1. I didn't support the Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act, because I didn't think we needed it. It was too controversial as first written, poorly timed, and politically bad for the state at the time. I think economically it was bad for the state. It needed language to protect against discrimination and now it has it. In general I don't like government trying to fix cultural problems. And that is why I was against it.
2. I don't agree with any Christian business that would use God and the Bible to discriminate. You can't bring people to God by pushing them away. Christians shouldn't pick and choose what sins they will stand against. And the best way to live your faith in business is by doing business ethically with integrity treating everyone with respect. Work by the #GoldenRule.
3. The Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act doesn't make discrimination legal. It is the same law that was passed and signed by a Democrat Congress and Bill Clinton back in 1993. Similar bills have been adopted in 20 other states and another 10 states have it as part of case law or in their constitution. This includes liberal states like Illinois. The law has been in effect for over 20 years. Essentially as one friend said the bill is a "retweet" or "share" if you will.
4. The purpose of the law is too protect people against the government forcing someone or a business to do something against their religious beliefs. The best example is the Hobby Lobby case. The federal RFRA was the law used to say the government could not force a company to pay for abortion drugs, but that didn't extend to states just the federal government.
5. If a person feels they have been discriminated against they can still sue in court. The bill would only require the court to consider the defendant's argument based on religion. As far as I know even in states where they have this law no court has allowed someone to discriminate based on religion.
6. Both sides are not being truthful in this debate. Those that support the bill think they can now stand up against things they think go against their faith, but if they discriminate it will not be protected. And the sides against the law are saying that the law makes discrimination legal and will bring back segregation. Both are essential wrong. People should read the bill and debate it on its merits not just repost and cool sound bites from the far right and far left special interest groups.
7. Calls for Mike Pence to be recalled was just silly. That's why we have elections. You don't like a party or person in power you vote them out in the next election. Recalls are just temper tantrums.
8. I know Mike Pence and he is not a bigot. People who support the bill are not bigots. And name calling is not helpful, but childish.
9. Salesforce leaving the state was a joke. They were already slowly pulling out of Indiana. This was just more politics. Gen Con threatening to cancel their conference was mere threats. They can't pull out and said they wouldn't days later. It would have cost them too much money. The NCAA needed to stay out of the political climate also. Remember Illinois also has the same law. Are these companies still doing business in Chicago? Kentucky has the law and didn't the NCAA play tournament games in Louisville? 30 states and the federal government has this law. So I expect all these businesses to not do business in any of the other 30 states or with the federal government.
10. I outlined above in #1 why I was against the bill. But I do have a question. Our very first amendment protects the freedom of religion from the government. So are the freedoms of religious beliefs just as important as someone else's freedoms? It seems in some of the comments I've seen some people feel a persons religious beliefs are unimportant and shouldn't be protected. Again I don't agree with discrimination based on someone's religious beliefs, but I still believe people should be protected from the government taking away religious freedom.
