Religious Freedom Restoration Act Receiving Backlash from Evansville Businesses

03/26/2015

[E. Pluribus Unum]

EVANSVILLE -- Suzy Blesch has worked in a costume shop for almost 30 years, and she has seen many characters and creatures around, but it does not matter what anyone looks like or what anyone does. Everyone is welcome.

"It's important to me that whenever you walk into Nick Nackery to understand that you will be treated with respect," Blesch, the owner of Nick Nackery, said.

Gov. Mike Pence (R-Indiana) signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law Thursday morning, which could give business owners the right to refuse services to people based on their own personal religious beliefs.

In response to the new law, Blesch has posted a notice on her door, letting everyone know just what she thinks about the RFRA.

"I think to call it religious freedom is a farce," Blesch said. "I don't believe that's what it is. It's something to enable people to pick out a group of people and be discriminatory towards those people."

Other businesses in Evansville, including bars and restaurants, are also taking a similar stance against the law.

"I do believe that everybody should be treated fairly," Cassandra Watkins, a bartender at Side-Track, said.

"This is a second home for a lot of people, and that is for all people, every person, no matter of religious beliefs, religious creeds, sexual orientation, by the color of your skin, Lamasco's home to everybody," Lamasco Bar & Grill owner Amy Word said. "This is absolutely ill-guided. It's absolutely disgusting. It's bad for Indiana and it's bad for small business in every possible way.

And many Evansville residents and customers are equally outraged at the new law.

"Religion is about being accepting to love your neighbor, and if you can discriminate now against that, I feel like this should not have been legally allowed," University of Evansville student Lizz Domberger said.

Domberger said her class has had discussions about the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and what it means for the state of Indiana.

"We see it's moving backwards and that we are taught to ask questions and get to know more and not be a closeminded person," Domberger said.

Blesch grew up during the Civil Rights movement, and she said the signing of the bill takes her back to the darker days of her childhood.

"I remember in the 50s, in some remote areas where they would have signs that said 'whites only' or 'blacks only' and that is the most ungodly way to live that exists," Blesch said.

And for Domberger, who was born far removed from the Civil Right era of discrimination, she fears the new law is a slippery slope back those times.

"I'm very sad that I live in the state of Indiana right now," she said.

[ClearCase_guy]

It restricts no one.
It guarantees freedom of association for business owners.
It protects business owners from lawsuits.

And people are outraged???

[DJ MacWoW]

Obviously none of these people actually know scripture nor have they been sued by a very small vocal minority.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I forgot the link.

http://www.tristatehomepage.com/story/d/story/religious-freedom-restoration-act-receiving-backla/41003/Y8o6uFze10qcjpL2T6o7pw

[RightOnTheBorder]

Well surprise, surprise, the owner of a costume shop wants the sodomites to know they are welcome.

Seriously look at the idiotic comments by this motley crew of losers and you know the bill was a good idea.

[JoeDetweiler]

I bet I can think of a few costumes that Suzy Blesch would refuse to provide for me. ;-)

[SandRat]

Is anyone sure that thae outraged are people from earth???

[ClearCase_guy]

They may be from Earth, but their dream is to go to Uranus.

[virgil]

Curious response from the so-called “live and let live” crowd.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

I have a sneaking suspicion that the chamber of commerce is behind this.

[RginTN]

Everyone is welcome.

---

once again the homonazis are trying to frame this in favor of them being “victims”.

[madprof98]

The constant bombardment of anti-Christian propaganda has taken its toll even here in Georgia, where a similar bill has apparently been deep-sixed by the gay lobby and the Chamber of Commerce.

[Tanniker Smith]

Some people don’t believe in liberty. Some people believe in forcing others to bend to their will.

[Coronal]

One large company is already reducing its operations there as a result.

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/2015/03/25/business-leaders-address-letter-to-pence-urging-him-to-veto-religious-freedom-bill/70466808/

[hoosierham]

The sodomites can stay away,we can survive without their money.

[Amendment10]

""I think to call it religious freedom is a farce," Blesch said."

I’ll betcha that Ms Blesch has never been taught the following. Section 1 of the 14th Amendment prohibits the states from making laws / policies which unreasonably abridge constitutionally enumerated rights, the 1st Amendment-protected freedom of religious expression in this case.

14th Amendment, Section 1: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States [emphasis added]; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

So this new Indiana law actually protects the state as well as protecting 1st Amendment-protected religious express of Indiana business owners. In fact, note that several pro-gay activist states have already violated Section 1.

[TBP]

Aaaaaaawwwww! The poor babies aren’t getting away with their intimidation. It’s not faaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrr!

[sergeantdave]

Talk about propaganda: I’m loving this as classic neo-Nazi Goebbels lies:

Other businesses in Evansville, including bars and restaurants, are also taking a similar stance against the law, says the lying scribbler.

“I do believe that everybody should be treated fairly,” Cassandra Watkins, a bartender at Side-Track, said.

The lying scribbler tells the reader that “other businesses, including bars and restaurants” are against the law. Then the liar quotes one friggin bartender. One bartender is NOT a representation of “other businesses, including bars and restaurants.

The lying creep who wrote this swill should be dragged into the street and whipped.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The lying creep who wrote this swill should be dragged into the street and whipped.

Considering his proclivities, he'd probably enjoy it.

[Viennacon]

Seriously, F the subhuman scum who were selected to be interviewed. They DO NOT represent Indiana, and props to Pence for signing this bill in spite of tremendous pressure. Makes Jan Brewer look like the political wh*** she is.

FREEDOM WINS