A new bill has been stirring up all sorts of controversy here in the state of Indiana. Governor Mike Pence passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a law stating that the state cannot substantially burden another person's exercise of religion unless it is furthering a compelling government interest. In simpler terms, this law is giving businesses in Indiana the right to deny business to anyone that interferes with their religious views. This law is causing so much controversy since this is opening up the state to discrimination, especially to the LGBT community.
This law is not only a set back from the sort of discrimination America is trying to leave behind, but a complete embarrassment to the state of Indiana. There has been a nationwide outcry; big businesses like Apple, Walmart, and Yelp are expressing their disapproval of the law along with organizations like the NCAA. The men's basketball Final Four tournament is set to be held in Indianapolis, but the group's president Mark Emmert made a statement saying that the new law strikes at the core values of what higher education in America is all about.
Other political figures are also stating their disapproval. The governors of New York, Connecticut, and Washington imposed a ban on state funded travel to Indiana. Even Apple's Chief Executive Tim Cook, an openly gay man, stated, “I'm standing up to oppose this new wave of legislation- wherever it emerges." Because of this law Indiana has now been put at risk for huge economic impacts. The Final Four Men's Basketball tournament is estimated to bring in more than $70 million. Now the NCAA is reconsidering future events in Indiana. With businesses backing out of expansions, and political figures criticizing the bill, Indiana is now looked at as a state that endorses this sort of discrimination.
While Governor Pence believes that this law empowers business owners to express their religious beliefs, this is not the way to do it. This law exploits and discriminates people. Normal everyday actions like going out to eat, obtaining transportation, buying clothes, getting gas--all of these actions suddenly become “what if's" to LGBT individuals.
The situation goes far past the LGBT community as well. Business owners now have the right to deny anyone they feel violates their religious beliefs. A pharmacist can even refuse to refill a someone's prescription that's vital for a person's health if they don't agree with their religious practices. Governor Pence has gone on to say that he did not expect this sort of backlash and by no means is this law about discrimination. But this bill is in fact all about discrimination, and basically a bill legalizing hate.
For a country built on the idea of freedom, founded on the principal of equal opportunities for all, that has begun to move passed the hate and discrimination we've been fighting to rid for decades. This bill is a disappointment and a painful event in American history. For heaven's sake, it is 2015: there should be no more discrimination or inequality for any gender, race, religious view or sexual orientation. While this law is passed for now, the uproar of the country is not sitting down without a fight, and efforts to rid this bill are in effect.
