“Mister, you wanted a war. You just got one.”
–George Peppard speaking to Richard Widmark in the movie How the West Was Won
By a vote of 7-0, Tempe’s city council just passed a non-discrimination law. It’s the same kind of law used in many areas of the U.S. to trump the First Amendment’s free exercise of religion. These radical laws exist elsewhere around Arizona, too.
Christian florists, bakers, bed and breakfast owners and photographers have all been hauled before activist courts and punished under this kind of radical law.
Tomorrow, a Christian florist in Tempe could be sued for not providing flowers for a so-called “same-sex commitment ceremony.” Even though same-sex “marriage” is illegal in Arizona. Even though the Constitution forbids governments from compelling people to violate their religious beliefs.
Governor Jan Brewer just turned a blind eye to this threat, growing out of control across America. She is not reading the tea leaves and does not understand this threat. She also didn’t understand Senate Bill 1062, which was designed to protect people from these kinds of attacks. She did, however, understand the power of corporate America, the NFL, homosexual pressure groups, the left-stream media, and RINO advisers and lawmakers (named Flake, McCain, Worsley, Dial, Pierce, Kwasman, et al).
Governor, you wanted a local war on religious freedom? You just got one.
The veto of SB 1062 is a loss for our entire state. Not just because Arizonans won’t be provided with the basic protections within the bill, but because we saw for the first time how effective the politics of fear and intimidation can truly be.
Yet, as with many things, good can come out of disappointing circumstances.
One of the immediate benefits from this experience is that our friends across the country are waking up to the very real threats to religious freedom and what’s happening in Arizona.
There have been some interesting posts across the web throughout this situation that clearly show the country is waking up to religious hostility.
Before I share some of these articles, I want to especially thank our allies across the country for standing with us, especially our friends at Alliance Defending Freedom, Family Research Council, CitizenLink, and American Family Association.
Arizona bill protects religious freedom by Cathi Herrod in USA Today “… the lies and misinformation about SB 1062 have spread across our state and nation. Yet the truth about this important bill is much more simple and sensible.”
Brewer’s Foolish Veto by Rich Lowry in Politico Magazine “A headline from The Week declared, ‘There is nothing Christian about Arizona’s anti-gay bill.’ It would be more accurate to say that there was nothing anti-gay about Arizona’s anti-gay bill.”
Brewer picked the pigskin by Gary Bauer in the End of Day Report “Right before your eyes, significant parts of Scripture are on the verge of being declared off-limits, subjecting you to accusations of bigotry and jeopardizing the tax-exempt status of your church.”
Fiedorek: Setting the record straight on SB 1062 by Alliance Defending Freedom’s Kellie Fiedorek in the East Valley Tribune “It’s a shame we even need a bill like this in America. But the increasing use of government coercion to threaten and punish its own citizens has made it necessary.”
Error-zona: Brewer Ditches Facts to Save Face by Tony Perkins in Family Research Council’s Washington Update “The media’s coverage stunned supporters of SB 1062, who wondered how the press could be talking about the same bill the legislature had just passed.”
Brewer vetoes legislation designed to protect religious liberty by Katrina Trinko on the Heritage Foundation’s The Foundry Blog “Everyone should be free to live and love as they choose, but no one should demand that government coerce others into celebrating their relationship.”
Eleven Law Professors send letter to Gov. Brewer “Some of us are Republicans; some of us are Democrats. Some of us are religious; some of us are not. Some of us oppose same-sex marriage; some of us support it. Nine of the eleven signers of this letter believe that you should sign the bill; two are unsure. But all of us believe that many criticisms of the Arizona bill are deeply misleading.”
We keep telling you folks about the fascist tactics of left-wing extremists who’d rather punish you than accept your right to disagree. The death threats received by a Gilbert business owner are disgusting, but not uncommon. This is further evidence that the Left is taking our culture in a downward spiral, not progressing it:
Reported by Alliance Defending Freedom:
A Gilbert business owner who publicly expressed her support for SB 1062, a religious freedom bill the state legislature passed last week, has received numerous hate e-mails, including one that wishes her and her children dead. It is the latest report of intolerant actions being taken by those who oppose the bill because they claim it and its supporters are “intolerant.”
The e-mail, obtained by Alliance Defending Freedom, reads, “DIE YOU ****. AND I HOPE YOUR CHILDREN DIE TOO. YOU HATEFUL **** DEMON.” The Gilbert business owner received the e-mail and others after expressing her support for SB 1062 in several media interviews.
