Arkansas bill gives businesses the right to refuse to serve LGBT customers

hen Arizona lawmakers wanted businesses to be able to choose whether to serve LGBT customers based on the religious convictions of their owners, there was a national outcry. Especially, it seemed, from the business community.
The National Football League threatened to move the Super Bowl. The Arizona Cardinals football team sent a letter condemning the law. Wells Fargo, Apple, Bank of America, Marriott and American Express all criticized the bill .
In Michigan, an analogous act met the same fate. Business leaders who had originally come together to add LGBT protections to the state’s civil rights law ended up fighting against a religious freedom bill introduced in response.


“By not having inclusive policies we’re contributing to brain-drain,” said Sommer Foster, director of political advocacy at Equality Michigan. “We were able to get a number of CEOs to sign on and say discrimination doesn’t represent Michigan values.”
But now in Arkansas, where a bill to stop municipalities from passing ordinances to protect the LGBT community is almost certain to become law, national business leaders are keeping mum.
“It’s been pretty quiet so far, unfortunately,” said Laura Phillips, board member and advocacy chair at the Northwest Arkansas Center for Equality, a small nonprofit based in Fayetteville, about the reaction from the business community. “It’s frankly kind of distressing that there’s been that much silence.”
In Arkansas, a governor neither has to sign or veto legislation for it to become law – if the governor takes no action for five days, the bill is considered approved. This, governor Asa Hutchinson has said, is the path he will take.
LGBT leaders are attempting to organize against the governor’s inaction, gathering signatures and urging constituents to call and email the governor’s office, but they say the silence from business leaders is conspicuous.
“We are just really surprised,” said Lamont Richie, president of the Eureka Springs Gay Business Guild, about what is perceived among activists as a failure on Walmart’s part to speak up. The retail giant is the state’s largest employer and a vocal proponent of LGBT rights. The company has a strong internal anti-discrimination policy, and has sponsored events like the New York City Pride parade . “I don’t know what’s happening in back rooms – I wish I was privy to that.”
The Arkansas state chamber of commerce has also refused to comment.
While Arizona’s chamber of commerce and industry condemned that state legislature’s attempt to codify a religious freedom bill, the Arkansas state chamber of commerce CEO relayed a message to the Guardian through a secretary: the chamber has no opinion.
Walmart did not respond to requests for comment.
Arkansas is not unique in its failure to protect the LGBT community from housing and employment discrimination. (It is the latter that typically draws criticism from the business community, which says such laws hinder attempts to attract talent.)
In all, 29 states don’t protect members of the LGBT community through anti-discrimination statutes. The failure is one of omission. Unless states spell out protections on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, there are none.
In the face of states’ failure to act, more than 200 municipalities across the country have passed anti-discrimination ordinances. Most recently, a West Virginia town of just five residents agreed to enact such an ordinance.


http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/02/arkansas-bill-gives-businesses-the-right-to-refuse-to-serve-lgbt-customers/

How would they determine who is an LGBT customer? "He wears an earring in his right ear?" Or, maybe he attends ballet events and rides a motor scooter?

"No shoes, no shotgun...no service."

I dont know if I've mentioned it before, but if not, Arkansas is America's sweaty armpit.

Original Quill wrote:How would they determine who is an LGBT customer?  "He wears an earring in his right ear?"  Or, maybe he attends ballet events and rides a motor scooter?

"No shoes, no shotgun...no service."

I think it is relatively straight forward to ascertain if a couple applying for a marriage liscense are gay or lesbian. Lol!

Do you really want me to explain?

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Original Quill wrote:How would they determine who is an LGBT customer?  "He wears an earring in his right ear?"  Or, maybe he attends ballet events and rides a motor scooter?

"No shoes, no shotgun...no service."

I think it is relatively straight forward to ascertain if a couple applying for a marriage liscense are gay or lesbian. Lol!

Do you really want me to explain?

Why would you apply for a marriage license in wall-mart for example, when this is about the LGBT being refused service in businesses?
This bill allows for religious discrimination of the LGBT to serve them as a customer.
Yes so please explain that.
You do realise this bill can also mean and be able to argue to not have to serve Muslims also?

