Via Pupienus Maximus at the mothership, we have a great legislative undermining of a discriminatory law by state representative Emily Virgin. Representative Virgin added to the "Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act", in reality a "we don't serve your kind here" law, an amendment that would force businesses to post announcements that they discriminate against certain potential customers:
Virgin amended the bill agreeing that is was fine to discriminate as long as you gave notice. All she was doing was saving everyone from embarrassment. Post a notice in your business, put it on your website and place it in your advertising. Hell, she even included race as a class you don’t have to serve in your business as long as you post it.
I like the bit about couching the bill in terms of avoiding those awkward face-to-face interactions, when the bigots have to figure out a way to couch their assholery in veiled terms. Better to make them broadcast their hate to the public to allow potential customers to make an educated decision about the businesses they patronize.
Brilliantly played, Rep. Virgin! If the bigots want to discriminate, make them wear their hate on the sleeve, or their front door and website.
I think it's brilliant, too. I've often thought that if businesses are allowed the right to discriminate, one reasonable way of pushing back would be "death by a thousand Yelp cuts" or whatever social media equivalent gets the news out there that some businesses may not be compatible with inclusive values. If discrimination is such an act of conscience and demonstration of faith for these people, they surely shouldn't mind wearing it on their sleeve or display window? Anymore than it should challenge their faith to watch people gaze on the sign...and walk on by.
ReplyDeleteWell...bigots gotta big, right?
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