God Bless Arizona

Though I am not, at this stage of my life, what anyone would call a religious person, some members of my family more than make up for my lack of faith. I have discussed their beliefs versus my beliefs and have found them to be not only understandable but admirable.  I respect them for the guidance they have found through their Christian path, and have for the most part, been impressed with their acceptance of me … a person whose sexual orientation often runs counter to established religious enclaves who in the past would have rather picked up a handful of stones to lob at me as compared to sitting down, talking, and accepting all people regardless of who they are.  Unfortunately, not everyone is as accepting as members of my family.  Case in point, Arizona.

I won’t rehash the arguments that lead to the passage of Arizona bill SB 1062, which now awaits Republican Governor Jan Brewer’s signature or veto.  In short, if signed, it would allow Arizona businesses to discriminate against gay people based on religious grounds.  In other words, if the manager or owner of a certain business, say for example Chik-Fil-A Restaurant, thought gay people were sinners and an assault to his or her religious beliefs, he or she could ban them from that establishment and refuse to serve them.  The law would not even provide for a separate lunch counter to serve gays or lesbians, much the same way African-Americans were treated as recently as the 1960s.   Really, it is discrimination.  There is no simpler way to put it.

The law has put Arizona in the spotlight once again, and a positive spotlight it is not.  As I see it, there are really two losers here.  First, the state of Arizona itself.  Not only does the action by lawmakers there reinforce a growing belief that Arizona has become the backwoods arbitrator of misguided moral beliefs, a state filled with right wing kooks who pride themselves in limiting the rights of anyone who is not of their ilk.  It is also threatening the economic foundation of Arizona’s tourism and industrial community.  Business leaders have overwhelming come forward opposing the bill.

Howard Fleischmann, majority owner of six Community Tire Pros and Auto Repair told AzCentral.com. “The state already is known as being discriminatory. This would muddy the water and give Arizona a more terrible reputation.”

 

The other loser would be those religious groups that continue to cling to antiquated positions of exclusion.  "We see a growing hostility toward religion," said Josh Kredit, legal counsel for Center for Arizona Policy, a social conservative group that opposes abortion and gay marriage.  Is it any wonder why?  As the country and society in general again move toward a climate of greater acceptance, hostility is bound to increase towards any organization that espouses discrimination or hatred, regardless upon what it is based.   

Those churches and individuals who have broken away from the right wing and in recent years have become more inclusive in their acceptance of everyone are often unfairly lumped in their less tolerant brethren.  Thus, they also stand to lose when they are judged as part of the same religious community that opposes equal rights.

I do feel somewhat for the religious leaders who oppose this form of discrimination, but at the same time, I hold little respect for them if they don’t stand up now and vocally oppose what is going on in Arizona.   Some community leaders and politicians already have.

A pizza parlor in Tucson has posted a sign saying it reserves the right to refuse service to legislators.

Newspapers and commentators across the country have lashed out against the people of Arizona.  The New York  Daily News in a headline declaring, “New anti-gay bill proves Arizona is the land of dinosaurs — and bigots.”

Embarrassed Democratic lawmakers have also come forward.  As Arizona state House minority leader, Democrat Chad Campbell, Tweeted, "The world is upset with how Russia has treated gay rights... I think it's time for that same anger to be directed towards AZ."

Amen.