“If you’re wondering where the supporters of SB 1062 are, they’re home protecting their children from death threats,” said Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Doug Napier. “Sadly, this is not the first time we’ve seen opponents of religious freedom not only spread falsehoods but engage in the very intolerance they say they oppose.”
In addition to threats issued to the Gilbert business owner and others Alliance Defending Freedom are aware of, a Tucson restaurant has posted a sign saying that it reserves the right not to serve Arizona legislators, and a California restaurant/barr that caters to those who identify as homosexual is refusing to serve anyone who supports SB 1062 or similar legislation. Previously, the restaurant also banned bachelorette parties as an “offensive heterosexual tradition” because of their relationship to marriage as the union of a man and a woman.
“We actually support their right to define their businesses the way they wish,” Napier explained. “No business owner of faith that I am aware of wants to deny anyone a sandwich. All religious business owners want is to make sure the government can’t force them to promote a message or engage in an activity that conflicts with their beliefs. That’s all SB 1062 is about, despite the misleading information people may have heard.”
Napier further explained that Alliance Defending Freedom supported the right of a California photographer to refuse to use her expressive talents to photograph Alliance Defending Freedom staff members at an event last year because she disagreed with the organization’s views. Alliance Defending Freedom also supported the right of New Mexico hairstylist Antonio Darden to refuse to cut Gov. Susana Martinez’s hair in 2012 because she supports marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
“Those who truly care about human dignity and are opposed to discrimination should want the same for Arizona businesses who don’t want to be forced to violate their beliefs either,” said Napier.
Al Melvin, freedom candidate for governor issued this statement on 1062:
“I am sorry to hear that Governor Brewer has vetoed this bill. I¹m sure it was a difficult choice for her, but it is a sad day when protecting liberty is considered controversial.”
Melvin encouraged the groups that supported the bill to regroup, stay in the fight, and come back stronger the next time.
“Let us learn from the process we have just come through so that we can do a better job next time of communicating our intent. Let us do a better job of reaching out to groups who likely mean well but who are otherwise swept up in the hysteria and misinformation that greets legislation like this. We need to recognize that the attacks on Christian businesses we spoke about were in other states like New Mexico and Oregon. Until people see it happening here in Arizona, our efforts will be too easily dismissed. It is unfortunate that we may have to wait until people’s rights are being trampled here in Arizona before we can safeguard them, but that may well be the case.”
Melvin also urged disappointed Arizonans to remain engaged in the process.
“Already too many Christians avoid the political process, and defeats like this one can be demoralizing. The most important thing is to remain involved in the process and to get your
friends and family involved as well. Our nation is a miracle, but that does not mean that God alone is responsible for its maintenance. We are each called to be involved and to do our part. For my part, I will continue my campaign for Governor and, if elected, will use that office to actively promote the cause of liberty here in Arizona.”
Do you believe a photographer who identifies as homosexual should be punished for refusing to photograph an event celebrating the Westboro Baptist Church’s hateful ideas? Do you believe a Jewish printer should be threatened for declining to promote a conference criticizing Israel? Do you believe a pacifist should be coerced to paint pro-war posters for a rally? If you believe all these are wrong, you should support Arizona’s SB 1062—because that’s what the bill’s about rather than the things you may have heard.
Distortion has been out in full force regarding the bill, a simple adjustment the Arizona Legislature made to the state’s existing religious freedom law to make clear what it has always protected and to bring it into conformity with federal law.
From what you see on TV, however, you might think every person in Arizona wants to stop serving sandwiches to those who aren’t heterosexual. In truth, this bill would not allow anything so ridiculous. It hasn’t happened since the law went on the books in 1999, nor would this new bill allow it to happen.
On the contrary, the bill was created to prevent discrimination—the kind that has become common in incidents around the country involving people who simply don’t want the government to single them out and force them to act contrary to their own convictions.
SB 1062 merely clarifies Arizona’s existing law to protect Arizonans from any attempt by the government to force them to speak or act in ways that violate their religious beliefs. It safeguards freedom by closing loopholes that have allowed other state governments to punish private citizens for living and working according to their convictions.
In doing this, the law helps protect every Arizona citizen from unjust fines and other punishments for refusing to promote messages or participate in events the government demands he or she advance. And it brings Arizona law into conformity with the 1993 federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, signed by President Clinton and supported by groups like the ACLU.
