Arizona’s Legislature has passed a controversial bill that
would allow business owners, as long as they assert their religious beliefs, to
deny service to gay and lesbian customers. The bill, which the state House of
Representatives passed by a 33-27 vote Thursday, now goes to Gov. Jan Brewer, a
Republican and onetime small business owner who vetoed similar legislation last
year but has expressed the right of business owners to deny service.
As expected, the measure has drawn criticism from Democrats
and business groups who said it would sanction discrimination and open the
state to the risk of damaging litigation.
On Friday, the LGBT group Wingspan staged a protest march to
the governor’s office that drew about 200 people. Some carried signs with
messages “God created us all equal” and “Shame on Arizona.”
Tucson-based Rocco’s Little Chicago Pizzeria posted a photo
on its Facebook page of a sign with a message for state lawmakers: “We reserve
the right to refuse service to Arizona legislators.”
The bill is being pushed by the Center for Arizona Policy, a
conservative group opposed to abortion and same-sex marriage. The group has
justified the measure on grounds that the proposal protects people against
increasingly activist federal courts.
No comments:
Post a Comment