We’re a little late to the party, but remember yesterday when we reported on that ridiculous bill up for vote in Iowa? (You know, the one where same-sex couples could be refused service and jobs on religious grounds?) Well, we don’t want to take any unwarranted credit, but shortly after we blogged about it, the bill up and died.
Bill 50—or the Religious Conscience Protection Act—drew from civil-rights activists a torrent of justified rage that stopped the legislation dead in its tracks.
The bill was so broad that it would legalize a wide spectrum of other discriminatory acts, constitutional scholars and civil rights advocates said. They raised questions about whether services could be denied if, say, a Christian were married to a Jew, or if someone objected to a couple who were unable to have children.
When the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Richard Anderson was asked about whether he’d reintroduce the bill, he claimed not to know, saying, “There are issues that people have, and we just have to continue to work on it.”
Image Mar10os/Flickr
Hooray. My only disappointment is that Rep. Anderson is still too boneheaded, righteous or obtuse to admit or realize the extremity of his bigotry and intolerance. But, hey, he’s a Republican and that’s what those guys often are like. (I Gotta be open minded ….) 🙂