Comment by Reg The Fronkey Farmer on February 22, 2014 at 9:51am

Hi Justin F, I assume you mean this? It is not just in Arizona.

Comment by Gallup's Mirror on February 22, 2014 at 11:37am

It's not quite a done deal yet: GOP governor Jan Brewer is skittish about signing it because she deeply cares (about money).

"Well, it's a very controversial piece of legislation. We know that. We know that it's failed in a lot of states across the country. [...] I've been reading about it on the Internet, and I will make my decision some time before [...] by next Friday [...] if I do decide to sign it. But it's very controversial, so I've got to get my hands around it," Brewer said.

"In a letter sent Friday to Brewer's office, Phoenix area economic officials raise concerns that the bill, which shields businesses from being sued if they deny service based on religious beliefs, could cast a negative light on the state as it prepares to host a number of high-profile events, including next year's Super Bowl. Barry Broome, president and chief executive of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, said his group already has heard from four companies being wooed by the Arizona Commerce Authority that have said they will look elsewhere if SB 1062 becomes law."

I doubt it would survive a legal challenge even if Brewer does sign it into law.

Comment by Noel on February 22, 2014 at 1:33pm

Are they desperate? The theist I mean. Are they getting desperate? Figured that they couldn't regulate homosexuality with the edicts of the "Good Book" so here's plan "B"?

Or is it an Arizona thing? Similar to their "Papers Please" shenanigans? You know if any state secede's from the union it will be Arizona. They're slowly ridding themselves of all the undesirable's. First the brown people now the gay people.

Is this still 2014? In 1996 it was no where near this bad.

Comment by Ed on February 22, 2014 at 2:31pm

Turning business away because of customer sexual orientation seems like a VERY poor business model. Our theocratic states are becoming desperate in these changing times.  

Comment by Belle Rose on February 22, 2014 at 3:16pm

Funny, I was just chatting with one of my best friends who lives in AZ last night...I honestly think it is a very backwards state for other reasons, like tent city: http://abouttentcity.com/

Not to mention their treatment of illegal immigrants, and allowing racial profiling.

I've had it out for AZ for a long time. These pieces of legislation that keep being raised don't surprise me honestly. Thank goodness there are 49 other states to choose from! If our entire country was run this way I would have moved out of the US a looooooooonnnnnnnggggg time ago.

Arizona is fucking crazy.

Comment by Gregg R Thomas on February 22, 2014 at 6:59pm

I'm moving to AZ and opening a series of Gay only business's and getting rich, what a great opportunity for an entrepreneur, I hope Mark Cuban doesn't beat me to the punch.

I think I'll place two drinking fountains at the front of the stores, one marked Gays Only that's gold plated and attended by a Chipendale's dancer who serves either Triple filtered mountain spring water or naturally carbonated water from somewhere exotic.  The second will be marked straights only and will be a spigot place low to the ground that the dogs piss on.

Praise da lord.

Comment by Unseen on February 22, 2014 at 9:35pm

I wonder what happens if they refuse to serve without explaining why(?).

Anyway, perhaps it's time to start a trend among restaurants and other businesses not to serve anyone from Arizona.

Comment by Kairan Nierde on February 22, 2014 at 10:51pm

I never dreamed there were this many regressive haters in power. Did we or did we not desegregate in the 1960s? Between legislation like this and all the barriers Republicans have put in place to prevent "voter fraud," it really feels like we're repeating our history.

Comment by Ron Humphrey on February 23, 2014 at 5:08am

I thought this had been settled by court decision--If you are in business and serve the public, then you can't pick and choose which public you will serve.  

Restaurants in the 50's and 60's tried this tactic on African-Americans and found to their dismay that they couldn't do it.

A pox on Arizona, and by extension a pox on religion.

Comment by Gallup's Mirror on February 23, 2014 at 12:13pm

This is just the beginning.

Congressional Republicans are pressing for legislation to let each state define marriage for itself. For instance, Republican Senator Ted Cruz has introduced the State Marriage Defense Act which "respects the definition of marriage held by the people of each state and protects states from the federal government’s efforts to force any other definition upon them”.

The bill is a political stunt with little chance of becoming law, but if it ever does...

Would you support a constitutional amendment or legislation that bans Republican marriage in your state?

Take, for instance, Massachusetts General Law c207: "Marriage. The same laws and procedures that govern traditional marriage also apply to same-sex marriages. There are no special procedures for a same-sex marriage."

This could be amended with: "A marriage is prohibited and void between a person and a member of the Republican Party or between persons who are members of the Republican Party."

It may actually work in Hawaii, Maryland, Rhode Island, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Illinois, and Delaware, blue states where Democrats enjoy enough of a majority.

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