New law 'not about discrimination'

[Jazzy]

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence defended the new state law that's garnered widespread criticism over concerns it could foster discrimination against gays and lesbians and said Sunday it wasn't a mistake to have enacted it.

Pence appeared on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" to discuss the measure he signed last week prohibiting state laws that "substantially burden" a person's ability to follow his or her religious beliefs. The definition of "person" includes religious institutions, businesses and associations.

Since the Republican governor signed the bill into law Thursday, Indiana has been widely criticized by businesses and organizations around the nation, as well as on social media with the hashtag #boycottindiana. Already, consumer review service Angie's List has said it will suspend a planned expansion in Indianapolis because of the new law.

Pence did not answer directly when asked at least six times whether under the law it would be legal for a merchant to refuse to serve gay customers. "This is not about discrimination, this is about empowering people to confront government overreach," he said. Asked again, he said, "Look, the issue here is still is tolerance a two-way street or not."

Sexual orientation is not covered under Indiana's civil rights law. Pence has said he "won't be pursuing that."

Full article

Do you think this is discrimination against gays and lesbians? Why/Why not?

 

[Dee]

It's a subtle way of saying religious freedom is more important that human rights, and so we're going to operate under the guise that said business owner's religious freedom rights are more important than that of someone who they may find to be operating against their beliefs, even though they may practice the same religion. So yeah, this is definitely discrimination.

 

[Jazzy]

The law allows retailers to refuse to provide goods/services to someone if they are LGBTQ because they feel doing so would be an endorsement of the "gay lifestyle", something they religiously do not believe in. Correct?

Can someone tell me how selling a coca-cola, car, dinner, movie ticket, IPhone, etc. is an endorsement of anything EXCEPT "This is a business and I need to make money"? Where exactly does religion fall into this?

Honestly, this seems so far out there. I just don't get the conservative argument here...

 

[Dee]

The law allows retailers to refuse to provide goods/services to someone if they are LGBTQ because they feel doing so would be an endorsement of the "gay lifestyle", something they religiously do not believe in. Correct?

Can someone tell me how selling a coca-cola, car, dinner, movie ticket, IPhone, etc. is an endorsement of anything EXCEPT "This is a business and I need to make money"? Where exactly does religion fall into this?

Honestly, this seems so far out there. I just don't get the conservative argument here...

I don't understand it either. It's like the notion that if you stand next to a gay person and they touch you, you become gay. It's complete and utter ignorance, prejudice, and downright disgusting behavior. I don't care what you think about LGBTQ people, but to refuse to do business with them is not an endorsement of their lifestyle. It doesn't mean they have to change their thoughts about people whose lifestyles they don't agree with. This is giving ignorant people legal power to discriminate just like they did after slavery was banned.

 

[mrldii]

I agree with the Governor that it's "not about discrimination against gays and lesbians";

it's about "discrimination against anything your religion doesn't believe in". "My religion" is against homosexuality; "it" is also against sex before marriage...ergo, if you are an unwed couple who lives together, I will not serve you. "My religion" doesn't believe in the mixing of races...ergo, if you are white and your spouse is black, I will not serve you. "My religion" says women should stay at home and raise the babies...ergo, if you are a working woman, I will not serve you.


There are a million and one things when added together that "my" and every other religion says its adherents may and may not do. They think they've found the loophole to be able to discriminate, indiscriminately. Thank *God* in the U.S., our love of money most often trumps our love of God, else the State of Indiana might have actually gotten away with it.

 

[Webster]

it's about "discrimination against anything your religion doesn't believe in". "My religion" is against homosexuality; "it" is also against sex before marriage...ergo, if you are an unwed couple who lives together, I will not serve you. "My religion" doesn't believe in the mixing of races...ergo, if you are white and your spouse is black, I will not serve you. "My religion" says women should stay at home and raise the babies...ergo, if you are a working woman, I will not serve you.

...all reasons why "religious liberty" laws are an absolute crock of s---...as I like to say on the issue, "Since did when your right of religious liberty trump my right to be treated equal before the law?"

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

As I said before If a openly gay person or apply whoever you want walks into a store selling cakes already made the store cannot say I won't sell that cake to you because you are gay or whatever is bothering the store owner. But if that gay person or whatever wants a specific kind of cake made the store owner can choose to say no it is against my values. It is not about hate. I believe in marriage before sex but it does not mean I hate people who do it. But I certainly am not going to do something in by business or private life that endorses it. You can claim the nonsense all day it's because a person might hate a certain person but it is utter stupidity on in the first order.

And again unless you are a complete hypocrite then it should go both directions. Like a gay painter is asked to make a painting showing God striking down a gay couple with a lightning bolt then he should make the best damn portrait of this ever seen.

 

[Dee]

As I said before If a openly gay person or apply whoever you want walks into a store selling cakes already made the store cannot say I won't sell that cake to you because you are gay or whatever is bothering the store owner. But if that gay person or whatever wants a specific kind of cake made the store owner can choose to say no it is against my values. It is not about hate. I believe in marriage before sex but it does not mean I hate people who do it. But I certainly am not going to do something in by business or private life that endorses it. You can claim the nonsense all day it's because a person might hate a certain person but it is utter stupidity on in the first order.

And again unless you are a complete hypocrite then it should go both directions. Like a gay painter is asked to make a painting showing God striking down a gay couple with a lightning bolt then he should make the best damn portrait of this ever seen.

And I will continue to repeat my belief that your opinion is a crock of shit--no offense to you as a person, but I don't agree one bit. I stand by my opposition of this religious freedom act.

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

And I will continue to repeat my belief that your opinion is a crock of shit--no offense to you as a person, but I don't agree one bit. I stand by my opposition of this religious freedom act.

Of course because it seems a certain group of people think they can make the rules on what should be deemed offensive or what personal ethics and principles should be followed and allowed. All others must do it or by god they are haters, racists and must be destroyed by any means necessary.