Despite the simple, commonsense purpose of the bill, its opponents have turned it into something it is not. It would not allow a business owner to refuse someone a meal or a taxi ride. There’s a key distinction between selling someone paint and allowing the government to force you to paint a mural with a message that violates your deepest beliefs. This bill prevents the government from violating people’s dignity by forcing them to act or speak contrary to their religious convictions. It does not grant license for just anything at all.
For example, a Jewish caterer shouldn’t be forced to serve pork sandwiches at a Christian wedding on Saturday just because the couple asks for them. And a religious photographer shouldn’t be required to use her creative talents to promote the message of an atheist group.
In fact, we at Alliance Defending Freedom supported the right of a California photographer to refuse to photograph our own staff because she disagrees with our views. We supported the right of New Mexico hairstylist Antonio Darden to refuse to cut Gov. Susana Martinez’s hair because she supports marriage as the union of one man and one woman. We simply want the same for Arizona businesses who don’t want to be forced to violate their beliefs either. That’s a far cry from what the bill’s detractors are telling you.
It’s a shame we even need a bill like this in America. But the increasing use of government coercion to threaten and punish its own citizens has made it necessary. Without this bill, attacks on freedom like we’ve seen in New Mexico, Washington, Colorado, Vermont, Kentucky, Hawaii, and other states become real possibilities in Arizona.
While numerous states have had the wisdom to adopt such laws, other states have not had the foresight of Arizona’s legislators and have suffered the consequences. That’s why SB 1062 is good law. If you believe in freedom…oppose discrimination…and you don’t want the government to be able to force you to participate in events or express ideas that violate your beliefs, you should support this bill.
Kellie Fiedorek is litigation counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, which has testified in favor of SB 1062 before Arizona legislative committees
RUSH: Jan Brewer, the governor of Arizona, vetoed religious freedom — and, naturally, Democrats and their media allies are cheering. Even some Republicans are praising Arizona. Meanwhile, our Founding Fathers more than likely are spinning in their graves at about 400 rpm. In fact, folks, if you read Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims (authored by me), you might even come to learn how important religious freedom has been to this country even since before its beginning.
Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims is all about religious freedom.
It’s all about freedom, period.
I’m beginning to think that people — in addition to 10- and 13-year-olds — need to read this. The Pilgrims escaped Holland and London for religious freedom. They came to the New World before there was an America, for religious freedom, and that voyage and their establishment of Plymouth Colony and everything that happened there gave birth — later on, years and years, decades later — to our founding documents. This is a nation that is founded on the principle of religious freedom. That is the reason this country exists, and it just bit the dust in Arizona.
Here are the audio sound bites. Let’s start with Governor Brewer. We’ve got two of these bites. Here you go…
BREWER: I’ve not heard one example in Arizona where business owners’ religious liberty has been violated. The bill is broadly worded and could result in unintended and negative consequences. After weighing all of the arguments, I have vetoed Senate Bill 1062 moments ago.
RUSH: She said that she has “not heard an example in Arizona where business owner’s religious liberty has been violated.” Maybe she’s not aware what’s happened in Utah, Colorado, where businesses were shut down for this reason. Here is the next explanation Governor Brewer…
BREWER: To the supporters of this legislation, I want you to know that I understand that long-held norms about marriage and family are being challenged as never before. Our society is undergoing many dramatic changes. However, I sincerely believe that Senate Bill 1062 has the potential to create more problems than it purports to solve. It could divide Arizona in ways we could not even imagine and no one would ever want. Religious liberty and a core American and Arizona value. So is nondiscrimination.
RUSH: You know, I’ve been reading some people’s review of this, and the victors, the people that are crowing over all this, are claiming that what really happened here is that a phony bill that was rooted in phony religious freedom, under the guise of homophobia, was vetoed by Jan Brewer. So the people that won this thing are beating their chests, are out there claiming here that nondiscrimination triumphed over discrimination, that there was nothing about religious freedom in this bill at all. “It was all anti-gay.
“It was under the guise of religious freedom,” and if you read the bill (it’s two pages), there’s nothing about homosexuality in the bill. The word isn’t mentioned. Gay weddings, marriage, none of that is mentioned. Rich Lowry, “Brewer’s Foolish Veto — It was jarring to read the coverage of the new ‘anti-gay bill,'” quote/unquote, “passed by the Arizona Legislature and then look up the text of the” bill. I mean, jarring to read the way this bill was portrayed than to actually read it.
