Come on America

[undercoverbrother]

I like America, I actually do, but come on, Land of The Free.

It is getting harder to like this place.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home3/5...gious.html.csp

The Arizona Legislature gave final approval Thursday to legislation that allows business owners asserting their religious beliefs to refuse service to gays and others, drawing backlash from Democrats who called the proposal "state-sanctioned discrimination" and an embarrassment.
The 33-27 vote by the House sends the legislation to Republican Gov. Jan Brewer and puts Arizona back at the forefront of a polarizing piece of legislation four years after the state enacted an immigration crackdown that caused a national furor.

[jayswin]

In a time when it seems very obvious in North America, where the world is headed, the United States just continually goes backwards. I feel really sorry for normal, progressive Americans. They should just move to Canada.

[Bill Bumface]

It's pretty scary how we can't learn from our own history.

Similar laws against Jews, Blacks and others lead to some very ugly times. And we take a step down that path again?

[MarchHare]

Several other states have also passed similar legislation recently. I can't imagine any of these laws will survive a constitutional challenge, but obviously I'm not a legal expert.

What shocks me the most is that conservative religious Americans seem to genuinely believe that they're a persecuted group under attack and these laws are necessary to protect 'MURICAN values.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by flameswin

In a time when it seems very obvious in North America, where the world is headed, the United States just continually goes backwards. I feel really sorry for normal, progressive Americans. They should just move to Canada.

This is simply not acurate. US courts have passed law that allows more and more freedom of gay marriage. See this article:

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_a...ecord_for.html

US like Canada is pockets of conservative and liberal. Arizona is conservative in the same way Alberta is conservative but in the cities it is less so.

It no acurate to paint all of America with one brush because of some states. Quite a few states are actually more tollerant than some places in Canada, you just have to focus on the big picture.

[Turner]

I just got back from vacation and had access to local Miami TV (NBC, CBS, etc). They were reporting daily on Sochi / Russian anti-gay policies and never missed an opportunity to paint a foreign culture as ass backwards to the South Florida TV audiences. There was however, absolutely zero mention of this legislation (which is happening only a few states over from FL) in any of their stories. So American.

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

This is simply not acurate. US courts have passed law that allows more and more freedom of gay marriage. See this article:

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_a...ecord_for.html

US like Canada is pockets of conservative and liberal. Arizona is conservative in the same way Alberta is conservative but in the cities it is less so.

It no acurate to paint all of America with one brush because of some states. Quite a few states are actually more tollerant than some places in Canada, you just have to focus on the big picture.

The thing is, 4 or 5 states in the past 2 weeks or so have passed laws that, bars discrimination of religious people discriminating against a group of people. The blatant hypocrisy and buy in is what blows my mind.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

This is simply not acurate. US courts have passed law that allows more and more freedom of gay marriage. See this article:

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_a...ecord_for.html

US like Canada is pockets of conservative and liberal. Arizona is conservative in the same way Alberta is conservative but in the cities it is less so.

It no acurate to paint all of America with one brush because of some states. Quite a few states are actually more tollerant than some places in Canada, you just have to focus on the big picture.

Yeah, Alberta conservatism isn't even remotely close to American conservatism.

American Republican politicians are becoming significantly more polarized over the last 20 years and since the Tea Party, abandoning positions they held as recently as a few years ago. I can cite examples if you like (I know Flash has a whole stable). If you don't think this is the case, you've got your head in the sand.

The people as a whole? Maybe, but they certainly are electing some garbage candidates into office.

[habernac]

didn't Kansas also do this recently?

[killer_carlson]

You know what? When I see stuff like this my thoughts now to inviting skilled workers living in Arizona who happen to be homosexual up to Alberta to work and apply for Permanent Residency.

This is so ludicrous and their government is on the wrong side of history. I have no problem making our community more skilled and more diverse. Come on up.

[pylon]

As a business owner you "reserve the right" to deny service to anyone you do not wish to do business with. Although their reasons to refuse service may be veiled in complete ignorance, why does this require a law?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by pylon

As a business owner you "reserve the right" to deny service to anyone you do not wish to do business with. Although their reasons to refuse service may be veiled in complete ignorance, why does this require a law?

I don't think they are allowed to make them were rainbows.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by pylon

As a business owner you "reserve the right" to deny service to anyone you do not wish to do business with. Although their reasons to refuse service may be veiled in complete ignorance, why does this require a law?

The bolded part is not true.

Business owners can't use discriminatory reasons as justification to refuse service. A restaurant owner, for example, would not be permitted to run a "whites only" establishment.

The Federal Civil Rights Act guarantees all people the right to "full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of any place of public accommodation, without discrimination or segregation on the ground of race, color, religion, or national origin."

The right of public accommodation is also guaranteed to disabled citizens under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which precludes discrimination by businesses on the basis of disability.

In addition to the protections against discrimination provided under federal law, many states have passed their own Civil Rights Acts that provide broader protections than the Federal Civil Rights Act. For example, California's Unruh Civil Rights Act makes it illegal to discriminate against individuals based on unconventional dress or sexual preference.

In the 1960s, the Unruh Civil Rights Act was interpreted to provide broad protection from arbitrary discrimination by business owners. Cases decided during that era held that business owners could not discriminate, for example, against hippies, police officers, homosexuals, or Republicans, solely because of who they were.

Emphasis added.

http://www.legalzoom.com/us-law/equa...refuse-service

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by pylon

As a business owner you "reserve the right" to deny service to anyone you do not wish to do business with. Although their reasons to refuse service may be veiled in complete ignorance, why does this require a law?

it's against the law to discrimate against the xtians that are discriminating against people who they think are breaking gods laws.

I took this from the American politics thread, read the words carefully

Rep. Charles Macheers, R-Shawnee, said on the House floor that his bill prevents discrimination.

“Discrimination is horrible. It’s hurtful … It has no place in civilized society, and that’s precisely why we’re moving this bill,” he said. “There have been times throughout history where people have been persecuted for their religious beliefs because they were unpopular. This bill provides a shield of protection for that.”

http://www.kansascity.com/2014/02/11...d-on-bill.html

[DuffMan]

It's gong to be interesting when a doctor or paramedic refuses to treat someone and they die.

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by Turner

I just got back from vacation and had access to local Miami TV (NBC, CBS, etc). They were reporting daily on Sochi / Russian anti-gay policies and never missed an opportunity to paint a foreign culture as ass backwards to the South Florida TV audiences. There was however, absolutely zero mention of this legislation (which is happening only a few states over from FL) in any of their stories. So American.

It was an American religious group that helped get the anti gay sentiment and laws rolling in Russia.
Check out the World Congress of Families and how they helped get Russia to where it is now.
They also helped with getting the death penalty laws for lgbt people in Uganda.

[rubecube]

No way this holds up when it makes its way to the Supreme Court, but nice of Republicans to waste the tax dollars it's going to take to get through these challenges.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by DuffMan

It's gong to be interesting when a doctor or paramedic refuses to treat someone and they die.

It won't happen.

Doctors are educated, and anti-gay beliefs find their home largely in the ignorant.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

It won't happen.

Doctors are educated, and anti-gay beliefs find their home largely in the ignorant.

Unfortunately, educated /= unignornant

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

It won't happen.

Doctors are educated, and anti-gay beliefs find their home largely in the ignorant.

not really

Its not really a educated / uneducated thing... some people are just really intolerable to their beliefs.