Red With Embarrassment

Indiana Protests (Reuters)

No sooner do I finish railing in my last post against turning back the clock of positive reform when the Indiana governor signs a bill into law paving the way for businesses to refuse service to same sex couples.   Governor Pence's defense of the law was so pitiful that even Republicans who voted for its passage have had to consider scrapping or "clarifying" it.     The resulting political and economic backlash should be enough to deter any other states from passing these discriminatory laws, but along comes Arkansas Governor Hutchinson ready to pander to social reactionaries by signing similar legislation.  Presidential aspirants looking for GOP primary support (even big bucks main-streamer Jeb Bush) see this as a way to enhance their own social and cultural conservative credentials.   Thankfully, most Americans have undergone a remarkable evolution on this issue since the dawn of the 21st century.   Attempts to exclude portions of our society in the name of religious freedom or states' rights go back to the birth of our nation.   The Fox News narrative is false again.   Religious freedom is not under attack in America.   Religious beliefs and customs are taught and learned through life.   Sexual orientation is in our DNA.  

I applaud Governor Malloy's quick action banning Connecticut state government travel to Indiana.   There are also enlightened leaders in Indiana and Arkansas, such as the mayors of their respective state capitals, who oppose these backwards laws and remind us that even the reddest states aren't ready to sacrifice economic stability and social justice to advance narrow, outdated agendas.