WhatFinger


In an almost-certainly futile attempt to get shrieking critics to tell the truth about it.

Indiana looks to 'clarify' religious freedom act



You're certainly well aware of the hysterics concerning Indiana's version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act - pretty much the exact same law that's on the books in 19 other states and at the federal level, and absolutely not something that permits petty discrimination against blacks, gays or anyone else. But the shrieking goes on because that's the point. It's designed to make you think Indiana has done something unprecedented and horrific. If you listen to the shrieking instead of actually reading the bill, you just might believe that very thing.
I'm quite sure passing a "clarification" isn't going change this in the slightest, but Indiana is going to give it a shot:
Since the Republican governor signed the bill into law Thursday, Indiana has been widely criticized by businesses and organizations around the nation, as well as on social media with the hashtag #boycottindiana. Already, consumer review service Angie's List has said it will suspend a planned expansion in Indianapolis because of the new law. Pence did not answer directly when asked at least six times whether under the law it would be legal for a merchant to refuse to serve gay customers. "This is not about discrimination, this is about empowering people to confront government overreach," he said. Asked again, he said, "Look, the issue here is still is tolerance a two-way street or not." Pence told the Indianapolis Star on Saturday that he was in discussions with legislative leaders over the weekend and expects a clarification bill to be introduced in the coming week. He addressed that Sunday, saying, "if the General Assembly ... sends me a bill that adds a section that reiterates and amplifies and clarifies what the law really is and what it has been for the last 20 years, then I'm open to that."

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But Pence was adamant that the measure, slated to take effect in July, will stick. "We're not going to change this law," he said. If Pence expects the left to just say, "Oh, OK, now we understand, everything's fine" . . . well, I can't imagine he really thinks that. They won't be honest and they won't be rational no matter what Indiana does. The whole point of their huffing and puffing is to create the illusion that evil, sadistic Christians want to persecute gay people sheerly out of hate. Any opportunity they have to create that illusion, they will take. Passing a "clarification" won't matter in the slightest. What would help is if the media would actually report the facts of what the law does and doesn't do, rather than ignoring the substance of the law and focusing instead on what gay activists "fear" it would do. (Translation, what they know it won't do but claim to think it will so they can get more attention.) In the end, this law is designed to protect people of faith from being forced by the state to participate in things that are anathema to their faith. That has nothing to do with serving a gay person lunch in a restaurant, or any of the other silly and dishonest scenarios left-wing activists are screeching about. And if the law is inspiring boycotts of Indiana by activist business people, that's not a criticism of Indiana. It's a criticism of the business people who can't stand the idea that a state has a law that protects the rights of people of faith - even though 19 other states have the same law and they're not boycotting them. Because right now it's in vogue to rip on Indiana, not because of facts, but because the people screaming the loudest seem to be the most influential among those who are intellectually lazy and dishonest. And no "clarification" ever matters to people like this, nor does it appear to matter to their media cheerleaders.

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Dan Calabrese -- Bio and Archives

Dan Calabrese’s column is distributed by HermanCain.com, which can be found at HermanCain

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