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Indiana's Odious Law

Ruth Marcus on

WASHINGTON -- There are three essential questions to ask elected officials -- and those running for office -- in the usefully messy aftermath of the fight over Indiana's ill-intentioned law to protect religious freedom.

Before I get to the questions, let me expand on that description:

The fight over Indiana's especially odious version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act has been useful because it focused public attention on the unfinished business -- and looming threats -- that will remain even after the Supreme Court rules (presumably favorably) on same-sex marriage.

The fight has been messy because -- well, have you been watching Indiana Gov. Mike Pence? If Sunday talk shows had referees, one would have stepped in to call off the pummeling that Pence took from ABC's George Stephanopoulus.

The law is ill-intentioned because -- just look at the photo of the anti-gay-rights activists surrounding Pence at the signing ceremony for the bill.

They include one who believes "homosexuality is harmful to all, including society" and has equated it with "bestiality," and another who claims that homosexuality is "treatable, changeable" but also "individually destructive and dangerous." So much for Pence's claim that "I abhor discrimination," including "against gays or lesbians or anybody else."

 

Now, the questions:

Question 1: "Do you believe it is acceptable to discriminate against individuals in employment, housing or public accommodations and services (that is, commercial enterprises) on the basis of sexual orientation?"

If the answer is yes, conversation over. But also, political career over. "Yes" is not a politically acceptable answer in 2015, when a majority of Americans support same-sex marriage.

So on to Question 2: "If you believe that such discrimination is unacceptable, do you support state and federal legislation to prohibit it?"

...continued

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