Gov. Brewer vetoes Arizona SB 1062

 

From Feb 24th: Issue Analysis: Arizona Bill Does Not Give Businesses License to Discriminate Against Gays

 ... "While the bill is an attempt to broaden who is covered under its religious freedom protections, in all cases it actually narrows when a religious belief could be used to refuse service.

"Here are six important points to understand about the just-passed (but now vetoed) bill:...

 

 Razing Arizona: Conservatives Succeed at Failing Again   ... "After all, observers such as Napp Nazworth at The Christian Post contend that SB 1062 might actually — contrary to all the hysteria — have made it harder for most business owners to refuse service to homosexuals. This analysis may have merit and can be read here, but it’s irrelevant to a larger point:

 

"The GOP’s handling of this matter was a good illustration of conservatism’s fatal flaw."

The NY Times has it's opinion on this   "The bill was inspired by episodes in other states in which florists, photographers and bakers were sued for refusing to cater to same-sex couples. But it would have allowed much broader religious exemptions by business owners."

Rich Lowry: Brewer's Foolish Veto  "Clocking in at barely two pages, it was easy to scan for disparaging references to homosexuality, for veiled references to homosexuality, for any references to homosexuality at all.

"They weren’t there. A headline from The Week declared, “There is nothing Christian about Arizona’s anti-gay bill.” It would be more accurate to say that there was nothing anti-gay about Arizona’s anti-gay bill." ...

Rich Lowry is editor of National Review.