BREAKING: Arkansas governor says he won’t sign religious liberty bill, asks lawmakers to change it

[cali]

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson asked lawmakers to recall and change a religious liberties bill, he said Wednesday morning, a day after lawmakers in the state overwhelmingly voted to approve the controversial bill despite an uproar over a similar law in Indiana.

The bill on his desk does not mirror a federal law, Hutchinson said, which was a goal of his. As a result, he said he wants lawmakers to alter the language.

“This is a bill that in ordinary times would not be controversial,” he said. “But these are not ordinary times.”

Hutchinson said the bill is fairly straightforward, but says the issue “has become divisive because our nation remains split over how to balance the diversity of our culture with the traditions and firmly held religious convictions.”

This division has reached his own household, Hutchinson said. He described how his son, Seth, signed a petition asking him to veto the bill, which he said highlights the generational gap that exists over the issue.

<snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2015/04/01/arkansas-governor-to-discuss-religious-liberty-bill/?postshare=7981427902219398

[hobbit709]

1. So he's an honest politician after all.

He stayed bought by Walmart.

[Kurska]

25. Reminds me of a game of thrones scene

Tyrion Lannister: Tell me, when your men slaughtered Ned Stark's men at the throne room, did you give the orders?
Janos Slynt: I did, and I would again. The man was a traitor. He tried to buy my loyalty.
Tyrion Lannister: [teasing] The fool. He had no idea you were already bought.
Janos Slynt: [angrily] Are you drunk? I won't have my honor questioned by an imp!
Tyrion Lannister: I'm not questioning your honor, Lord Janos. I'm denying its existence.

[CatWoman]

43. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

[blackspade]

26. Bingo!

[brush]

52. Irony writ large

"He stay bought by Walmart."

Never thought I be on the same side as Walmart but they did a good thing here by commanding . . . er, ah . . . urging the gov not to sign that bill.

[MineralMan]

2. Good for him. He can see the graffiti on the wall, I guess.

[libdem4life]

3. Big win. Problem is that now men and women are coming out, almost everyone knows a gay person...

even in the South. Poor Asa, he got lobbied by his own son. That's hard to turn down. I'm guessing that a lot more are going to be willing to "come out" now and, well, there goes that slippery slope. Progress!

[ScreamingMeemie]

4. Good for his son.

[Zorra]

5. Fine, great, we'll see. It ain't over 'til it's over. Don't let your guard down.

We all know that republicans lie every time they open their mouth.

[cali]

7. He didn't sign it. True, we need to see what the legislature does now, but the writing

on the wall (writ by Walmart and others) is neon bright.

[totodeinhere]

48. Correct. Arkansas doesn't have a pocket veto law so if he merely doesn't

sign the law it automatically becomes law in five business days. That's why just not signing it isn't good enough and we need to pressure him to actually veto it.

[tridim]

6. Is this the first time a Republican has pointed out the obvious generational gap?

Because it is an extremely important issue for the near future and the direction of progress. The baby boomers need to understand that we're moving forward with or without them.

[niyad]

8. wow, nice insult to so many of us who have been on the front lines our whole damned lives.

[tridim]

10. Obviously I'm not talking about you.

Relax.

[pnwmom]

14. It isn't an insult to acknowledge the fact that young people, whatever their political affiliation,

overwhelmingly support gay rights.

The baby boomers as a generation are far less accepting, particularly in states like Arkansas and Indiana. But people in my generation are on our way out. In less than 10 years -- no matter what the SC decides in June -- even the most conservative states will be caught up in the generational shift that will bring equality to all.

[niyad]

16. that remark was an insult to the millions of us who have worked for social justice our

whole lives.

[pnwmom]

17. I don't see it that way. The baby boomers as a group aren't particularly supportive of gay rights.

As a group, baby boomers might as well adjust to the reality that the generational shift that is taking place will bring gay rights, whether the majority of baby boomers support it or not.

That doesn't mean that individual baby boomers -- and even their parents -- haven't been fighting for this since the 1960's.

[totodeinhere]

49. It's not an insult. It merely points out that older people are less likely as a group

to support LGBT rights. That doesn't mean that there are not individual older people who are supportive of LGBT rights because there are. But every poll I have seen shows less support among older people.

