Indiana government officials are proving to be the most intolerant, antiquated, plutocratic assbags in recent history. This isn’t even mentioning the countless racist trolls that feel the need to exercise their imbecilic muscles on people fighting for simple human rights. I have very real fear of regression in the U.S. and the handling of race relations that slowly improved over the years, kind of, have diminished with everything that has come to light, hasn’t helped. Do I really have to name them at this point? Nevertheless, I’m a hopeful cynic.
Here we have the good ol’ state of Indiana. For those who aren’t aware, the state’s Governor Mike Pence signed the legislation allowing any individual or corporation to cite its religious beliefs as a defense when sued by a private party. What’s more, there are 19 other states (Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia) that already have this bill in place. Truthfully, there should be equal outrage. The only difference is that most people weren’t aware of the bill passing in the aforementioned states. Having said that, a legislature getting approved in this climate would most definitely garner nationwide disapproval.
To think that a potential employer could hire someone solely based off their credentials, yet, spurn that offer once their sexual preference is identified; same goes as if a restaurant doesn’t want to serve you because you happen to be gay, lesbian, bi, or transgender. To deny people (not only Americans) the right to an equal anything is downright morbid, and this bill just opened up a huge can of division amongst the LGBT community and the religious sect.
Honestly, should we even be shocked by this? Maybe the timing of it all, yes. But this whole notion that America is the land of the free is utter horseshit. Yes, we do have liberties that are not granted in other countries. There is no disputing that. However, Americans have become enslaved by their own “freedom.” Ultimately, we are shackling ourselves to a constitutional and religious cinder block, throwing it into a sea of hope, and drowning in our own stubbornness. Living by these arbitrary rules and beliefs that undoubtedly have unraveled our country, hasn’t proved much help.
Fortunately, capitalism reigns supreme. Businesses in Indiana are threatening to pull out; many already have. The NBA and WNBA have released a statement on behave of their two teams the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever.
“The game of basketball is grounded in long established principles of inclusion and mutual respect. We will continue to ensure that all fans, players and employees feel welcome at all NBA and WNBA events in Indiana and elsewhere.”
Indiana Pacers and Fever owner Herb Simon had this to say:
“The Indiana Pacers, Indiana Fever and Bankers Life Fieldhouse have the strongest possible commitment to inclusion and non-discrimination on any basis. Everyone is always welcome at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. That has always been the policy from the very beginning of the Simon family’s involvement and it always will be.”
Companies like Salesforce — worth $4 billion, Angie’s List — who were planning to move forward with $40 million expansion to Indianapolis — have moonwalked away from the state.
CEO of Salesforce Marketing Cloud division Scott McCorkle states in a letter to Indiana lawmakers:
“We have been an active member of the Indiana business community and a key job creator for more than a decade.Our success is fundamentally based on our ability to attract and retain the best and most diverse pool of highly skilled employees, regardless of gender, religious affiliation, ethnicity or sexual orientation.”
“Without an open business environment that welcomes all residents and visitors. Salesforce will be unable to continue building on its tradition of marketing innovation in Indianapolis.”
Angie’s List CEO Bill Oesterle also states:
“We are putting the ‘Ford Building Project’ on hold until we fully understand the implications of the freedom restoration act on our employees, both current and future. Angie’s List is open to all and discriminates against none and we are hugely disappointed in what this bill represents.”
The company is currently seeking alternative locations for their headquarters expansion.
Hell, even the Disciple of Christ aren’t pleased with this:
“…The recent passage in the state legislature of the RFRA bill is distressing to us. It is causing us to reconsider our decision to hold our 2017 gathering in Indianapolis.”
Subsequently, Pence and his people had try and rectify this whole debacle. The governor said that he would “clarify” the legislation in the upcoming days.
“I support religious liberty, and I support this law. But we are in discussions with legislative leaders this weekend to see if there’s a way to clarify the intent of the law.”
When that money stops coming in the government will be quick to buck up and try to appease the people. Here’s the thing, this is America, we are chock full of traditionalist and miscreants that spread hate speech and still believe the south won the war. These are some of the people that run the senate, congress, hell, do I dare say the White House? Furthermore, these highbrow lowlifes will procreate and continue to spill archaic conjecture to their children. Folks can deny this all they want in this vast land we call home, but evil is always lurking in many forms of man. We see this everyday on the news; we see it on the internet; we see it in real life. These things are happening and we as a people are letting it.
Lastly, Church vs. State. It’s obviously not written on the Constitution. Nonetheless, the message is abundantly clear.
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.
We have been living in a church nation for far sometime. And judging by this Religious Freedom Restoration Act being signed in the year 2015, we’ll be planted in the same seats, listening to the hymns, and still eating that dry ass sacramental bread for decades to come. All the while watching the collection plate get fatter as it passes us by.
A confederacy of dunces.