“The bill was roughly 998 pages shorter than much of legislation that passes in Washington…” Most bills are 1,000 pages; this was two pages. “[S]o reading it didn’t take much of a commitment. … [I]t was easy to scan for disparaging references to homosexuality, for veiled references to homosexuality, for any references to homosexuality at all. They weren’t there.” There weren’t any references to homosexuality.
“A headline from The Week declared, ‘There is nothing Christian about Arizona’s anti-gay bill.’ It would be more accurate to say that there was nothing anti-gay about Arizona’s anti-gay bill.” The bill was not anti-gay; it was pro religious freedom. That’s why the victors are out there beating their chest like Tarzan in the jungle saying that nondiscrimination has triumphed over gay bashing in the guise of religious freedom.
“The legislation consisted of minor clarifications of [Arizona]’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which has been on the books for 15 years and is modeled on the federal act that passed with big bipartisan majorities in the 1990s and was signed into law by President Bill Clinton.” In other words, the bill mirrors a federal law that is already the law of the land — of course, being ignored.
And just like Arizona had tried to pass its own immigration laws that mirrored federal immigration laws ’cause Obama wasn’t endorsing them — the judge threw that out — Arizona said, “You know what? We’re not gonna wait for a judge to throw it out. We’ll just do it ourselves this time,” essentially. Here’s the real nub of it, and everybody knows it: “Arizona was going to lose the Super Bowl over this,” a two-page piece of legislation. This was media coverage that portrayed this bill in ways that it wasn’t.
This is how it works.
This is the Washington soap opera.
That’s why I said two days ago that everybody here was being bullied, because the bill was mischaracterized from the get-go, and everybody — low-information voters, hell, everybody else — thought it was a gay-bashing bill. Who reads legislation, for crying out loud? Hell, members of Congress don’t even read it anymore. Why would we expect John Q. Six-Pack Citizen to take the time to go find it and read it?
“Gov. Jan Brewer took no chances and vetoed it Wednesday. The bill was the subject of a truly awe-inspiring tsunami of poorly informed indignation. For The New York Times editorial board, the bill was ‘A License to Discriminate.’ It constituted ‘the legalizing of anti-gay prejudice,’ according to a piece in US News & World Report. It was, Salon scoffed, ‘cartoonishly bigoted.’ A reference to Jim Crow was obligatory in any discussion of the bill on [the mind vacuum that is] cable TV.
“Writing in The Week, Elizabeth Stoker said the logic of the bill ‘threatens to twist Christianity into a vile, exclusionary isolating thing.’ But it was beyond the power of Arizona lawmakers to redefine Christianity. Stoker must have mistaken the Arizona Legislature for the Council of Nicaea. In USA Today, the influential liberal pundit Kirsten Powers posited that the bill would enable all-out civil conflict, with Muslim pharmacists possibly refusing to give uncovered women antibiotics…”
That’s already happening, and it’s protected! I’ve got a story here in the Stack where the Regime sent the EEOC or some bureaucracy after a trucking company in Illinois. They fired a couple of Muslims who refused to deliver alcohol or some such thing, and the federal government said, “You can’t fire ’em for that! They’ve got their religious freedom!”
Let me find it.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: I have a press release from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission bragging about this. “Star Transport, Inc., a trucking company based in Morton, Ill., violated federal law by failing to accommodate two employees because of their religion, Islam, and discharging them, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed [May 28, 2013].
“The lawsuit alleged that Star Transport refused to provide two employees with an accommodation of their religious beliefs when it terminated their employment because they refused to deliver alcohol.” So the Feds went in and sanctioned Star Transport, sues them, because they fired a couple of employees who refused to deliver alcohol — and they refused because of a violation of their religious tenets. They’re Muslims, and they don’t want to be anywhere near alcohol.
“According to EEOC District Director John P. Rowe…’Our investigation revealed that Star could have readily avoided assigning these employees to alcohol delivery without any undue hardship, but chose to force the issue despite the employees’ Islamic religion.’ Failure to accommodate the religious beliefs of employees, when this can be done without undue hardship, violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion.”
Well. So here while the religious freedom of business owners in Arizona is ignored, the religious freedom of employees in Illinois is upheld by the federal government. So this religious freedom business really does only go one way right now. Look, I’m not reviewing all of this Arizona stuff because I think there was a different outcome possible. There was no way this governor was ever gonna not veto this.
