The Campus Carrier Editorial Board
Although there were no laws forcing people or businesses to provide services to the LGBT community, there was still a strong push to pass the “religious freedom” bill, which would have allowed faith-based groups to refuse services that conflict with their religious beliefs.
It was introduced due to outcries of alleged religious infringement and was largely backed by conservatives. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, this legislation hit a major roadblock when Republican Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed the bill. The veto, he said, will reaffirm “the character of our state and the character of its people,” whom he described as “warm, friendly and loving.”
According to Inverse Magazine, his rational decision was backed by companies like Disney, who threatened to move their base in Georgia for the new Captain America and Guardians of the Galaxy movies to another state if Deal decided to pass it. The support of major companies prompted Deal to take a stand against this discriminating bill. There are people saying that he buckled under the pressure of these big companies, but even if that’s the case, should it matter as long as the bill was put down?
People are celebrating the veto, but we need to be questioning why it was introduced in the first place. Already, there is talk of re-introducing this bill again next year, proving that discrimination against the LGBT community is an ongoing fight. This isn’t just a Georgia phenomenon either. Legislation like House Bill 757 is active in states such as Hawaii, Oklahoma and North and South Carolina, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
This is ridiculous because there are absolutely no laws that would justify this legislation. The government has no power to force religious officials to officiate LGBT weddings or to make businesses sell those same individuals their wedding cake. Those people are not going to want services or goods from homophobic businesses anyway. The “religious freedom” bill is pointless and only serves to further LGBT discrimination and suffering, so why is it that members of our society are so intent on being blind to the changing and increasingly tolerant world?
According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Deal made a valid point earlier this year when he used biblical terms in a speech to oppose this legislation. “I hope that we can all just take a deep breath, recognize that the world is changing around us, and recognize that it is important that we protect fundamental religious beliefs,” he said. “But we don’t have to discriminate against other people in order to do that. And that’s the compromise that I’m looking for.”
The LGBT community isn’t asking for every single person to have the same beliefs and views as them, but they are asking for the respect that they rightly deserve. They are asking to be treated as humans and to not have to fight for equality and celebrate the right to marry because it should have already been within their rights.
There are so many civil outrages in today’s society, and instead of working to fix injustice, legislation like the House Bill 757 works to fuel discriminatory fire.