On Monday, March 30, 2015 at 6:29:39 PM UTC-5, plainolamerican wrote: > > George Takei: Boycott Indiana > 03/30/15 07:41 AM—UPDATED 03/30/15 09:31 AM > facebook twitter 23 > <http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/george-takei-boycott-indiana?cid=sm_fb_msnbc#> > save share > <http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/george-takei-boycott-indiana?cid=sm_fb_msnbc#> > group > <http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/george-takei-boycott-indiana?cid=sm_fb_msnbc#> > 455 <http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/george-takei-boycott-indiana#discussions> > By George Takei <http://www.msnbc.com/byline/george-takei> > > My husband Brad and I like to spend our holidays in the White Mountains of > Arizona. There’s a small town called Show Low where we’ve passed many a > merry Christmas. We’ve been regulars at the July 4th parades there, > entertained friends and family over the years, and consider it our home > away from home. But last year, it was very nearly going to be impossible > for us to travel back to Arizona in good conscience. You see, at that time, > Arizona was on the verge of passing a bill > <http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/arizona-governor-vetoes-anti-gay-bill> that > would have made us feel entirely unwelcome. > > “I have called for a boycott of Indiana, not only to send a clear message > to Indiana, but also to help stop the further erosion of our core civil > values in other parts of this country.”GEORGE TAKEI > The so-called “Religious Freedom Bill” would have allowed proprietors of > establishments open to the public to refuse to serve customers if doing so > would violate the “sincerely held” religious beliefs of the owner. On the > surface, the proposed law seemed like a neutral way to protect the First > Amendment rights of business owners. > > But beneath that surface lurked a dangerous and divisive effect, granting > hotels, bars and restaurants the right to refuse to serve LGBT persons and > couples such as Brad and me, simply because our love did not comport with > the religious views of the owners. > > But thanks to pressures upon the governor’s office in days before she was > set to sign the law, and in the face of a boycott of the state by tourists > and the NFL, which threatened to move the Super Bowl to Pasadena, Gov. Jan > Brewer ultimately decided to veto the law > <http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/arizona-governor-vetoes-anti-gay-bill>. > Tolerance and equality won out that day. > > Although we faced and defeated that challenge, many similar fires began to > rage across the nation. A similar law went into effect in Mississippi not > long after, and another measure in Arkansas > <http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/arkansas-clears-new-kind-anti-lgbt-law> is > about to slip quietly into place there. And just this past week, Gov. Mike > Pence <http://www.msnbc.com/topics/mike-pence> of Indiana signed that > state’s “Religious Freedom” bill, despite strong opposition from all manner > of corporate citizens, religious leaders, and even athletic organizations, > such as the NCAA. > > Related: Indiana’s new religious freedom law sparks outrage > <http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/indiana-religious-freedom-law-sparks-outrage> > > Gov. Pence shamelessly pandered to the right wing of his party, perhaps > because he is eyeing a run for the White House, or perhaps because he > simply does not understand that bigotry, cloaked as religious protection, > is still bigotry. > > I have called for a boycott of Indiana by companies, conventions and > tourists, not only to send a clear message to Indiana, but also to help > stop the further erosion of our core civil values in other parts of this > country. Indeed, bills like those passed in Mississippi > <http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/mississippi-religious-freedom-faces-business-backlash> > andIndiana <http://www.msnbc.com/topics/indiana> are now pending in many > other states. Their backers seek to convey to LGBT people that our human > rights are not inviolate, and that we may, and will, be treated as > second-class citizens. That is what lies at heart of this issue; those are > the values at stake. > > I myself am a Buddhist, not a Christian. But I cannot help but think that > if Christ ran a public establishment, it would be open to all, and He would > be the last to refuse service to anyone. It is, simply put, the most > un-Christian of notions. > > So let us be clear what this is really about: divisive politics. The far > right has lost the war over marriage equality, and quickly. It now has > staked out a new ground and shrouded itself ostensibly within the ambit of > the First Amendment – for who can deny that we ought to give religious > freedom its full and fair due? It seeks refuge in the recent, and > regrettable, U.S. Supreme Court opinion in Hobby Lobby > <http://www.msnbc.com/topics/hobby-lobby>, which appeared to open the > door for exceptions to “government regulation” in the name of protecting > religious beliefs. > > RELATED: Pence defends religious freedom law > <http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/indiana-gov-mike-pence-defends-religious-freedom-law-not-mistake-clarify> > > Taken too far, such laws carry with them the corrosive effect of > intolerance, and they harken back to the days where people like Brad and I > could not marry, not because of our gender, but because of our race. I was > born in a time where such laws against the mixing of races were viewed as > the natural extension of God’s will, and I know how powerfully oppressive > and insidious they can be. Some fifty years ago, it was not so uncommon for > interracial couples to be shunned and turned out. > > “The days are over where some may be denied a seat at the table simply > because of who they are – or in this case, whom they love.” > We live in a pluralistic and civil society, where our social contract > demands we sometimes relinquish individual liberties in the name of a more > just and open society. This means that while we are all entitled to our > religious beliefs, the extent and impact of those beliefs, and what we may > impose because of them, stops at the tips of our noses. This also means we > must learn to respect and, yes, even love our neighbors, despite our > differences. > > I cannot help but think of Pope Francis going out of the Vatican to wash > the feet of non-believers > <http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/pope-francis-washes-kisses-feet-holy-thursday-ritual-n83391>, > > setting an example for us all: Our differences in beliefs do not truly > separate us, or elevate us over others. Rather, they highlight the rich > tapestry that is humanity. > > The doors of a school or a restaurant or a business, held open to the > public, must be open to all. The days are over where some may be denied a > seat at the table simply because of who they are – or in this case, whom > they love. We cannot, and must not, march backward from where we have come. >
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