• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

Arizona's "Religious Freedom Restoration Act"

Mike

Well-known member
You will soon be hearing from the MSM about Arizona's new law that will/will not be allowing discrimination against gays. Here is a legal analysis of that law:

http://www.christianpost.com/news/issue-analysis-arizona-bill-does-not-give-businesses-license-to-discriminate-against-gays-115093/

Just as OT is, many journalists are not truthful and are liars. Beware of articles such as this from the Washington Post:
Arizona lawmakers passed a bill Thursday that allows businesses in the state to deny service to LGBT customers on religious grounds. The bill has not been signed by Gov. Jan Brewer (R), who told reporters at the National Governors Association this week that she was in no rush to decide the bill's fate.
 

cutterone

Well-known member
Well I for one am a little sick having this gay rights BS crammed down my throat. I believe that I or you have the right to refuse service to anyone and the market will decide if I stay in business. Actually I find an excelent opertunity for someone to have a "flowers or wedding cakes for gays only" store if there are sooo many potential sales.
If the homosexuals are upset about being discriminated by the tax codes, etc - well join the crowd. The government picks and chooses winners and loosers and who gets breaks all over the codes. You don't like it, then go after the politicians to change the tax laws - don't cram your sexual desires against the rest of us. In my little part of the world I know not one person who is gay and I hear that there are only about 1% of the population who are so why do the 99 have to bend over and kiss our butt?
 

Steve

Well-known member
I have already heard the MSN views.. basically back to the days of no blacks allowed rhetoric.,.. instead this time it is gays..

there needs to be protection from activist gays who sue just to get back at you...

a church should not be forced to perform or allow gay marriages.. but they have been by the courts..

a photographer should not be forced to photograph a gay wedding.. or be persecuted when they object.. but it has happened..

a baker should not be forced to bake a wedding cake for a gay marriage,.. or be persecuted when they object.. but it has happened..

but the example the left now uses is a restaurant can refuse service to a gay couple.. or even two woman just dining together..

but does this law allow that?
The legislation, SB 1062, would bolster a business owner’s right to defend refusing service to someone when the owner believes doing so would violate their the practice and observance of religion. Supporters call it a "religious freedom" bill.

Why was SB 1062 proposed?

Last August, the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled that a photography company discriminated against a same-sex couple when in 2006 it refused to shoot the couple's civil-commitment ceremony.

New Mexico law specifically bars a public accommodation from denying services to someone based on that person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Twenty-one states have similar laws, according to Human Rights Campaign.


Arizona and New Mexico are among 26 states that, along with the federal government, recognize the gist of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act

The act prevents a law from placing a “substantial burden” on an individual’s religious beliefs.

LaRue said it has been used by people about 200 times nationwide since 1993 to argue in court that they don’t have to do something the law requires because the action interferes with their religion.

The law was invoked by the New Mexico photographers. But in that case, a court ruled for the first time that the law could not be invoked in a lawsuit between two private parties, LaRue said. The photographers have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear an appeal.

“The problem is the New Mexico Supreme Court created a loophole that if government is not party to a legal proceeding, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act cannot be used as a defense,” LaRue said.

“There is a law that bans discrimination at public accommodations based on religion in Arizona. Let’s pretend that I’m a bakery and that in my town here in Arizona, Westboro Baptist Church comes to picket a funeral of a soldier, and they tell me to bake a cake. They want it to say, ‘God hates ...’ and that terrible word they use.

“It would offend my dignity. I don’t want to give voice to that horrible message. Right now, they could sue me for discriminating based on their religious beliefs. If the Arizona courts went the way of the New Mexico courts, I would lose and if they targeted me, I could lose my business because of the damages I’d have to pay out. I would never be able to assert my Religious Freedom Restoration Act defense because it’s available only if the government is prosecuting me.”

What does SB 1062 do?

“They are amending Arizona law in a way that would make clear it covers businesses and allows them to use the religious freedom law as a defense if someone would sue them for sexual orientation discrimination,” Massaro said.

even he is wrong... it does not state sexual orientation.. it just allows a person to assert his defense in accordance with the religious freedoms act which "prevents a law from placing a “substantial burden” on an individual’s religious beliefs".

http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/51leg/2r/bills/sb1062p.pdf

in other words it gives US as a citizen the same rights against persecution from the government.. and others wishing to violate our first amendment rights..

a right enshrined in our Constitution and



a right even liberals want the UN to enforce..
Article 18.

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
 
Top