So welcome back from coping with a protracted period of intervening variables. There has been a lot of food for thought generated since our last appearance but one local recent event caught my eye and really makes one ask the question – for how much longer are we to tolerate such a complete lack of integrity on the part of the far right. We have all read tall tales and often they are fun, often they serve to teach a lesson. All well and good. But now, flat out lies and blatant hypocrisy seem to be the rule as opposed to being the exception.

Case in point – in Arizona, S B 1062, recently passed by both houses of the state legislature but mercifully and intelligently vetoed by the governor.
This legislation, while purporting to protect the First Amendment rights of business owners, in reality was the legalization of discrimination.
One can debate the languages and nuances of the First Amendment protections, of which there have been many. We are, or should be familiar with the “establishment clause” which forbids the establishing of a religion – aka state religion. Additionally, it states that infringing on the free exercise of religion shall not be prohibited. [ Contrary to popular opinion, there is no language anywhere in tern Constitution which addresses the always hotly debated separation of church and state ].
The free and unencumbered practicing of religion, however, does not confer on an individual the right to impose his or her religious beliefs on another, especially in a place of business. There are some nuances to that as well, for instance, at Catholic hospitals, there has been some debate regarding the performing of certain medical procedures which do in fact violate catholic maxims – notice I did not say doctrine. That being said, the Arizona S B 1062, while it seemed to be saying that , for instance, a restaurant owner in assessing that a couple was a gay couple, could, on religious grounds, refuse to serve them. By extension, one could say the same for any population such as Afro Americans, Native Americans, Asians, etc etc. Can you see the pattern here – the blatant fostering of discrimination is as plain as it can be. Here in Arizona and considering the primary proponent of this legislation, it was clear to any and all who read S B 1062, that it was clearly a way for business to attack the LGBT population and have it be legitimized under a state statute.
The primary push behind this legislation was from the Center for Arizona Policy, a far right policy activist organization using religious freedom as the basis for much of their agenda. Its leader is one Cathi Herrod – who , while I admit, has pushed for certain policies which may benefit Arizona in the long run, has stepped far out of the realm of reality with this one. How one can hide discrimination behind so called religious freedom is ludicrous at best and sinister at the worst. Sharing the lies about Planned Parenthood with the likes of Mike Huckabee does not endear her or her organization to me or any other progressive thinking person, regardless of political affiliation.
What does scare me is that legislation such as SB 1062 gained so much traction in the Arizona legislature. It was clear to anyone who knows how to read that this was clearly an avenue to further attack not only the LGBT community but also any other so called less than desirable minority residing in the state.
It opened the door to forcing far right conservative religious views of one on another and that in a place of business. I thought we had done with all of this crap but obviously not.
There are funny storied about neophytes hiking in the woods mistaking a skunk for a striped cat. Know this cat by its stripe – SB 1062 was, for sure, a skunk. It looked like it, it smelled like it, it would have affected Arizona with its smell.