Arizona once again tried to take a step backwards when the state legislature passed SB 1062. Proponents of the bill said that it was about protecting religious liberty, but it was clearly about discrimination. A state senator who supported the bill couldn’t come up with one example of someone who was forced to do something against their religious believe in Arizona when asked by Anderson Cooper on CNN. A lot of outside pressure culminated with a decision by Arizona governor Jan Brewer to veto the bill.
I am glad that Arizona governor Jan Brewer vetoed the bill, but it disturbs me that it even got to her desk. There are still people who believe that we are a country founded on Christianity. That is absurd considering people came to the United States to avoid religious persecution. We are not a nation of Christianity; we are a nation of all religions and atheists. To ignore this is to ignore basic facts. I am proud that we are a nation of mixed religions and ethnicities; I wish some people weren’t ashamed of it. (i.e. reaction to the Coca-Cola Super Bowl ad among other things)
Religious liberty to me does not mean one religion can legislate their beliefs towards everyone, it means that everyone can practice their religion the way they choose without discriminating. The same people who want to make Christianity laws in the U.S. are opposed to Sharia law. (Sharia law has no chance of becoming law of the land in the U.S. but that is another story.) I am opposed to any religion imposing their religious beliefs on others. Why is it that Christian Conservatives want laws based on Christianity when some of the same people are opposed to laws based on Islam?
I strongly believe that someone’s religious beliefs should end when it discriminates upon someone else. SB 1062 was about discrimination and not religious liberty. This was vetoed by the Arizona governor, but similar bills are being debated around the country. I hope everyone comes to their senses and votes every one of these bills down.
unconventionalpoliticalwisdom 