Arizona Governor Jan Brewer made the only realistic decision when she vetoed a broad resolution that would have allowed businesses in her state to use their religious beliefs as a pretext to discriminate against potential customers. This shameful and reactionary bill had already been approved by Republican majorities in both legislative branches. As a law, SB 1062 would definitely have impacted the LGBT community, and it wasn't clear how far it would have reached beyond that. A leading gubernatorial candidate to succeed Brewer was pressed by CNN's Anderson Cooper about whether or not businesses could use the law also deny service to, for example, divorced people. All he could say was that he didn't know of any businesses in Arizona that discriminate!
As word got around and light began to shine on this right wing abomination, many Republican state legislators who originally backed the bill began running for cover, dodging media and even changing their position. Pressure from business concerned about the law's impact on Arizona's economy proved to be the bill's undoing. Don't think Arizona has been alone in attempting to send civil rights back to the 1950's. Other states with similar bills in the works reacted to the negative publicity by pulling back their own discriminatory initiatives. Labeling this a "religious freedom" bill is just a smokescreen, akin to calling Southern opposition to civil rights fifty years ago a "states rights" issue. The right wing has proven themselves to be the more extreme side of America's political equation. Some have even made Russian president Putin a hero and even praised Uganda for trampling on gay rights. What in desperation will they pull next?
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