Some of the things you should know about me:
- I am a faithful Christian
- I love my family, all of them...even the crazies, of which I am one.
- I am not overly political, mostly I want the government to leave me alone, and adhere to the Constitution.
- Polarized and reactionary people make me crazy.
The state of Arizona has a bill burning through the legislature, lighting all kinds of fires, on the way to the Govenor. I read the bill, and I'm a little bit upset at all this uproar.
My friends and family are split and I'm not sure if all this craziness is worth it.
How many of us have seen the sign "No shirt, no shoes, no service!"? Growing up in a little beach town I knew that sign and what it meant for a predominantly barefoot little kid. It meant that I could run in and use the bathroom, but if I wanted to sit and eat, or shop, I better find some shoes!
Now before I start getting hate mail from some of my friends, let me clarify.
I am not saying that the right to refuse service on the basis of faith is the same as requiring shoes. One is a health hazard and the other is a religious choice! But I am saying that if a business wants to refuse service to anyone, for any reason, they are protected by the law to run their business as they see fit, as long as it doesn't limit another individual's civil liberties. Now if that business wants to run itself into the ground by limiting the population that it services, good on them, get businesses into the market that want to succeed!
This AZ bill says NOTHING about a particular group of people to be targeted or impacted. What it does say is that the religious beliefs of the proprietor can be exercised in the practice of the business. Which means that a conservative Islamist restaurant would not have to serve an unaccompanied woman...if they chose. A Christian bookstore would not have to sell books to a Buddhist, and a Buddhist monastery could limit attendance to practitioners (which some already do).
Would/could whole communities such as LGBTQ be affected? Of course. And I am not trying to minimize the impact of legislating religious practice in business, either to protect it, or minimize it. Our government was framed by outcasts from a religiously oppressive government, and they purposely designed their new country to be independent of religious affiliation. Bills like this were NOT what the framers had in mind.
As Christians we are called to be Christ-like. Imitators of a radical man who preached tolerance instead of condemnation, love instead of division, and a rejection of judgement in favor of a more qualified judge than we are. We are called to be beacons for his message, fullfilling the needs of the people around us whatever they are, and whoever has them. To understand that each individual on this earth is a part of his plan whether they are broken or whole, full of grief or full of joy, a BS artist or a genuine soul - Christian or not!
I am ashamed of these religious groups pushing for the bill - they are missing the point completely. I am ashamed of the people fire branding and polarizing this bill - they are limiting their business in the other direction.
I got a little off topic here, but let me sum up. If the bill passes, and it may, express your displeasure with your wallet. Move out of AZ if you don't like it (on either side), stop shopping at places that refuse service, don't eat at those restaurants, and don't donate to those groups responsible. We have lost our individual voices and that is one of the saddest things I can think of.
...Nature girl
No comments:
Post a Comment