New Language Could Specify RFRA Cannot Be Used As Defense Of Discrimination

The Indianapolis Star is reporting on new language that is being vetted to “clarify” the recently passed “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” which has caused turmoil in the state and across the country.

A copy of the language obtained by The Indianapolis Star was being presented to Gov. Mike Pence Wednesday morning. The measure would specify that the new religious freedom law cannot be used as a legal defense to discriminate against residents based on their sexual orientation.

The measure goes much further than a “preamble” that was proposed earlier in the week, explaining exactly what the RFRA law does. But it doesn’t go as far as establishing gays and lesbians as a protected class of citizens or repealing the law outright, both things that Republican leaders have said they could not support.

The clarification would say that the new “religious freedom” law does not authorize a provider – including businesses or individuals — to refuse to offer or provide its services, facilities, goods, or public accommodation to any member of the public based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Churches or other nonprofit religious organizations would be exempt from the language.

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Ed Schultz Gives Ryan Anderson Epic Slap Down Over Indiana “License To Discriminate”

I caught the end of this segment yesterday just as Ed Schultz was ripping little Ryan T. Anderson a new one for parroting the same right wing talking points. Quite the show.

From Mediate:

Schultz pointed to the hypothetical of a gay couple being turned away from a restaurant because of the owner’s beliefs, but Anderson shot back that conservatives don’t actually believe that and accused Schultz of “demagoguing.”

They kept fighting after Schultz took a shot at Governor Mike Pence over his personal views on gay people. Anderson said, “You just kept slandering the governor!” Schultz fired back, “I’m not gonna let you filibuster.”

When Anderson kept going, Schultz shouted, “Cut his mic off!… We’ll bring him back if he wants to be courteous!”

Minutes later Schultz brought Anderson back into the conversation, and he maintained his belief that Pence is a homophobe. Anderson accused him of “name-calling” but Schultz brushed him aside.

Schultz concluded by saying, “I apologize for the guy from The Heritage Foundation who can’t have a civil conversation.”

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NIKE Denounces Indiana’s “License To Discriminate”

NIKE’s CEO issued this statement today denouncing Indiana’s “license to discriminate” law and reiterates support for the LGBT community.

From NIKE President/CEO Mark Parker:

“NIKE proudly stands for inclusion for all. We believe laws should treat people equally and prevent discrimination. NIKE has led efforts alongside other businesses to defeat discriminatory laws in Oregon and opposes the new law in Indiana which is bad for our employees, bad for our consumers, bad for business and bad for society as a whole. We hope Indiana will quickly resolve this.”

As one of the world’s largest athletic apparel companies, NIKE is a longtime supporter of the LGBT community.

NIKE supported marriage equality in Oregon from the beginning, established LGBT protections for employees early on, and received a perfect 100 percent score on HRC’s 2015 Corporate Equality Index.

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New York Governor Bans State-Funded Travel To Indiana In Response To #SB101

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo missed an executive order today banning all non-essential state-funded travel to Indiana after the Hoosier state passed legislation that opens the door to LGBT discrimination.

The order comes after five openly gay in the state Legislature (Sen. Brad Hoylman and Assemblymembers Deborah Glick, Daniel O’Donnell, Harry Bronson and Matthew Titone) wrote a letter to the governor today urging him to boycott Indiana’s “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” and ban state travel to the state.

From the official NY Governor’s website:

“Today, I direct all agencies, departments, boards and commissions to immediately review all requests for state funded or state sponsored travel to the State of Indiana and to bar any such publicly funded travel that is not essential to the enforcement of state law or public health and safety. The ban on publicly funded travel shall take effect immediately.

“New York State has been, and will continue to be, a leader in ensuring that all LGBT persons enjoy full and equal civil rights. With this action, we stand by our LBGT family members, friends and colleagues to ensure that their rights are respected.”

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GAP & LEVI STRAUS Issues Statement Against “License To Discriminate” Laws

The CEOs of GAP and LEVI STRAUS posted this joint statement last night on the GAP blog page opposing passage of legislation in states like Indiana and Arkansas that can legalize LGBT discrimination:

Today Gap Inc. and Levi Strauss & Co. are calling on retail and apparel companies, and other businesses, to join us in speaking out against legalized discrimination.

Both of our companies have a long history of standing up for equal rights and equal opportunity for all. We have consistently spoken out against discrimination and unequal treatment based on race, sex or sexual orientation.

As Indiana, Arkansas, and states around the country enact and consider legislation that perpetuates discrimination, we’re urging State Legislatures to stand up for equality by repealing and voting against these discriminatory laws.

These new laws and legislation, that allow people and businesses to deny service to people based on their sexual orientation, turn back the clock on equality and foster a culture of intolerance.

Discriminatory laws are unquestionably bad for business, but more importantly, they are fundamentally wrong. They must be stopped.

At Gap Inc. and Levi Strauss & Co., we are proud to say we are open to business for everyone.