Arizona governor vetoes gay discrimination bill Apple rallied against
Arizona Governor Governor Jan Brewer on Wednesday vetoed a controversial bill that would have, in effect, legalized wide-ranging discrimination of homosexuals as an extension of religious freedom. Apple, along with a number of other major U.S. corporations, banded together to have the bill shot down.
In a tweet on Wednesday, Gov. Brewer confirmed that she had officially vetoed bill SB1062, which proposed to grant Arizona business owners the right to turn away gay and lesbian customers on religious grounds.
The measure, sponsored by Republican State Sens. Steve Yarbrough, Nancy Barto and Bob Worsley, landed on the governor's desk last week after being approved by a Republican-led state legislature, reports CNN.
On Monday, Apple requested governor Brewer veto the bill. As noted previously, Apple's ask carried clout considering the company invested millions of dollars in an Arizona-based sapphire production facility to be run in partnership with GT Advanced Technology.
Supposedly devised to protect religious freedom and non-government business entities, the bill proposed a revision to the definitions of "exercise of religion" and "person." The following key provision was of special concern to rights activists:
In a tweet on Wednesday, Gov. Brewer confirmed that she had officially vetoed bill SB1062, which proposed to grant Arizona business owners the right to turn away gay and lesbian customers on religious grounds.
The measure, sponsored by Republican State Sens. Steve Yarbrough, Nancy Barto and Bob Worsley, landed on the governor's desk last week after being approved by a Republican-led state legislature, reports CNN.
On Monday, Apple requested governor Brewer veto the bill. As noted previously, Apple's ask carried clout considering the company invested millions of dollars in an Arizona-based sapphire production facility to be run in partnership with GT Advanced Technology.
Moments ago, I vetoed #SB1062. pic.twitter.com/gdQn0dG2vB
-- Jan Brewer (@GovBrewer) Supposedly devised to protect religious freedom and non-government business entities, the bill proposed a revision to the definitions of "exercise of religion" and "person." The following key provision was of special concern to rights activists:
The legislation lost its legs soon after the public caught wind of the bill's potential to institutionalize discrimination. Supporters of a veto included Arizona Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake, while major businesses and corporations like American Airlines and Marriott also stood against SB1062.Expands the definition of person to include any individual, association, partnership, corporation, church, or other business entity.
Comments
Brewer only did this to save $$$. The 19th century (pre-Emancipation Proclamation) still rules the Arizona state government.
The Republicans and especially the Tea Party are really on the fringe. I can understand them at all. Why are they so hateful?
Everyone should have the right to discriminate between right and wrong.
being an apple enthusiast, "fanboy", and advocate for as long as they've been around, and a lifelong gay american, the quoted statement is fucked up and so wrong.
I hope you simply forgot the slash s. If not you are really being silly.
1) Sure, there are haters on the left, center and right, and in every party but that's irrelevant.
2) This is a civil rights issue. Nothing more, nothing less. I would much prefer if marriage were to simply go away altogether but if one group of consenting adults is allowed to get married I think all consenting adults should be allowed to get married.
3) As for not making one "hateful" if they don't like gay marriage is it not "hateful" if one were to say, "I don't hate black people but I don't think they should be able to share the same water fountains and bathrooms as whites"? I don't put the same weight behind each of these civil rights movements but I do believe they are all discrimination based on hate.
Why? I think the point is Apple is spending a lot of money in Arizona and they would not be comfortable doing that in a state that endorsed discrimination.
Gay people have a ton of disposable income. Arizona would have missed out on a lot of it.
We need laws that allow business owners to have values. Even if some don't like them.
Everyone should have the right to be miserable in marriage.