Brasidas wrote:

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

I think it is relatively straight forward to ascertain if a couple applying for a marriage liscense are gay or lesbian. Lol!

Do you really want me to explain?

Why would you apply for a marriage license in wall-mart for example, when this is about the LGBT being refused service in businesses?
This bill allows for religious discrimination of the LGBT to serve them as a customer.
Yes so please explain that.
You do realise this bill can also mean and be able to argue to not have to serve Muslims also?

One: why do you feel the need to respond to A post directed at Quill? Or are you just desperate to reply to all my posts. Lol!

Two: I was making a definite point. You are diverting by bringing in other issues.

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Brasidas wrote:


Why would you apply for a marriage license in wall-mart for example, when this is about the LGBT being refused service in businesses?
This bill allows for religious discrimination of the LGBT to serve them as a customer.
Yes so please explain that.
You do realise this bill can also mean and be able to argue to not have to serve Muslims also?

One: why do you feel the need to respond to A post directed at Quill? Or are you just desperate to reply to all my posts. Lol!

Two: I was making a definite point. You are diverting by bringing in other issues.

I can respond to any post, there is no rules to say otherwise, so again you are getting over emotive.
I am pointing out how limited your point was and how far reaching discrimination can be allowed based off the religious belief of the owner of a business.

Brasidas wrote:

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

One: why do you feel the need to respond to A post directed at Quill? Or are you just desperate to reply to all my posts. Lol!

Two: I was making a definite point. You are diverting by bringing in other issues.

I can respond to any post, there is no rules to say otherwise, so again you are getting over emotive.
I am pointing out how limited your point was and how far reaching discrimination can be allowed based off the religious belief of the owner of a business.

Again you demonstrate a lack of understanding.

I never said you couldn't respond to my post. I'm saying you are 'compelled' to reply to my posts. Betraying your emotional state.

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Brasidas wrote:



I can respond to any post, there is no rules to say otherwise, so again you are getting over emotive.
I am pointing out how limited your point was and how far reaching discrimination can be allowed based off the religious belief of the owner of a business.

Again you demonstrate a lack of understanding.

I never said you couldn't respond to my post. I'm saying you are 'compelled' to reply to my posts. Betraying your emotional state.

2 emotions

I love responding to your posts just to see how further you will continue to get emotive and so far you keep responding in the same vain.
Take this as an experiment.

Brasidas wrote:

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Again you demonstrate a lack of understanding.

I never said you couldn't respond to my post. I'm saying you are 'compelled' to reply to my posts. Betraying your emotional state.

2 emotions

I love responding to your posts just to see how further you will continue to get emotive and so far you keep responding in the same vain.
Take this as an experiment.

lol! You're clearly obsessed with me. I'm flattered.

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Brasidas wrote:

2 emotions

I love responding to your posts just to see how further you will continue to get emotive and so far you keep responding in the same vain.
Take this as an experiment.

lol! You're clearly obsessed with me. I'm flattered.

Hardly obsessed, I just need to collate the date for my study of my test subject!

Brasidas wrote:

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

lol! You're clearly obsessed with me. I'm flattered.

Hardly obsessed, I just need to collate the date for my study of my test subject!

Stalking me across 5 threads and feeling the need to reply for others is a clear sign of obsession.

Don't worry. I like people being obsessed with me.

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Brasidas wrote:



Hardly obsessed, I just need to collate the date for my study of my test subject!

Stalking me across 5 threads and feeling the need to reply for others is a clear sign of obsession.

Don't worry. I like people being obsessed with me.

Again I would not flatter yourself over being a guinea pig.

Brasidas wrote:

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Stalking me across 5 threads and feeling the need to reply for others is a clear sign of obsession.

Don't worry. I like people being obsessed with me.

Again I would not flatter yourself over being a guinea pig.

Guinea pigs are cute

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Brasidas wrote:



Again I would not flatter yourself over being a guinea pig.

Guinea pigs are cute

Not sure I find you cute.