Religious liberty law promotes fragmented society

[metis]

What's missing is that, as compared to the other states that have a similar law, Indiana does not have any civil rights laws on the books that protects gays from being discriminated against. When asked in an interview this last Sunday whether the law allows a bakery to refuse to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple, Pense skirted around the question four times and never answered it.

 

[ether-ore]

What next? Muslims? Jews? Liberals? Conservatives? Laws like this promote segregation! A segregated divided society is a weak society! America needs to be united! I dislike both liberals and conservatives for dividing America!

I think you are very much over simplifying the issue and exaggerating it as well; if I assume correctly that you are referring to the protection of religious rights versus the perceived discrimination of the LBGT community. People can agree one thing or aspect of society and disagree on another without fragmenting society (as you put it). We can all agree on adherence on civility one with another and still have different groups within a society. There are all kinds of exclusive groups in society; people of like minds who like to get together. These groups have a right to exclude people who are not of like mind but that doesn't mean that they are prevented in any way of associating with others outside of that context. My being excluded from the Mason's organization doesn't mean that I can't have a close friend who happens to be a Mason. It would be wrong of me to request the government force a Mason to do something for me against his will when others who would help me are available. If one were to request government involvement in such a case when other help is available, that could only indicate spite, and an unwarranted attack on that Mason.

 

[leibowde84]

So in order to be strong, America needs to be fascist?

Fascist? Where did that come from? Was the Civil Rights Act "fascist"? Because, the Civil Rights Act made it illegal to deny service based on race. Why on earth should this same protection not be provided to homosexuals?! Religious beliefs don't give anyone a free pass to break the law.

 

[Riverwolf]

Fascist? Where did that come from? Was the Civil Rights Act "fascist"? Because, the Civil Rights Act made it illegal to deny service based on race. Why on earth should this same protection not be provided to homosexuals?! Religious beliefs don't give anyone a free pass to break the law.

I think you misunderstood me. I'm in full favor of equality and equal treatment of everyone, and in secular governments. In other words, I fully agree with you. If I also understand correctly, as I hadn't before, the law the OP is citing allows discriminating against homosexuals in Indiana. I was not previously aware of that, and fully denounce that law as unconstitutional, in addition to just stupid.

It's the OP's cited reason that I'm criticizing: the idea of strong unity instead of weak division. It sounds like a solid idea, but the thing is, fascist governments have used that type of conceptual rhetoric in their propaganda. "National unity" and "social, economic, and political equality" are not conceptually synonymous.

 

[leibowde84]

I think you misunderstood me. I'm in full favor of equality and equal treatment of everyone, and in secular governments. In other words, I fully agree with you. If I also understand correctly, as I hadn't before, the law the OP is citing allows discriminating against homosexuals in Indiana. I was not previously aware of that, and fully denounce that law as unconstitutional, in addition to just stupid.

It's the OP's cited reason that I'm criticizing: the idea of strong unity instead of weak division. It sounds like a solid idea, but the thing is, fascist governments have used that type of conceptual rhetoric in their propaganda. "National unity" and "social, economic, and political equality" are not conceptually synonymous.

Fair enough.