Oklahoma anti-gay religious freedom bill being redrafted amid Arizona firestorm

[Behind the Aegis]

Source: Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY — An Oklahoma bill that would allow business owners with strongly held religious beliefs to refuse service to gays will be rewritten and likely won’t be considered in its current form this legislative session, the measure’s House author said Tuesday.

The bill (HB 2873), which is similar to one that has set off a political firestorm in Arizona and some being considered in other states, would have provided legal immunity to anyone who refuses services to gays and lesbians based on the person’s “sincerely held religious belief.”

“We’re still in favor of running a bill like that, but we’re just trying to get the language tightened up to prevent there from being any fiascos like there have been elsewhere,” said Rep. Tom Newell, R-Seminole.

Arizona Republican Gov. Jan Brewer is facing intensifying pressure from CEOs, politicians in Washington, D.C., and state lawmakers in her own party to veto a similar bill in that state. Critics denounce the measure as blatantly discriminatory and embarrassing to Arizona.


Read more: http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2014/02/oklahoma-anti-gay-religious-freedom-bill-being-redrafted-amid-arizona-firestorm/

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We will likely see many more of these in the coming weeks.

[olddad56]

1. if your '“sincerely held religious beliefs” prevent you from treating people equally...

then choose between your business and your beliefs. Bigotry isn't a belief, it is a fear.

[FreeState]

2. +10000 n/t

[cosmicone]

3. In other words

"We know we are shooting ourselves in the foot but seeing how others shot themselves in the foot, we want to use a different aim so it won't hurt as much"

[Behind the Aegis]

4. LMAO!!! Best explanation evah!

[William769]

5. I am literally running out of things to say on this subject.

The person in post #1 said it best!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. What these yahoos don't seem to get

is the fact that their "sincerely held religious beliefs" don't give them an excuse to do whatever they damn please. If you were a sincere worshiper of Baal or Kukulkan and your beliefs included human sacrifice, that wouldn't be much of a defense at your murder trial after you sacrificed somebody. The Mormons found out years ago that polygamy was going to be just as illegal for them as it was for everybody else, no matter how sincerely they believed in it. The rule has always been that a religious practice that is deemed socially harmful is not protected, and if discriminating against any group of people is socially harmful - which it is - how can that be a protected religious practice?

[Behind the Aegis]

7. Agreed. I see this being used in some really nasty ways.

What if someone's "religious beliefs" disallowed them to serve interracial couples? What about Jews? Muslims? Pagans? Divorced people? This law could be used in so many ways, all of them bad.

[geek tragedy]

8. Cowards. These states are afraid to be the first one to act and be judged

by the civilized people of this country. Which makes sense, because bigotry and cowardice go hand in hand.

[Behind the Aegis]

9. Personally, I think they are trying to learn from one another.

Once they find the "right" method, we could see some real problems. The problem is I feel their movement is dying and in deep trouble, and while good could come from it, a cornered snake is quite dangerous.

[geek tragedy]

10. That's what the Hobby Lobby challenge to Obamacare was about.

If they can succeed on something as universally popular with heterosexual America as birth control, of course they'll try it against LGBT Americans.

A cornered snake is also sometimes a stupid snake and sticks its head out too far. Instead of chipping away, they went overbroad and tried to re-enact Jim Crow in one fell swoop.

[blkmusclmachine]

11. The intent is to replace secular/democratic public law with far rightwing "Biblical law."

The Christian Dominionists promised they'd do it. Seems like they're making good on their threats.

And they've strongly stated that they intend to eradicate GLBT people when they seize power. And that may be sooner than later...

[mwb970]

12. It reminds me of Shariah Law. But that, of course, is evil. /nt

[Amimnoch]

13. Fine.. pass the law.. then put the businesses that elect to follow it to the test.

If a business chooses to elect not to sell to gays, but sells to females without inquiring to their virginity status... sue the fuck out of them. It's not deeply held religious beliefs, it's bigotry.

If a business chooses to elect not to sell to gays, but sells to Men or women, without concern about marital status, or if the customer might be divorced, then again, it isn't deeply held religious beliefs, it's bigotry. If them, or anyone in their family who they still have good relations with have ever been divorced really go after them, they don't have a moral leg to stand on.

If a business chooses to elect not to sell to gays, but sells to wealthy people, women who are either made up, or wearing jewelry.. sue them. It's not deeply held religious beliefs, it's bigotry.

If a business owner who refuses to serve gays based on their "religious belief" is caught saying the pledge of allegiance, sue the hell out of them. It's not deeply held religious beliefs.. it's bigotry (ref Matthew 5:32 "Don’t swear an oath at all."

Here's a good catch all.. If he or she refuses to serve gays, then the gay person should just ask them for what they were going to pay for... for free, or to borrow it. If the business refuses to give it to them, or let them borrow it.. then sue the fuck out of them based off of Matthew 5:42 "Give to those who ask, and don’t refuse those who wish to borrow from you."

That clause in these laws "strongly held religious beliefs" could give us the ammo to sock it to the businesses that decide to go with it. Enough lawsuits to shut them down for good if we just go for it.

so I say.. pass your hateful law.. and let's get together and really show them how to be the good Christians they want to be, and take every fucking thing they have, or make them follow what they preach, where they will have few, if any customers left. I'm sick of this shit. They want to play ball.. let's play.

[NaturalHigh]

14. I'll make a bet now...

This won't pass. I know most people have a very low opinion of Oklahoma, but I seriously doubt this will ever pass the state legislature.

[MissMillie]

15. I really don't get it

There's been such a strong negative reaction to the Arizona bill that OK thinks it's a good idea to have one of their own???

[yellowcanine]

16. Hmm. Writing a Jim Crow law just isn't as easy as it was back in the day.

[yellowcanine]

17. I heard one of the proponents on "On Point"

He was blathering about people who bake wedding cakes as being artists who had a right to choose not to "participate in a gay wedding." It's a goddamn cake which is going to get eaten. I don't ever recall the cake baker being listed as a participant in a wedding. Get over yourself. You don't want one of your cakes being used in a gay wedding? Then don't bake cakes for sale. Simple enough.