[niyad]

55. it was a blanket statement, and, therefore, an insult.

[A Simple Game]

30. Yeah we understand what you mean, just like we got the civil rights laws before you

were even a thought in your parent's eyes. And those war protests and so much more. But you don't remember do you, you weren't there. How did we ever manage without you?

I was lucky but some of my generation gave their lives for civil rights and when was the last time soldiers shot and killed college students of your generation for protesting a war on their college campus?

Next time find a narrower brush or some people that don't know their history.

[tridim]

32. So you don't believe there is a distinct generational gap Re: homophobia and racism?

That is the subject of the OP.

I don't know how I can talk about it if I can't define where the gap exists in reality.

As I stated above, obviously this isn't meant as a broad brush, but the gap between generations is REAL. Denying it exists solves precisely nothing.

Do you really want to talk about the actual issue or would you rather ignore it?

[A Simple Game]

37. I doubt there is a generational gap on DU which is the audience you are talking to.

The actual issue? The actual issue is equal rights for all, not just a select group. We got the ball started with civil rights and women's rights, yes both need more work but we got some progress.

If you want the ball, take it and show us what you can do with it.

But here's a hint, you won't get anything done complaining on DU except alienate people that are already on your side. You think the Republican Governor of Arkansas reads DU? Find his office and have a sit down then he'll know who you are and how you feel.

[LiberalArkie]

46. Their is a gen gap out in the public and in the Liberal crowd also.

I have some friends of mine from the civil rights era still around, and I know very few that are supportive of gay rights, ERA, or even American Indian rights. Now with the new kids on the block, I am fully supportive of them. Most of the liberal kids have their heads on right, now my gen (I am 67) seem to feel that the civil rights movement stopped in the 60's and 70's.

[upaloopa]

41. Wrong! This baby boomer was out front on this

issue before you were conceived!

[sinkingfeeling]

9. He's blabbering about issuing a state executive order instead of demanding

LGBT people being a protected class under Arkansas' lame anti-discrimination law.

[BrotherIvan]

11. Yeah, I doubt it was his son signing a petition

And more like that phonecall from Wal Mart. Well, whatever kills this bill is fine with me.

[wendylaroux]

12. Wow Seth!!

Union organizer---

https://talkingunion.wordpress.com/2010/06/08/arkansas-from-politics-to-organizing/

[cali]

15. LOL. Apple that fell far from the tree.

[wendylaroux]

19. Very,extremely far!! :)

thank goodness for the younger generations!!!

[malaise]

13. In other words he's saying that Pence is lying about his bill

Bwaaaaaaaaah hahahahaha

[nichomachus]

18. It's a smart person who learns from the mistakes of others

I hope he sent a private note along with the bill telling the legislature to put it "in committee" and let it die there.

[Zorra]

20. It's not a fucking religious liberty bill, it's bill to legalize discrimination

against LGBT.

[LynneSin]

22. it's a bill to legalize HATE

We need to stop making it just about LGBT. I am here to support our LGBT friends and family but when we make this fight just about them then we overlook the fact that in reality ANYONE could be discriminated in this bill. Like women - a woman in Arkansas or Indiana could go to the pharmacy and have her birth control pills denied because the pharmacist feels his/her religious feelings are being violated (and happens to see no wedding ring on the finger of the woman). The phamacist doesn't know why that woman is getting birth control pills. Maybe she's in a long term relationship, maybe she is married and forgot to put her ring back on her finger, maybe she has multiple parters or maybe she had a medical condition that has nothing to do with sex but requires her to use birth control pills. But a doctor felt the need to prescribe this so why should a pharmcist NOT trained as a medical doctor have any right to play doctor and/or God?

This bill could be used to discriminate against a host of people. So we need to call these bills what they are - the right to practice BIGOTRY and HATE. ALL of us could be affected by it if we cross some imaginary line that offends that business's owner's warped religious rights.

We all must stand together in fighting these laws!

EDIT NOTE: it's also why I stopped calling it 'gay marriage'. In the end we are fighting for marriage equality. I think a gay person pointed it out to me that they werent' looking for something different or special. They just wanted everything to be equal. He said that hearing 'gay marriage' made it sound like they were asking for something different from straights and he had a good point. So I started using marriage equality.

