3 Ariz. senators backtrack on service refusal bill

[cbayer]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/24/ariz-senators-service-refusal-bill/5798539/

The Republicans say the backlash from what they call a rushed process has made them reconsider their position.

Bill would allow businesses to deny service to gays on religious grounds

PHOENIX -- Three Republican senators who voted for Senate Bill 1062 said Monday they made a bad decision in a rushed process and are now asking Gov. Jan Brewer to veto the right-to-refuse-service bill.

"We feel it was a solution in search of a problem," Sen. Bob Worsley, R-Mesa, said in an impromptu news conference outside the state Senate. He was joined by Sen. Steve Pierce, R-Prescott.

The two, along with Senate Majority Whip Adam Driggs, R-Phoenix, sent Brewer a letter Monday morning asking for a veto.

"While our sincere intent in voting for this bill was to create a shield for all citizens' religious liberties, the bill has instead been mischaracterized by its opponents as a sword for religious intolerance," the three wrote. "These allegations are causing our state immeasurable harm."

more at link

[skepticscott]

1. Religion as mental illness?

Could anything but religious nutbaggery have put these people so out of touch with reality?

[exboyfil]

2. Read the bill before you vote for it

This is pathetic. Take your duties as legislators seriously.

[cbayer]

3. It is pathetic indeed.

Glad to see some coming around on this. It's an embarrassment for the entire state.

[skepticscott]

4. Oh, they knew exactly what was in it and exactly what it was intended to do

Religious fanaticism and religiously motivated bigotry made them blind to the reality of the situation.

It's only a matter of time before posters here try to give religious groups in Arizona all the credit for the backlash against this bill.

[Beachwood]

5. Exactly right, a religious epihany or maybe

"ARIZONA CONFRONTING AWKWARD REALIZATION THAT GAY PEOPLE HAVE MONEY, BUY STUFF"

as Andy Borowitz is now reporting on the scene.


http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/borowitzreport/2014/02/arizona-confronting-awkward-realization-that-gay-people-have-money-buy-stuff.html

Religious influence, and how it work$ in America.

[skepticscott]

6. Not only gay people

But a lot of other people who won't tolerate this kind of blatant discrimination. There are many, many people, myself included, who will never set foot in the state of Arizona or spend a dime there if this law goes into effect. These religious bigots are just now starting to grasp that, and to realize that they've screwed the pooch with this legislation.

[hrmjustin]

7. Maybe next time the will read the bill before they vote on it.

[skepticscott]

8. What evidence do you have

that none of the people who voted for this bill read it or knew anything of what it was about? What evidence do you have that they didn't know exactly what they were voting for, and that their votes weren't motivated by Christian bigotry?

[Mariana]

9. I think they knew perfectly well what was in the bill

before they voted for it. What they didn't know is how unpopular this kind of bill would be. They sure got a surprise, didn't they? I think they're only making these lame excuses now because they're afraid of losing their seats, not because they oppose the bill.

[trotsky]

10. I would note that from the excerpt it does not appear the senators are actually backtracking at all.

"the bill... has been mischaracterized"

"these allegations are causing our state... harm"

They realize the negative publicity and potential economic impact to their state by their vote, but they stand by the bill and what it was supposed to do. They are looking for an out so they can reassure their bigoted constituents that they're still quite bigoted too, but not have the state be impacted because of their bigotry. Which of course is justified by their religious beliefs, which you, cbayer, admonish others not to criticize.

Well, except when you say it's OK.