The bullying that was going on — and the NFL chiming in, trying to take the Super Bowl away, that’s all it took. That was the end of it there, and then Apple, Inc. saying, “Hey, you know, we’re bringing 2000 jobs to this state, maybe. It depends.” There was no question it was gonna go. But since we are interested in the truth and having you know it, I’m gonna tell you a little bit more about this.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: Now, let me just reiterate: There was no way Governor Brewer was not going to veto this bill. So I’m not spending time on this trying to beat her up after the fact. There was only one possible outcome here. There was only one. This state has been beaten up by Obama. It’s been beat up by every civil rights activist you can think of. They’ve been totally cowed. I think it’s amazing they got this far, frankly, in getting the legislation they had passed.
But I want to go back to Rich Lowry’s piece because and then a couple of audio sound bites from Bill Donohue from the Catholic League, who had to try to explain — to Chris Cuomo today on CNN — what this was really all about. “In USA Today, the influential liberal pundit Kirsten Powers posited that the bill would enable all-out civil conflict, with Muslim pharmacists possibly refusing to give uncovered women antibiotics,” meaning women not wearing the burqa, for those of you in Rio Linda.
They think “uncovered” means something else there. “Christian pacifists refusing to let Army sergeants stay in their hotels, and Christian restaurateurs who oppose judging gays refusing to serve overly judgmental Christians.” All of this was thrown out as, “Oh, my God, if she signs this bill, Katie, bar the door! We’re gonna have people being denied services and products just everywhere. Because don’t you know, this is just the most discriminatory, bigoted country ever!
The left has to come in and protect the bigots, and everybody, else from themselves. Well, as Rich Lowry writes, “If you’ll excuse a brief, boring break from the hysteria to dwell on the text of the doomed bill, it stipulated that the word ‘person’ in the law applies to businesses and that the protections of the law apply whether or not the government is directly a party to a proceeding (e.g., a lawsuit brought on anti-discrimination grounds).
“Eleven legal experts on religious freedom statutes … wrote a letter to Gov. Brewer prior to her veto explaining how the bill ‘has been egregiously misrepresented by many of its critics.’ In addition to the federal government, 18 states have such statutes and about a dozen other states interpret their state constitutions as extending the same protections, according to the letter.” In other words, this is common what Arizona was attempting to establish!
You know, if you want to get ticked off about something, it is… There is… How to phrase this a different way? Jonathan Turley, constitutional professor somewhere, Georgetown, showed up again to testify on Capitol Hill. He’s up there and he’s wringing his hands. “We are at a constitutional tipping point.” I’ve got the sound bites here coming up later. “We’re at a constitutional tipping point, ’cause Obama is just running roughshod. But so did Bush,” he said, to qualify.
He’s a good liberal, so he had throw Bush in there. It’s not even close, Jonathan. Bush and Obama? It’s not even close, the constitutional usurpation. There’s never been anybody like Obama. Anyway, Turley says this is very bad. You know why Turley says it’s very bad? It’s very bad because the Founding Fathers never dreamed that the other two branches would basically lay down and allow themselves to be walked all over!
The Founding Fathers thought that the people in the judicial and legislative branches would be trying to get as much power from the executive as they could, but they would not just lay down and let an executive walk all over ’em. He said he can’t believe it. He cannot believe that Congress doesn’t care. They’re losing power be with Obama’s taking it. Now, Turley knew he was gonna be in trouble for this, so you know what else he said?
“By the way, I happen to agree with everything the president’s doing policy-wise. I just have a problem with how he’s doing it.” Give me a break! That is a qualifier that’s a bit suspicious to me. “Oh, yeah, I agree with the president policy wise most of the time. I’m just worried how he’s doing it. It’s a constitutional tipping point.” Well, the same here. Turley is right. The other branches are just laying down. They’re just allowing this to happen, and you and I know why.
It’s the same reason why everybody, why the governor and all of the forces behind this bill laid down. There is just abject fear of minorities right now. There is fear of being labeled a bigot or a racist. The whole debate is set up. Everything the majority wants to do now is bigoted, discriminatory. It’s the way everything’s been characterized, and so the people who are trying to do the right thing never stand up for themselves after they’re trying to do it. The right thing has no defense.
