Let's Boycott Indiana!

Pictured: the deplorable treatment 'people of faith'
have to endure every day in the State of Indiana.
(source: white people with persecution complexes)

Wow, yesterday was a great day for the great state of Indiana. Governor Mike Pence signed a bill that would-wait, what? No, this isn't about potatoes, you're thinking of Iowa, this is Indiana we're talking about. Anyway, Governor Pence signed a bill-huh? No, Chicago's in Illinois. Here, let me get through this and then we'll try to figure out which state Indiana is. Ok. So yesterday, Pence signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act which finally freed Christian business owners from the cruel torment they've faced at the hands of gay people.

Yes, that Indiana, the State famous for its many cornfields and anonymity among the 'I' states. It has for years now apparently been the scene of religious persecution as god-fearing Indianans have been forced to treat gay and lesbians like regular folk.

Above: one of the many gay-wedding cakes Indiana Christians
have been forced to bake, and then accept payment for, despite that
the fact that the Bible specifically forbids same-sex cake toppers.

Remember that bullshit?

That all ended yesterday when the Governor signed a bill which allows 'people of faith' to discriminate freely against anyone as long as they say it's because of their religion. Here's Mike Pence on why he rolled the clock back on civil rights: "Many people of faith feel their religious liberty is under attack by government action. One need look no further than the recent litigation concerning Obamacare..." He's referring to Hobby Lobby's claim that being Christian exempts them from you know, complying with Federal law because Jesus. They uh, won by the way.

But that's shouldn't upset you because President Obama voted for a similar bill back when he was a Senator in Illinois. You know, the other 'I' state:

"We're the Buckeye state, right?"

"...when the Religious Freedom Restoration Act was considered by the Indiana-or the Illinois, State Legislature, State Senator Barack Obama voted for it*...The Religious Freedom Restoration Act, then and here, limits government action that would infringe on religion."

-Indiana Governor Mike Pence,

also unsure as to which state is Indiana

Oh, and if that kinds of sounds like it's a license for business owners to discriminate, don't worry, this isn't about discrimination. Um, somehow.

"For the last time Nicole, no where in
here do I say anything like that. At all."

-Jesus, kind of sick of it

"Now let me be very clear on this point: This bill is not about discrimination. And if I thought it was about discrimination I would have vetoed it. In fact it doesn't even apply to disputes among private individuals unless government action is involved. I think there's been a lot of misunderstanding about this bill. I get that. But let me say that again: This bill is not about discrimination..."

There, you see? It's about protecting business owners from having to violate their religious beliefs. Even if they can't point to a specific tenet to support whatever stance they're taking.

So exactly this.

So what could possibly be discriminatory about a bill that allows business to "make[s] a distinction in favor of or against a person...based on the group, class or category to which that person...belongs to..."? Oh, wait. everything. This bill is, and I don't use the word lightly, literally about discrimination. And as an added bonus, it gives business owners the power to determine what healthcare their employees should have access to based on their own religious beliefs, which again, they don't have to prove or quantify in any way. Awesome.

Look, I'm not suggesting that people's religious beliefs are inconsequential, I'm just suggesting that maybe having to rent out Conference Room C at the Marriott for a same sex-wedding reception is not the same thing as being persecuted for one's beliefs. Oh, and also I'm suggesting that we all join George Takei in boycotting Indiana, which shouldn't be too hard. Like, c'mon, Indiana.

Crossroads of America is just a nice way of saying
you just drive through it on the way to someplace else.

*You may have noticed that Pence just cited Barack Obama voting for a similar bill back in Illinois as a reason everyone should get onboard with the RFRA, while at the same time holding up the President's Affordable Care Act as the reason Indiana needs to defend religious people from government meddling. If that makes your ears bleed from the illogic of politics, you're not alone.

When the President votes for your petty, homophobic bill he's a paragon
of bipartisanship. When he tries to get health care for people who
can't afford it, he's an example of governmental overreach.