Religion & American Law

            The main issue with the bill passing is that many believe it will simply be used as a means to justify discrimination against homosexual individuals and couples. Those who are in favor of passing the bill deny this claim, but during a time when so many cases similar to the ones listed above have occurred, and as the Sup

            I think the bill is constitutional seeing as it is facially neutral and does not directly target any specific group of people. However, I think upon further inspection and once the bill is in action, it is extremely discriminatory in nature. Business owners should be able to look beyond their own beliefs because they are offering goods to the public and should not be able to pick and choose their customers. However, this bill would legally allow them to do so. Some would argue that because it is a private company that the owners should be allowed to choose who they provide services for, especially in situations where the customers could find another company to bake a cake or film a wedding. I think this should not be the case because business owners should not be legally allowed to discriminate.

            With this bill becoming a law, there will without a doubt be higher numbers of the LGBTQ community, as well as others, being turned away for services. My main issue with this bill is that it has no boundaries, meaning anyone could be discriminated against with the owner claiming that helping them would go against their beliefs, regardless of whether or not that is actually true. This could even end up extending to a surgeon who does not want to perform surgery on someone because of his or her religious beliefs. This highlights a life or death situation, but this bill would make it legal for said surgeon to turn the patient away, and I do not think this should be allowed.

            It is true that business owners have their own religious beliefs, but I think by starting a business and offering one’s services to the public you then somewhat put aside your personal beliefs to have a successful company. Although this bill protects business owner’s religious rights, it consequently takes away the rights of those who will be discriminated against. America’s roots are in protecting the minority and ensuring that everyone has equal rights, and I think by passing this bill it is hindering a large population of people who have already been targeted for quite some time.  Although facially neutral, this bill is legalizing any and all discrimination, and it will lead to a slippery slope of private business owners stretching the bill as far as it can go to deny services to anyone they choose. The bill should not be passed.

            What do you think? Do the religious rights of business owners outweigh the rights of customers to not be discriminated against? Should the bill become law?