The right thing has nobody shouting in its defense.
The right thing has nobody. After they write it, and after making effort, they let it die. They allow themselves to be walked all over. They allow themselves to be mischaracterized. They allow their work to be mischaracterized. We’ve never seen anything like it, and we all know why. Fear of the media. It’s clear as a bill what made this in Arizona happen. The media and the left-wing bullies were able to totally mischaracterize what this was.
And the people who knew that they were being mischaracterized didn’t dare stand up and say, “No, you’re wrong.” They just didn’t want to take that risk. They figured they have nobody on their side. They figured they’d have no support, no help, an ddidn’t want to be a lone wolf or a series of lone wolves. They just said, “You know what? We’ll get this issue off the table. We’ll come back and we’ll get ’em on… on… uh… on… Well, we’ll get ’em on the next one,” and they cave on the next one and say, “We’ll get ’em on the next one!”
And they cave on that, and you and I know why. So what Arizona had on the table is something that’s already federal law and essentially the law of 18 states and others. Now, let’s wrap up Lowry: “Eleven legal experts on religious freedom statutes … wrote a letter to Gov. Brewer prior to her veto explaining how the bill ‘has been egregiously misrepresented by many of its critics.’ …
“The letter argues that, properly interpreted, the federal law that inspired the Arizona statute covers cases that don’t directly involve the government and covers businesses. So Arizona’s changes weren’t radical but in keeping with a federal law once championed by none other than Sen. Ted Kennedy. A religious freedom statute doesn’t give anyone carte blanche to do whatever he wants in the name of religion.
“It simply allows him to make his case in court that a law or a lawsuit substantially burdens his religion and that there is no compelling governmental interest to justify the burden,” and now that’s even been taken away here. “For critics of the Arizona bill, the substance was almost an afterthought.” The substance didn’t matter. It was the opportunity the bill gave them. A, mischaracterize it. B, call it gay bashing.
C, attach it to the Republicans and make ’em out to be the usual racist, sexist, bigot, homophobes. D, scare them into paralysis. E, we get what we want — and what we want is this Constitution shredded and bastardized every chance we get. “The question isn’t whether businesses run by people opposed to gay marriage on religious grounds should provide their services for gay weddings,” but it became that. Not only is this the denial of religious freedom, this is using the force of government to force people to act in ways they don’t want to act.
It’s a double whammy.
Again, “The question isn’t whether businesses run by people opposed to gay marriage on religious grounds should provide their services for gay weddings; it is whether they should be compelled to by government.” That’s the question, and that’s what just happened. The government can now compel people, just like they can’t compel you to buy a product or insurance, but now they can. The government can’t compel you to do business with people you don’t want to, except now they can.
“The critics of the much-maligned Arizona bill pride themselves on their live-and-let-live open-mindedness…”
Oh, yeah. They’re the tolerant ones, you see. They’re the ones that are not closed-minded! They’re the ones that are not bigoted. Oh, noooo. And they certainly aren’t the bullies. Oh, no. They’re just loving, kind, soft-spoken, gentle people who just want everybody to get along — except when you don’t agree with them, and then they become like jackbooted thugs, and they start bullying everybody in their way. They become highly moralistic in their support of gay marriage, judgmental of those who oppose it, and tolerant of only one point of view: Their own.
They are the exact opposite of the way they portray themselves.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: We got a guy who works for the Star Trucking Company on the phone. He’s driving through Wisconsin. Hey, Jim. Welcome to the program. Great to have you here. Hi.
CALLER: Hi. Hi. Can you hear me?
RUSH: Yeah. You’re Jim, right?
CALLER: Yeah, I’m Jim.
RUSH: Okay.
CALLER: It’s the first time I’ve ever called you. Well, yeah, I don’t work for Star anymore. I used to. But what I was trying to tell your screener was that Star has a policy. When you first go in for orientation, you have a what they call a force dispatch, which means the dispatcher give you a load and you have to take it. You sign that paper.
RUSH: Wait, wait, wait, wait. I want to make sure I understand this. So when you get hired at Star trucking, Star trucking gives you a piece of paper that you agree to sign, and when you sign it, you are agreeing to ship whatever they give you? Whatever’s in the shipment, you’ll drive it?
CALLER: Yes. Yes. It’s basically the dispatcher gives you a load, sends you a load, and you haul it.
RUSH: So when you sign this, you know that you have no choice. You can’t refuse whatever they may put in the trailer. You’ve got to take it.
