JSMosby
02-26-2014, 10:00
After a bit of digging, ok...about 5 minutes...on the pending "anti-gay" bill in Arizona, it seems this is just another example of political targeting and misinformation.
RFRA was first a federal law, passed by Congress in 1993, in response to a U.S. Supreme Court decision, Employment Division vs. Smith (1989). The law was passed by an overwhelming majority, a unanimous vote in the House and a 97 to three vote in the Senate, and signed by a Democratic president - Bill Clinton.
But wait...
Later, though, the U.S. Supreme Court would rule, in Boerne vs. Flores (1996), that RFRA cannot be applied to state laws. States would have to pass their own RFRA if they wanted it to apply to their state and local laws.
So then, I wonder, based on the "punish your enemy" administration and its powerful base of the uninformed, is this an attack on Gov Jan Brewer? She has been a vocal advocate for her state's right to self govern. She has publicly "dissed" the president. She is due for some public flaying!
In a free market, business decisions are either punished or rewarded. If a business decides not to bake cakes for gays, whites, blacks, skinny people, fat people, etc....the market (that's us) can decide whether to patronize that business. If the moral outrage of such decisions is so great, the business will go broke. Problem solved.
All of the hoopla over Arizona, especially from non-Arizona residents is pointless and misinformed. But, it does make for good fuel to further divide our Nation.
RFRA was first a federal law, passed by Congress in 1993, in response to a U.S. Supreme Court decision, Employment Division vs. Smith (1989). The law was passed by an overwhelming majority, a unanimous vote in the House and a 97 to three vote in the Senate, and signed by a Democratic president - Bill Clinton.
But wait...
Later, though, the U.S. Supreme Court would rule, in Boerne vs. Flores (1996), that RFRA cannot be applied to state laws. States would have to pass their own RFRA if they wanted it to apply to their state and local laws.
So then, I wonder, based on the "punish your enemy" administration and its powerful base of the uninformed, is this an attack on Gov Jan Brewer? She has been a vocal advocate for her state's right to self govern. She has publicly "dissed" the president. She is due for some public flaying!
In a free market, business decisions are either punished or rewarded. If a business decides not to bake cakes for gays, whites, blacks, skinny people, fat people, etc....the market (that's us) can decide whether to patronize that business. If the moral outrage of such decisions is so great, the business will go broke. Problem solved.
All of the hoopla over Arizona, especially from non-Arizona residents is pointless and misinformed. But, it does make for good fuel to further divide our Nation.