Indiana Family Institute says Gov. Pence stabbed them in the back; comparisons to Judas

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04/06/2015

by Jeremy Hooper

Here's Indiana Family Institute's Aaron Reber on last week's "religious freedom" fiasco, writing for the official blog of the most prominent anti-LGBT organization in Indiana:

From what I've heard from my contacts who were at the statehouse when this went down, it turns out our legislature didn't just pass a "fix". They also made a deal with LGBT activists to introduce a bill next session to give homosexuals "protected class" status. I could barely believe it when I heard it, but it makes total sense. If the amendment didn't actually do anything to change the RFRA given the current legal situation, I have to believe that at least one lawyer would inform the LGBT activists about it. Thus, in order to call off their campaign, they would require more. Furthermore, other laws would surely follow the granting of "protected class" status...laws like "anti discrimination" statutes that compel those of religious faith to participate in activities and services that violate their religious commands. In that the situation, the RFRA would have protected religious objectors from legal action. In it's amended form, it will not.

I can just see it now. Next year a bill is introduced granting protected class status. Many of the rank and file republicans in the statehouse refuse to vote for it, but the media screams "you're a bigot" at anyone who protests and businesses again promise to pull out if this "sensible protection" isn't afforded to a "vulnerable" minority. The GOP leadership then twists enough arms to combine with the democrats to get enough votes to pass the legislation. Pence then promptly folds. The following year "anti discrimination" statutes are introduced. Rinse and repeat. I cannot garauntee [sic] that will be the actual outcome, or even that the GOP leadership will make good on its promise to the LGBT activists. However, I am not sanguine about our future prospects.

Regardless of which view upon the new law is correct, I cannot classify this entire effort to pass RFRA as anything less than a disaster where our own leadership, our governor included, stabbed us in the back. We set out to pass a law to protect the religious rights of hoosiers. What we ended up with was a murky law that we still can't say what its effect will be for sure. Morever, [sic] our legislature made a deal with the LGBT activists to introduce a bill granting them a protected class status.

Explain to me how this was anything less than a route?

All I know is this, I expect this sort of thing from the legislature. Pence however, has a lot of explaining to do, and I am extremely dissappointed [sic] in him. Common Core, all day kindergarten, state run media, and now this? I worked on Pence's campaign as a township chairman to get him elected. Now he'll be lucky to even get my vote in 2016.

Like my mother said, "It wasn't lost on me that Pence signed the amendment on the Thursday before Easter...the same day Judas betrayed Jesus"
FULL: Clarifying The Clarification [IFI]

Of course they're mad, because this organization wanted a bill that could discriminate against LGBT people. Period. Full stop.

But as is now common with the anti-LGBT movement, they overplayed their hand. And we called them out. Now they rage. Now we sit back with a bag of popcorn and watch the in-fighting.

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