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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsArkansas determined to turn back the clock on discrimination
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson says he would sign into law a religious protection measure that opponents have said would open the door to state-sanctioned discrimination against gays and lesbians.
Hutchinson told reporters Thursday that he supports the latest version of a bill prohibiting state and local government from infringing upon someone's religious beliefs without a "compelling government interest." The Senate could take up the legislation as soon as Thursday afternoon.
Hutchinson said he believes the measure balances concerns about protecting religious beliefs and worries about discrimination.
This is terrible. Has Arkansas not been paying attention to what is happening in Indiana? Why are the law makers of this state determined to open the door to discrimination being protected by law? Government twisting religion to use as a tool for the practice of hate is immoral, unethical, and clearly hypocritical. I am embarrassed to call this state my home.
http://www.katv.com/story/28623593/arkansas-governor-says-hed-sign-religious-protection-bill
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2015/03/26/human-rights-campaign-hopes-to-fight-arkansas-religious-freedom-bill-by-scaring-away-silicon-valley/
Skittles
(153,261 posts)me, I will boycott any state that pulls this backwards bullshit
still_one
(92,492 posts)Jon82
(92 posts)still_one
(92,492 posts)RKP5637
(67,112 posts)and employees, they can refuse to work if it affects their religious belief/principles. The bullshit it getting so deep it's going to drown these states. And these fools have some notion it's all about christianity. So, that means any of religious belief can be denied anything, because it can infringe upon an agnostic belief to deal with them. We, for example, already will not solicit business from any individual/company that wears the badge of religion on their sleeve.
janlyn
(735 posts)And have never been ashamed of making Arkansas my home, until now! The republicans are having a field daynow that they have control!!
Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)We dont have any of these university women in Perry County, but Ill tell you what we do up there when one of our women starts poking around in something she doesnt know anything about. We get her an extra milk cow. If that dont work, we give her a little more garden to tend to. And then if thats not enough, we get her pregnant and keep her barefoot."
http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=4771
Trying to live the dreams of a bigot and his ideals. Well, maybe they will completely follow his example and switch positions on equal treatment in order to stay in office (did not work for him) when people finally stand up and say enough. Of course, it will only be after hate groups and those that sympathize with them exercise their new found freedom, commerce suffers, and the nation once again uses Arkansas as an example of stupidity that this will happen. Whatever happened to allowing all people to pursue happiness?
Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)starting with, perhaps, Mark Twain's less than complimentary assessment of Arkansans in Huckleberry Finn, to the Slow Train Through Arkansas, to the Arkansaw Traveler (the local yokel was too busy playing his fiddle to fix his leaky roof) to Hillbilly Hare (Bugs Bunny takes advantage of two Arkansas yahoos) to the Flintstones (feuding relatives living in Arkanstone) to the Wacky Races (the Arkansas Chug-a-bug driven by moonshine-swilling Rufus the barefoot hillbilly and his mascot Blubber Bear). By the '70s, the state's image was finally starting to get better, although the Today Show took one last jab when during its Bicentennial feature on Arkansas, it just featured hillbilly musicians. Now the yahoos in the legislature are doing everything they can to make the state once again the butt of national jokes.
Jon82
(92 posts)It is just another brick in the wall (not a Floyd reference here) of reasons to ridicule Arkansas. Normally, I laugh it off and tell people about the good things but this time all I can and will do is agree. This is not a step back but a great leap in the wrong direction. The voters in Arkansas need to step up and get rid of Representatives and a governor that is willing to promote bigotry
Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)The legislators are in there for at least 2 years.
And Tom Cotton is in the Senate for at least 6 long years.
LiberalArkie
(15,732 posts)will deny a black person service "because I believe the Nig**Rs are the spawn of satan, that is what my preacher tells me" That will be fun when it hits the news. Maybe a christian scientist won't serve people who go to doctors.
Jon82
(92 posts)Wella
(1,827 posts)and you get people mad. Crappy legislation like this is the result.