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Anderson Cooper Destroys Arizona GOP State Senator's Defense Of Anti-Gay Bill
Business Insider ^ | February 26. 2014 | Brett LoGiurato

Posted on 02/26/2014 9:18:20 AM PST by lbryce

CNN host Anderson Cooper battled with Arizona state Sen. Al Melvin (R) on Monday night over the fate of a state bill that would allow businesses to refuse service to lesbian and gay customers.

Melvin is a candidate for governor who voted for the SB 1062 legislation and is urging Gov. Jan Brewer (R) to sign it. Melvin and other proponents of the bill argue it is a protection of religious freedom for individuals whose beliefs condemn homosexuality. However, Melvin had trouble defending the bill to Cooper and struggled when the CNN host asked him to describe an example where religious people had suffered persecution as a result of being prevented from discriminating against gays and lesbians.

"You can't give me one example of this actually happening?" Cooper said.

"No, I can't," Melvin said. "But we've seen it in other states, and we don't want it to happen here."

"No, I can't," Melvin said. "But we've seen it in other states, and we don't want it to happen here."

"But you can't cite one example where religious freedom is under attack in Arizona," said Cooper.

"Not now, no, but how about tomorrow?" Melvin responded.

Cooper took exception to this line of argument.

"Well — I don’t understand what that means," he said. "I mean, if you can't cite in the entire history of Arizona, one case where religious freedom has been under attack — or even in the last year where it's been under attack — is this really the most important thing for you to be working on?"

Later in the interview, Melvin insisted that he didn't know anybody in Arizona who would discriminate against a "fellow human being."

"Really? Discrimination doesn't exist in Arizona?" Cooper asked incredulously.

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(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: gaynewsreporter; gayright; homosexualagenda
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State Senator Al Melvin didn't much excel on his debating team in school. Anderson Cooper's question was awkwardly phrased in pigeon-holing the Senator on a question that someone a bit more astute, alert and on the ball would never have allowed themselves to appear as dim-witted as the Senator.

The CNN host asked him to describe an example where religious people had suffered persecution as a result of being prevented from discriminating against gays and lesbians.

It certainly is a protection of religious freedom, when depraved news anchors like Cooper, offend the very religious sensibilities of people like Cooper. I mean, the very fact is religious people do suffer persecution to a degree, being castigated and worse for their beliefs from the left, and people like Cooper. But, he didn't even have to rely on just such an argument. Certainly others more adept, skillful at political rhetoric than Mr. Melvin here, would have have deployed some political rope-a-dope that would not have given Cooper such an overwhelming cheap victory.

Another very poorly phrased comment was Melvin's insistence that he didn't know anybody in Arizona who would discriminate against a "fellow human being." Saying it's not a matter of discriminating against another human being is a tough one to call, for Mr. Melvin.

1 posted on 02/26/2014 9:18:20 AM PST by lbryce
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To: lbryce

Another case of the el stupid party running amok. WHY would you go onto this nothing T.V. network to debate a raging homo on this? What possible benefit could be gained? It’s like the GOP going on MSLSD. why?


2 posted on 02/26/2014 9:21:45 AM PST by Viennacon
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To: lbryce

Anderson Blooper, CNN’s resident sodomite “destroying” someone over their religious views? I needed a good laugh this morning.


3 posted on 02/26/2014 9:22:48 AM PST by NKP_Vet (“From man’s sweat and God’s love, beer came into the world.” – St. Arnold of Metz)
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To: lbryce
religious people had suffered persecution as a result of being prevented from discriminating against gays and lesbians.

I'm inclined to opine that Cooper knows of (and approves of) the threats against wedding photographers and bakeries who were faced with losing their business permits if they did not service pervert couples.

But what can anyone expect form the slimeballs at CNN?