[Adsos Letter]

29. Excellent insight LynneSin

And very well expressed. You gave me a way to address some relatives who are supportive of RFRA-type legislation.

Bookmarking your response. Do you mind if I cut and paste it into a conversation on Facebook?

[LynneSin]

54. You can even plagerize it and call it your own

I won't say a word.

We are here to fight for the human race.

[yardwork]

36. Yes! Thank you.

[bbgrunt]

38. very nicely said. EVERYONE has a stake in this.

[LynneSin]

21. Hats off to Seth Hutchinson. Seems the kid fool of religious hatred....

I hope more of that rubs off on his old man!

[yellowcanine]

23. It's turd polishing time in Arkansas.....

Your lawmakers laid a turd, Asa. You can polish it all you want, it will still be a turd, albeit a shiny one.

[rocktivity]

24. "I'm not as gullible as Indiana's governor," Hutchinson explained.

"I know a good April Fool's Day joke when I hear one!"


rocktivity

[Helen Borg]

27. “This is a bill that in ordinary times would not be controversial,” Really?

What does he mean? That in ordinary times it would be OK to discriminate customers based on religious belief?...

[Blue_Adept]

28. Not controversial in "ordinary times"? WTF

Oh, he means back in old white man days when only what they felt was acceptable was ordinary.

These are not ordinary times = these aren't may days much longer

[alp227]

31. Just wait a few weeks for the public to forget about Indiana's SB 101.

Then Hutchinson will sign this.

[Avalux]

33. Good to hear! And thank you Seth (if the story is true). n/t

[stillwaiting]

34. Thanks Walmart! You STILL suck beyond mere descriptive words though!

And, you ain't getting a red cent from me!!

[DFW]

35. I think one thing seems certain

Had there NOT been such negative publicity and attention over the Indiana bill first, it would have been Hutchison crowing about how woefully misunderstood the Arkansas bill is, totally shocked by the outcry, and Pence the one who would have been taking the hint, and sending Indiana's bill back to the legislature for "adjustment."

[yardwork]

40. I dunno. Turns out that Mike Pence is a true believer.

[DFW]

44. Oh, I'm sure he's that

But negative publicity and millions of dollars in lost investment in his State are just as real to a true believer as to an atheist pragmatist. Otherwise he wouldn't have been seeking "clarification" as quickly as has been.

[tishaLA]

39. WTF does he mean by "ordinary times"?

You mean the times when people sit by silently as LGBT people are denied equal rights?

[marym625]

42. I was afraid this was going to be an April fools joke

Thank goodness it isn't.

Kids today! All up in the social justice, equal rights stuff. What are you going to do? Gotta give props to his kid for publicly standing against his dad.

[Dont call me Shirley]

45. Although you don't want the economic and political whiplash Asa, you still embrace the

Religion of Hate.

[erronis]

47. ALEC? Are their dirty pawprints on all of these state actions?

Certainly seems to have a familiar stench of DC/K-Street pr0n-ship here.

I doubt many repug state legislators are smart enough to pen a bill without some outside (lobbying) interest. Since several states are all trying this at the same time, is it a conspiracy? Or is it just another RW heist of representative government?

The really sad part of all of these shenanigans is that ALEC (or WTF its name is now) is doing this at the cost of the state taxpayers.

Normal Mary and Jane and Bob and Harry households are paying their taxes to the state. The state (via their nominal representatives) puts the bill-passing mechanism in play. Outside forces (pro/con) challenge these and go before hearings, etc.

All of these to-and-fro activities in the state are paid for from some state based fund.

Maybe that's the goal of ALEC/CRAP - defund state governments by making them do stoopid things and having to defend their stoopidity.

Think I'm crazy? There's a virus that cats transmit to rats to make the rats act just like legislators.

[totodeinhere]

50. The bill will automatically become law in five business days if he merely refuses to sign it.

Arkansas doesn't have a pocket veto law. He needs to actually veto the law so lets not pop the champagne corks yet. We need to keep up the pressure until the bill is vetoed.

[Jester Messiah]

51. Smart move, dirtbag. [nt]

[onenote]

56. Wrong. See post #3 in the thread

The OP at least had the courtesy to thank me for correcting the record. What's your excuse for ignoring the correct information?