Religious Right in Arizona Cheers Bill Allowing Businesses to Refuse to Serve Gays

[cbayer]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/22/us/religious-right-in-arizona-cheers-bill-allowing-businesses-to-refuse-to-serve-gays.html

By MICHAEL PAULSON and FERNANDA SANTOSFEB. 21, 2014


A florist would not provide flowers for the wedding last year of Robert Ingersoll, left, and Curt Freed, leading to a lawsuit. Julie Saraceno, via Reuters

In New Mexico, a photographer declined to take pictures of a lesbian couple’s commitment ceremony. In Washington State, a florist would not provide flowers for a same-sex wedding. And in Colorado, a baker refused to make a cake for a party celebrating the wedding of two men.

The business owners cited religious beliefs in declining to provide services celebrating same-sex relationships. And in each case, they were sued.

Now, as states around the nation weigh how to balance the rights of same-sex couples with those of conservative religious business owners, Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona must decide whether to sign legislation that would allow business owners to cite religious beliefs as a legal justification for denying service to same-sex couples.

The legislation, approved by lawmakers on Thursday, immediately attracted national attention, with conservative religious groups welcoming it as a necessary form of protection for objectors to same-sex marriage, and gay rights groups denouncing it as a license for discrimination. The measure comes at a time when the courts are grappling with how to define the religious rights of private businesses: The Supreme Court is to hear two cases next month in which businesses are seeking exemptions from providing insurance coverage for contraception to their employees, citing the religious beliefs of the companies’ owners.

more at link

[Walk away]

1. Good Christians! nt

[cbayer]

2. The guys in the picture? They might well be.

[hrmjustin]

3. If this bill gets passed I hope the courts stay it and overturn it.

[cbayer]

5. It's already passed. Now it's on the governor's desk. But

I feel pretty certain that the courts will overturn it. It is blatantly unconstitutional, imo.

[hrmjustin]

6. I don't trust the governor so I assume she will sign it.

[cbayer]

8. Her decision will be 100% politically motivated, of that I am sure.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. But is the 'religious left' or 'religious center' making any efforts to oppose this?

Here's what the RCC mouthpiece said in support of the law:
“We’re seeing across the country legitimate threats, primarily in the courts, to religious liberties, to individuals to institutions, to businesses and to other groups.”
http://azstarnet.com/news/state-and-regional/bill-enhancing-religious-defense-advances-in-arizona-legislature/article_047b0f4e-f560-5955-92ee-a8f609ceb650.html

[cbayer]

7. Yes, they are

Bill is against Methodist beliefs

Early Friday, Robert T. Hoshibata, Resident Bishop of the Desert Southwest Conference of the United Methodist Church, sent a note to about 212 active and retired clergy in Arizona and southern Nevada asking them to reach out to Brewer voicing opposition to the bill.

“Our laws reflect how we value people. If the laws of Arizona that we value some and don’t value others, that’s outside of what we United Methodists Believe. In the letter, I quoted a very short portion of our Book of Discipline. It’s a book of laws that guide our work together as a denomination.

“‘We affirm all persons as equally valuable in the sight of God. We therefor we work toward societies in which each person’s value is recognized, maintained, and strengthened.’”

Legislators have “no shame”

“It’s one of the worst bills passed in state history,” said Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer of the United Church of Christ, which has ordained gay men and women as priests since 1972, and routinely performs gay marriages.

“It’s state-sanctioned discrimination,” Dorhauer said. “We will identify the legislators who voted for this and take public action.”

When asked if they were going to publicly shame the lawmakers, Dorhauer, who is the president of the Arizona Ecumenical Council, said “I am not sure if shame would have any impact on them. If they had any shame at all they wouldn’t have passed this legislation.”

Bad for faith communities

“Many people already assume that church folk are narrow, bigoted people who judge and discriminate against others,” Doug Bland, pastor of the Community Christian Church of Tempe and an executive board member of the Arizona Ecumenical Council. “Unfortunately, SB1062 protects our right to hate and discriminate. It’s bad for Arizona and bad for communities of faith.”

http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/articles/20140221arizona-religion-law-reactions.html

And that's just in Arizona.

[hrmjustin]

9. Glad and not suprised to see this.

[edhopper]

10. Unfortunately

I don't trust the SCOTUS to overturn it.

[cbayer]

11. I think it will be overturned before it ever gets to them.

[edhopper]

12. Since this is clearly a constitutional matter

AZ can appeal up to them. And then.......

[cbayer]

13. I think that their Holly Hobby ruling will be a telling sign.

At any rate, it's going to be a long road.