4 posted on 02/26/2014 9:24:06 AM PST by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both.)
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To: lbryce

the AZ state rep needed this:

Issue Analysis: Arizona Bill Does Not Give Businesses License to Discriminate Against Gays [Truth!]

from: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3127170/posts


5 posted on 02/26/2014 9:26:46 AM PST by Wuli
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To: lbryce

This whole damn thing started because that bakery refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple, and their right to refuse that service was attacked viciously. Am I wrong on this one?


6 posted on 02/26/2014 9:28:05 AM PST by Durbin
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To: lbryce

I could have answered that question with ease. Several examples are available which Cooper and the Senator are no doubt aware. Which leads one to wonder what is up with the senator....


7 posted on 02/26/2014 9:29:35 AM PST by TheDon (Californians are losing their right to keep and bear firearms one firearm at a time.)
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To: FReepers
Let us with caution indulge the supposition that
morality can be maintained without religion.
Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that
national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.
- George Washington


Click The Pic To Donate

Support FR, Donate Monthly If You Can

8 posted on 02/26/2014 9:32:15 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (The Fed Gov is not one ring to rule them all)
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To: lbryce

Not hard to tell where young Master Giurato's proclivities lie.

9 posted on 02/26/2014 9:33:24 AM PST by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: martin_fierro

And that’s the point about the press.

You’re reading nonsense from the bottom of the class, children in most cases.


10 posted on 02/26/2014 9:37:18 AM PST by Regulator
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To: lbryce

I would have asked Cooper, “The government forced a bakery to bake a wedding cake for a gay wedding when it clearly violated that baker’s principles. Would you have the government force a black bakery to bake a cake for a Klan rally?”


11 posted on 02/26/2014 9:37:51 AM PST by MNnice
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To: lbryce

Business Insider’s main editor is gay, so don’t expect an unbiased article from them.


12 posted on 02/26/2014 9:39:08 AM PST by aimhigh
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To: MNnice

Nice one!

What troubles me is that everyone knows these questions are coming and SO OFTEN our side gets flummoxed.


13 posted on 02/26/2014 9:39:16 AM PST by nascarnation (I'm hiring Jack Palladino to investigate Baraq's golf scores.)
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To: Viennacon

I agree, first why go on any MSM TV to debate this issue; and secondly, how can you be so poorly prepared to defend a law you voted on and supported…..

The GOP has lost this issue, the Gov is going to veto the bill and the gays will claim victory. Time to focus on more important issues…


14 posted on 02/26/2014 9:43:12 AM PST by martinidon
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To: MNnice

That is exactly the point. If you can force someone to bake a cake for people or a group he or she feels violates their conscience, then they can make them do it for anybody or group that has legal status. Likewise, you could force a designer to make homosexual symbols, klan symbols, Nazi symbols, etc. Mustn’t discriminate you know. (smirk)


15 posted on 02/26/2014 9:43:45 AM PST by driftless2
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To: lbryce

He should have told Anderson Pooper that the bill wasn’t about stopping Religious persecution in AZ, it is about PREVENTING it from starting, like it has in other states!


16 posted on 02/26/2014 9:43:53 AM PST by Beagle8U (Unions are an Affirmative Action program for Slackers! .)
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To: MNnice

Bingo!


17 posted on 02/26/2014 9:46:06 AM PST by Beagle8U (Unions are an Affirmative Action program for Slackers! .)
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To: Durbin
I thought all businesses reserve the right to refuse business if they want?

Surely they can't force the bakery to bake a cake

An American Expat in Southeast Asia

18 posted on 02/26/2014 9:47:05 AM PST by expatguy (Donate to "An American Expat in SE Asia")
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To: lbryce
A city in Philadelphia, I think. Just passed a law banning guns made in a 3-D printer. When asked if there is a current problem with crimes being committed using them or the like. The mayor said, ‘No, just staying ahead of the problem.’
The media had no problem with that....
19 posted on 02/26/2014 9:58:06 AM PST by ArtDodger
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To: MNnice

Excellent!


20 posted on 02/26/2014 9:59:18 AM PST by Portcall24
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