Brewer:
"To the supporters of this legislation, I want you to
know that I understand that long-held norms about marriage and family are being
challenged as never before. Our society is undergoing many dramatic changes,
however, I sincerely believe that Senate Bill 1062 has the potential to create
more problems than it purports to solve. It could divide Arizona in ways we
cannot even imagine and nobody could ever want."
"Texans spoke loud and clear by overwhelmingly voting to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman in our Constitution, and it is not the role of the federal government to overturn the will of our citizens. The 10th Amendment guarantees Texas voters the freedom to make these decisions, and this is yet another attempt to achieve via the courts what couldn't be achieved at the ballot box. We will continue to fight for the rights of Texans to self-determine the laws of our state."
Two
governors with the (supposedly) same agenda: addressing issues affecting their
respective states. Both seem sincere in their commitment to state governance.
Both are dealing with religious freedom and gay rights. Both attitudes have
far-reaching implications.
Jan Brewer's decision to veto the "religious freedom" bill (SB1062)
may be the more relevant of the two: the states of Missouri, Georgia, Maine,
Kansas, South Dakota, Oregon and Tennessee are considering similar bills (Ohio
has withdrawn theirs in the wake of the Arizona veto). Some of these states are
scampering around with revisions, of course, because SB1062 was too broad: the
defining weakness of it. In effect, it gave every business the right to refuse
service to anyone on the basis of religious beliefs. (Anderson Cooper posed the
question to the bill's author: "What if a a hotel refuses to rent a room
to an unwed mother?" to which the author simply stated "that's never
happened."). In other words, a Phil Robertson in Arizona could refuse to
sell duck calls to an unwed couple. Might float in Tennessee, of course, but in
Arizona?
Many of the bill's supporters (and quite a few right-wing media pundits) simply
scoffed at gays and told them to get services elsewhere.
The Religious Liberty Movement
Yes, it's a movement, but unlike other political movements, it is undoubtedly
sponsored by God. And God wants people to discriminate. And if people who want
to do what God wants them to do are in the majority, God help those in the minority
(sorry). This is in essence is what Texas Governor Rick Perry is saying about
his state's right to ban same-sex marriage: "Texas is a Christian state,
so don't tell us what to do if it violates our beliefs."
"Screw gay Texans."
Of course, Rick Perry's tirade also sparked visions of baffoonery: he was
pictured in his ill-fated "When gays can serve openly in the
military" ad wearing the Brokeback Mountain jacket. But on the same token,
it caused concern for the safety of Justice Garcia: there are too many
Christofascists and too many guns in Texas. Then in a fit of Texas pique, state
senator Dan Patrick tweeted an embarrassing gaff.
Everyone thought it was from a Tea Party favorite. If nothing else, Texas
entertains.
And so does Pat Robertson, who, from his bastion of senility, demanded that
Eric Holder be impeached because he is raising sodomy over the rights of
religious people.
Or something like that.
The Long, Long Haul.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
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