Arizona Senate Passes Bill Allowing Discrimination On Basis Of Religious Freedom

[sky otter]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/20/arizona-religious-freedom-discrimination_n_4823334.html

Arizona Senate Passes Bill Allowing Discrimination On Basis Of Religious Freedom
The Huffington Post  | by  Shadee Ashtari Email RSS   

The Republican-controlled Arizona state Senate voted along party lines Wednesday to pass Senate Bill 1062, a measure that would allow businesses to reject service to any customer based on the owners' religious beliefs.

The bill reads:

"Exercise of religion" means the PRACTICE OR OBSERVANCE OF RELIGION, INCLUDING THE ability to act or refusal to act in a manner substantially motivated by a religious belief whether or not the exercise is compulsory or central to a larger system of religious belief.
Arizona Democrats, who argue the legislation is a way to legalize discrimination against LGBT individuals, sponsored eight amendments in an attempt to thwart the legislation -- all of which were rejected by Senate Republicans.

"SB 1062 permits discrimination under the guise of religious freedom," state Senate Democratic Leader Anna Tovar said in a statement Wednesday. "With the express consent of Republicans in this Legislature, many Arizonans will find themselves members of a separate and unequal class under this law because of their sexual orientation. This bill may also open the door to discriminate based on race, familial status, religion, sex, national origin, age or disability."

As testament to the bill's mission, state Sen. Steve Yarbrough (R), one of three lawmakers sponsoring the bill, cited a 2013 New Mexico Supreme Court ruling that banned wedding photographers from refusing to shoot same-sex ceremonies, according to the Associated Press.

"This bill is not about allowing discrimination," Yarbrough said during a nearly two-hour debate on Wednesday. "This bill is about preventing discrimination against people who are clearly living out their faith."

Arizona Sen. Steve Farley (D), another opponent of the controversial bill, said the legislation could have a negative economic impact if it became law.

"I think this bill makes a statement ... that we don't welcome people here," Farley said. "This bill gets in the way, this bill sends the wrong message around the country and around the world."

"I believe our economy is strengthened by different people, and different backgrounds, and different beliefs, and different motivations, coming in and working together in our economy to make this state and this country stronger," he also said. "Discrimination hurts that. It hurts that in so many different ways."

Similar religious liberty bills, which have popped up in response to a series of federal court rulings overturning same-sex marriage bans, were recently quashed in Idaho, Kansas, South Dakota and Tennessee.

Arizona's SB 1062 now heads to the Republican-majority state House, where it is expected to pass.

[Littleenki]

I cant see the corellation between lgbt and religion myself, who cares if a cable customer or banking customer is gay or bi?
.... or religious?

As a business owner, I would have zero problem dealing with any person who is lgbt, or religious, as those things are so far from important in a business sense, so to me it is a function of fundamentalist christian thinking, which is a large part of certain republican factions.

Now, Im not one to stand up for religion, as most here know my stance on such, but still, I dont see the point unless it has to do with some sort of muslim or islamic folks, who might be construed by idiot politicians as terrorists or sympathetic to terrorists. This I doubt.

Let em practice or live with freedom of lifestyle or religion, in the end, it ultimately doesnt matter anyways.

Sky, are you sure this wasnt a story on the Onion.com? Because it seems like the prodcut of a twisted mind to me.

[sky otter]

Sky, are you sure this wasnt a story on the Onion.com? Because it seems like the prodcut of a twisted mind to me


hey LE
that is a good question
i don't have an answer
but if it is an onion article i couldn't find it
and it seems all are buying into it being real


here's the serach
https://www.google.com/#q=Arizona+Senate+Passes+Bill+Allowing+Discrimination+On+Basis+Of+Religious+Freedom


http://www.theonion.com/


this religious right stuff blows me away ..if we have a civi war in this country i this will be sore spot
hate and fear  of others being different is a bad thing

[deuem]

Anyone got a 10 foot pole I can use?

[WarToad]

The problem with laws like this is they get passed with a certain intent in mind, but inevitably get leveraged and twisted to an entirely different intent.

[Amaterasu]

I cant see the corellation between lgbt and religion myself, who cares if a cable customer or banking customer is gay or bi?
.... or religious?

As a business owner, I would have zero problem dealing with any person who is lgbt, or religious, as those things are so far from important in a business sense, so to me it is a function of fundamentalist christian thinking, which is a large part of certain republican factions.

Now, Im not one to stand up for religion, as most here know my stance on such, but still, I dont see the point unless it has to do with some sort of muslim or islamic folks, who might be construed by idiot politicians as terrorists or sympathetic to terrorists. This I doubt.

Let em practice or live with freedom of lifestyle or religion, in the end, it ultimately doesnt matter anyways.

Sky, are you sure this wasnt a story on the Onion.com? Because it seems like the prodcut of a twisted mind to me.

Having issues with the computer here.  This is what is supposed to be here:

I agree that the promotion of choosing to refuse service to Others based on anything that does not adversely affect One directly is ludicrous.  Lucre is lucre, regardless of the religious beliefs of anOther or who They prefer to bed.   I have no issue with the religious choice of anyOne PROVIDED They do not restrict any Other's choice of non-harmful behavior.  It is not Mine to say I have the better perspective in that realm - for Them.  Only for Myself.  [smile]

[Littleenki]

Anyone got a 10 foot pole I can use?

hey, D, youre already 4000 miles away, no pole necessary!

[robomont]

The supreme court will eventually hear it.it would get shotdown.this is politicians pandering to the voters.is my guess.
Its a real law.john stewart was making fun of it.
I agree with le.business people like money.they dont care.
i dont think there are that many bigots in arizona.probably more gays than bigots.

[undo11]

that is unbelievable.