Problem with Religious Freedom Restoration Act

[rug]

Clarence Page
March 2, 2014

If Arizona legislators were being perfectly candid, they would have labeled their so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act precisely what it was, a "Right to Use Religion as an Excuse to Discriminate Against Gay Men and Lesbians Act."

Supporters insist the Arizona bill was not anti-gay. But what else do you call a bill that "protects" the right of businesses to discriminate against gay people, as long as businesses attribute their discrimination to their religious beliefs?

Fortunately the state's conservative Republican Gov. Jan Brewer did the right thing in my view, after weighing all of the alternatives. She vetoed the bill after major business groups and prominent Arizona Republicans — including some lawmakers who had voted for it — insisted that it would be bad for tourism and other businesses.

But the issue is hardly going away. With similar "religious freedom" legislation pending in Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri and Oklahoma, conservative activists vow to press on.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-oped-page-0302-20140302,0,5419850.column

[cbayer]

1. I hit a pay wall when I try to open this article.

[rug]

2. Here's a plain text version. Maybe that will work.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-oped-page-0302-20140302,0,4203507,print.column

I couldn't play the video at the first link.

[cbayer]

3. Thanks, that worked.