Indiana: Basketball & Bigotry

Posted by admin on March 31, 2015 Audio | Blog | Parody Spots | Tags: , , , , | No comments

Indiana
When you say “Religious Freedom Restoration” it sounds like a good thing. Yes, you should be able to worship the way you want to. Didn’t some of America’s first European citizens flea their homeland because of religious persecution? It’s one of those nuggets of information I kinda-sorta remember from elementary school.

The act signed into law by Indiana governor, Mike Pence, while reinforcing the protection of religious freedoms, may come at the expense of LGBT Indianans. Many critics claim it allows for discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Basically, let’s say the owner of a bed and breakfast doesn’t want a lesbian couple to stay in their establishment. Under this new law, it would seem that the BnB could refuse the couple accommodations by claiming it was against their religion.

Already, the states of Connecticut and Washington have banned state-funded travel to the state. The band Wilco cancelled its May 7th performance in Indianapolis and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees has decided to move its 2015 National Women’s Conference out of the state. The NCAA, which hosts the final rounds of its basketball tournament in Indy, has said it may reconsider locating future tournaments in the state.

Well, if there are two things Indiana knows: Basketball and bigotry.