CALLER: Yes. Yes. Yes.
RUSH: You think these two Muslim drivers knew full well when they signed on that they might have to drive some alcohol?
CALLER: Yeah, yeah. That’s basically what the paper says. You have to take whatever. It’s a forced dispatch company, and you have to take whatever you’re given. You know, whatever dispatch, you have to take that load. You can’t refuse.
RUSH: Not anymore, Jim. Not the case anymore. What’s happened is the government has just told Star Trucking that they can’t do that anymore. They can’t force people to haul. Now, they could make you drive a bunch of condoms. They could make you drive whatever you don’t want to drive. You couldn’t object to it.
CALLER: Yeah. Yeah. It doesn’t matter. You have to take the load.
RUSH: No, you don’t. That’s the point.
CALLER: Well, most companies are like that. Most companies don’t have a no force dispatch policy, but the Star was one of the companies I worked for that had — well, the first company I’d worked for that had.
RUSH: So the point is that these two guys knew full well. They signed a release, in essence. We know what’s going on here, too, folks. This didn’t just happen, and this just isn’t some couple of guys randomly offended and doing something about it. We know what’s going on.
Update: We found someone who supports 1062: Doug Napier, Senior Counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom: “Freedom loses when fear overwhelms facts and a good bill is vetoed. Today’s veto enables the foes of faith to more easily suppress the freedom of the people of Arizona. Even though the battle has become more difficult, Alliance Defending Freedom stands ready to defend any Arizonan who suffers the indignity of religious discrimination.”
***
Today’s sell-out by Governor Brewer is further proof that, as commentator Bill Whittle says, too many Republicans do not believe their own party’s philosophy. Nor are they able to articulate it. Governor Brewer gives lip service to religious liberty, but stomps all over it. But the 2012 GOP National Platform says:
“We pledge to respect the religious beliefs and rights of conscience of all Americans and to safeguard the independence of their institutions from government. The party explained that its positions respect “God-given individual rights,” including the freedom “of every American to follow his or her beliefs.” The importance of religious freedom can be seen in its prominent placement in the “first provision of the First Amendment,” the platform said.
The “Party of Freedom” needs people who will support their words with their actions. But now we’ll have to wait for the next governor to be elected to before we can again hope for a leader who actually supports the written position of the “Party of Freedom.” For a true leader of the “Party of the Freedom” who will not side with the “Party of Control,” which limits your freedom.
***
Governor Jan Brewer’s veto of a religious freedom bill today indicates that she was easily swayed by a heavily-biased media and overwhelming pressure of the radical homosexual agenda. Rather than taking a principled stand for freedom, she succumbed to distortions of the bill and RINO advisors.
Brewer said, “I call ’em like I see ’em.” She claims to stand for religious freedom, and stated there haven’t been any attacks on religious freedom in Arizona.
But the governor clearly overlooked Bishop Rick Painter who was threatened with jail time for ringing his Phoenix church bells.
She clearly overlooked the ongoing battle of a church in Quartszite which lost its sanctuary over unjust taxation.
The Town of Gilbert also stood in the way of the religious freedom of two churches. It will not be long before emboldened homosexuals sue Christian business owners in Arizona, such as bed and breakfast owners, florists and others. It’s coming. Watch.
So, the governor’s words do not match reality. She was clearly intimidated by the Left, including left-winger Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner who threatened to withhold the Super Bowl from Arizona. Clearly the dollar talks more heavily to Brewer than religious freedom. Governor, you made the wrong call.
And it doesn’t surprise many that you went wobbly. Though you claim to support religious freedom, it’s fair to say that religious liberty was better protected in Arizona when Janet Napolitano, a leftist, was governor.
Tonight, Brewer stands shoulder to shoulder with Senate and House Democrats and Fred DuVal, candidate for governor from the Party of Control. She’s dealt her Republican colleagues a sour defeat.
***
Last week Channel 12 of Phoenix failed broadcast communications 101 with a 30 minutes of blatantly biased cheerleading for the homosexual activists. Today Channel 3 and reporter Dennis Welch — a longtime water carrier for all causes left-wing — failed the test. Other than airing a sound bite of 1062 supporter Sen. Steve Yarbrough, its “reporting” was all one way.
