I’m very pleased that Arizona’s governor has shown some common sense and strength of character by vetoing the controversial “religious freedom” bill that would have allowed businesses and pretty much anyone to refuse to serve gay people if it “contradicted their religious beliefs”. All this, even though there has not been a SINGLE INSTANCE where this has been an issue in Arizona. I’m sure that businesses such as Apple, who said if the law passed they would not bring the 1,000 jobs into the state that they had planned on, certainly helped matters. Sometimes hitting the pocketbook is the only way to make things change… sad and messed up, but true.
While I’m glad it was vetoed, I am shocked that it got that far. Why are we even having to debate Jim Crow segregation laws- IN 2014?!?! And NOT just in Arizona- but in many southern states this type of bill has been introduced. It’s a calculated, organized attempt to reduce our gay brothers and sisters to a lower level of society- which is something that even most Christians don’t support. How can these people in good conscience decry the oppression of women in the Middle East but then oppress a group of people in their own country?
Interestingly, Texas is way ahead of Arizona when it comes to gay rights. A judge has struck down their ban on same-sex marriage. Considering how ultra-conservative Texas tends to be, this surprised me greatly- but in a very good way. Texans have a way of surprising you- sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worst, but there’s always something interesting going in- whether it’s a law prohibiting tampons in court or the state threatening to leave the union for the hundredth time. 😉 (I have relatives in Texas, I love Texans dearly.)
Life and Other Musings 