The Daily Banter

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence Refuses to Answer “Religious Freedom” Anti-Gay Discrimination Question

Written by Bob Cesca

If there's an upside to Gov. Mike Pence (R-IN) signing the pro-discrimination SB101 "Religious Freedom Restoration Act" (RFRA) into law last week, it's this: the bigots, homophobes and neo-segregationists have been coaxed out of the woodwork, exposing themselves for what they really believe. My Twitter feed is festooned with these people, now more than ever -- not even during the Hobby Lobby debate have they swarmed like they are today. Elsewhere, an audio recording has been circulating that a restaurant owner who called into an Indianapolis radio station and despite the incredulity and shocked horror of the deejays discussed how he's always discriminated against gay customers, and now this law will legitimize his anti-gay policy.

It seems the only anti-gay conservative who isn't currently owning his pro-discrimination position is Mike Pence himself. On ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos, Pence was asked eight times whether this law would allow businesses to discriminate against gay people -- "yes or no." Eight times in an 11-minute segment, and Pence refused to answer every time. By the sixth or seventh time, I expected Stephanopoulos to shout, "Don't wait for the translation! Yes or no?"

Instead, Pence droned on and on, suggesting that the press was "trying to make this something else." Actually, it was Eric Miller, the chief lobbyist responsible for the RFRA who explicitly defined the law as pro-discrimination:

Christian bakers, florists and photographers should not be punished for refusing to participate in a homosexual marriage!

Note the exclamation mark. When Stephanopoulos... CONTINUE READING