From a Fox News article[/URL]:
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence said Sunday that a new state law that
attempts to protect long-standing religious freedoms "is not about
discrimination" and that he and other state lawmakers do not intend to
change the legislation.
Pence, a Republican, said the legislation that he signed last week
prohibits Indiana 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, which is being interpreted as allowing a
cake maker, for example, to legally refuse an order for a wedding cake
for a gay couple.
Pence told ABC's "This Week" the original federal law is more than 20
years old and that the purpose of the new Indiana one is to expand
individual rights for those who feel government has impinged on their
personal rights.
"This is not about discrimination," he said. "This is about empowering people to confront government overreach."
That's all perfectly reasonable. If a state decides to give gays the right to marry each other, fine, but that shouldn't supercede someone's right to decline to participate in such an event on religious grounds. But then there's this...
However, Pence did not answer directly when asked six times whether
under the law it would be legal for a merchant to refuse to serve gay
customers.
FFS, why couldn't he just basically say, "if two guys walk into a bakery holding hands and want to buy some cupcakes, no one should have a problem with serving them." Not being able to make reasonable arguments like that is what turns people off from the GOP when it come to social issues.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence said Sunday that a new state law that
attempts to protect long-standing religious freedoms "is not about
discrimination" and that he and other state lawmakers do not intend to
change the legislation.
Pence, a Republican, said the legislation that he signed last week
prohibits Indiana 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, which is being interpreted as allowing a
cake maker, for example, to legally refuse an order for a wedding cake
for a gay couple.
Pence told ABC's "This Week" the original federal law is more than 20
years old and that the purpose of the new Indiana one is to expand
individual rights for those who feel government has impinged on their
personal rights.
"This is not about discrimination," he said. "This is about empowering people to confront government overreach."
That's all perfectly reasonable. If a state decides to give gays the right to marry each other, fine, but that shouldn't supercede someone's right to decline to participate in such an event on religious grounds. But then there's this...
However, Pence did not answer directly when asked six times whether
under the law it would be legal for a merchant to refuse to serve gay
customers.
FFS, why couldn't he just basically say, "if two guys walk into a bakery holding hands and want to buy some cupcakes, no one should have a problem with serving them." Not being able to make reasonable arguments like that is what turns people off from the GOP when it come to social issues.
