Comments on Advance Indiana™: Carmel And Fishers Mayors Say Open To All: Neither City Prohibits Discrimination Based On Sexual Orientation

Where was Mr. Brainard BEFORE the current RFRA fla...

2015-04-15T09:59:05.182-05:00

Where was Mr. Brainard BEFORE the current RFRA flap? Where was Carmel on the subject THEN?

Oh, certainly, when the pudding hits the fan, they're right out front.

What precluded them from passing city ordinance giving protection to the LGTB community BEFORE the PR nightmare?

ANSWER: Nothing. And, since Carmel is 100% TOTALLY steeped in the GOP of Indiana? They didn't wanna make any waves.

As for the RFRA being used to discriminate elsewhere? Well, the inability to understand the difference between the Indiana RFRA and the rest of them is part of the reason Indiana has elected so many religious bigots.

Indiana does not WANT do understand the difference. They want bigotry under the cloak of religious freedom. In addition to wanting to now act alike, "Nothing was really going to happen here."

Did the NCAA, B1G Ten, Angie's List, Salesforce, countless tech firms, CEOs, several cities, numerous states protest the OTHER RFRA laws? Oh. No, they didn't. I wonder why? (I wonder things. People in Indiana apparently DON'T.)

It's because 1) Indiana's state law does not designate sexual orientation as a protected class like race, gender, age--OR RELIGION. Boy oh boy, we CAN'T FORGET RELIGION WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INDIANA AND BIGOTRY.

2) The federal RFRA involves government only. The Indiana RFRA opens the law up to also include private business disputes. Hence, no pizza at gay weddings in Indiana.

Do try to realize that Indiana has a black eye across the entire nation for the SPECIFIC law they were trying to enact.

Rush's followers all beat their chests about how the law has been around two decades. Well, not the same law, bigots.

And, if it's been around two decades without huge protests, businesses leaving states, other states and companies refusing to set foot in the state?

Well, to an intelligent UNBIGOTED person, the glaring difference in reaction MIGHT cause them to think that this wasn't the same law.

Of course, Mike Pence and the Indiana GOP were SPECIFICALLY TOLD what would happen by several groups and businesses.

Their response? Our bigotry trumps your business.

Until the cows came home to roost. But notice how the party line is STILL "Nothing's wrong here! We're back on track!"

Ask a person of color about Elwood, Indiana. Go ahead. See what they say. Darn near 100 years after the Klan was located there.

Think open-minded people and the LGBT community (and the TECH community) are going to forget this?

If you do, you're as dumb as Mike Pence.

I wonder if these mayors will support legislation ...

2015-04-02T15:02:07.557-05:00

I wonder if these mayors will support legislation to force people to attend church services since passing laws mandating Christian businesses participate in others sin? I wonder how long it will be before baptist churches are forced to marry gays? Or to have mandated sermons by satanists or atheists?

Because the experience with the federal law, and R...

2015-04-01T19:33:55.405-05:00

Because the experience with the federal law, and RFRA state laws or judge-made laws which essentially apply the RFRA standards have a long history of cases involving discrimination, and there is no evidence the RFRA defense has been successfully applied to deny accommodations and services to persons based on sexual orientation. Illinois adopted its RFRA law in 1998. It didn't adopt a statewide non-discrimination law until 2011. Show me the proof where RFRA is being successfully used to discriminate against gays. I've heard a lot of hypotheticals, but the actual case results show the exact opposite outcome.

Gary, why do you say that the law "falsely cl...

2015-04-01T18:59:56.974-05:00

Gary, why do you say that the law "falsely claims" discrimination.....since indiana does not provide protections to the lgbt community, i am not sure that its accurate to portray the new law as you do. Yes, their is hypocrisy on both sides, but we all know what is at play here....

Anybody want a sign, "Closed To Bitchyness?&q...

2015-04-01T18:34:34.775-05:00

Anybody want a sign, "Closed To Bitchyness?"