Channel 3 reporters allowed radical protesters to accuse Christians of “warring and hate” without rebuttal. A reporter claimed he couldn’t find any 1062 supporters near enough to interview. But a clear majority of Arizonans favored the bill and support the chief sponsors of the bill.
Channel 3 leaned heavily on Phoenix sports commentator Mike Jurecki to bash the bill. He called the bill an “embarrassment,” “a huge black cloud over Arizona,” and said a homosexual player “may play here in the Super Bowl and not get served.” Preposterous. Channel 3 said there were “whispers about losing the Super Bowl,” which is about as reliable as “unconfirmed sources,” or “a source said …”
The NFL’s blackmail worked. So did the AZ Chamber of Commerce spokesman on air with Channel 3: “Every business in Arizona wants this vetoed,” he claimed in a remarkable and unfounded statement about small business owners who are now more vulnerable than ever to being forced to violate their morals or lose their business. “They wanna stop the bloodletting.” Unbelievable.
An anchor at Channel 3 read the Center for Arizona Policy’s statement on the air. But by then, the media had accomplished its dishonest deed. Oh for a single honest journalism school.
Channel 3, 12, and the rest of the left-streamers totally sold the governor on the idea of lost business. There will be lost business. It will be Christian business owners put out by the shameful thing that happened today. Corporations will continue to give homosexual activists anything they demand.
Statement of Cathi Herrod, President of the Center for Arizona Policy:
PHOENIX – “Today’s veto of SB 1062 marks a sad day for Arizonans who cherish and understand religious liberty.
SB 1062 passed the legislature for one reason only: to guarantee that all Arizonans would be free to live and work according to their faith.
Opponents were desperate to distort this bill rather than debate the merits. Essentially, they succeeded in getting a veto of a bill that does not even exist.
When the force of government compels one to speak or act contrary to their conscience, the government injures not only the dignity of the afflicted, but the dignity of our society as a
whole.
SB 1062 made certain that governmental laws cannot force people to violate their faith unless it has a compelling governmental interest–a balancing of interests that has been in federal law since 1993.
The religious beliefs of all Arizonans must be respected and this bill did nothing more than affirm that. It is truly a disappointing day in our state and nation when lies and personal attacks can over shadow the truth.”
If Governor Jan Brewer listens to reason … she will sign Senate Bill 1062, providing better protection for religious freedom in Arizona.
If she gives in to fear, intimidation, bullying, and propaganda, she will veto the bill and yield to the radical homosexual agenda.
That agenda and religious freedom cannot coexist.
If Brewer signs the bill, there had better be beefed-up security around Arizona because the left-wing extremists may raise a nasty ruckus. The state is watching them. This is their chance to improve their public image by behaving well and act with calm and decorum.
Let’s hope the governor exercises wisdom and signs this commonsense bill — despite the intense pressure from the left-stream media and homosexual activists. This is a real chance for the governor to stop the corrosive impact of the left-wing on the culture.
Warning: if you want fair and balanced coverage do not watch Channel 12 of Phoenix. They are in the tank for the anti-freedom Left.
“The lawsuit alleged that Star Transport refused to provide two employees with an accommodation of their religious beliefs when it terminated their employment because they refused to deliver alcohol.” So the Feds went in and sanctioned Star Transport, sues them, because they fired a couple of employees who refused to deliver alcohol — and they refused because of a violation of their religious tenets. They’re Muslims, and they don’t want to be anywhere near alcohol.
The left has to come in and protect the bigots, and everybody, else from themselves. Well, as Rich Lowry writes, “If you’ll excuse a brief, boring break from the hysteria to dwell on the text of the doomed bill, it stipulated that the word ‘person’ in the law applies to businesses and that the protections of the law apply whether or not the government is directly a party to a proceeding (e.g., a lawsuit brought on anti-discrimination grounds).
It’s the same reason why everybody, why the governor and all of the forces behind this bill laid down. There is just abject fear of minorities right now. There is fear of being labeled a bigot or a racist. The whole debate is set up. Everything the majority wants to do now is bigoted, discriminatory. It’s the way everything’s been characterized, and so the people who are trying to do the right thing never stand up for themselves after they’re trying to do it. The right thing has no defense.
CALLER: It’s the first time I’ve ever called you. Well, yeah, I don’t work for Star anymore. I used to. But what I was trying to tell your screener was that Star has a policy. When you first go in for orientation, you have a what they call a force dispatch, which means the dispatcher give you a load and you have to take it. You sign that paper.