Bryan Fischer's American Family Association accuses Indiana of amending their "religious freedom" law in order to cave to "Big Gay." Yes. Big Gay. Naturally, one of his hate-mongering foot soldiers, Sandy Rios, appeared on News Nation on MSNBC this morning. She began,
"The problem is that the law has been completely mis-characterized. The RFRA offers protection to anyone listening to me. It isn't about coming after gays or lesbians,it's not about coming after anyone, it's what we would call a shield, not a sword... It provides a way where people who have strong religious faith and convictions about certain things can defend themselves in court if they are being forced to do something that goes against their conscience."
Rios passionately recalls when a 71 year old woman in Oregon refused to provide floral arrangements for a gay couple and, as Rios put it, she was asked to "provide her artistry to a same-sex wedding." The grandmother refused because it violated her beliefs. With typical persecuted Christian outrage, Rios said that now the government wants to take all her worldly possessions and by that I mean the government in Washington State (well which state is it?).
Next, she recalls a baker who wouldn't bake a cake for a gay couple's wedding. The couple and their five heterosexual children are now in financial straights. I'm surprised her very lucrative hate-group didn't volunteer to help out the persecuted Christian family.
Both are examples of people not being allowed to discriminate, but Rios fails to make that connection. By those standards, this law would allow a business to do exactly what she claims it doesn't do: discriminate based on sexual preference.
Tamron Hall reads a statement from the AFA that derided Angie's List for boycotting Indiana over this abomination of a law. Even Walmart won't support this hateful legislation. Rios reiterated that the law has been misinterpreted. She defended Pence's recent call for amending the law because of economic threats from businesses and he's "beginning to feel the heat, and it's WRONG."
Rios then claimed that RFRA just happens to be protecting Christians right now because they are "really taking a hit." The gay people SHE knows aren't like the activists, who are INSATIABLE, they want to get their way. Her gay friends, "who are reasonable, who have a conscience about gay marriage, which is wrong," wouldn't rise up and object to being discriminated, they'd take their lumps, like good sheep do. By now, Hall has let her take up over 4 of the first 5 minutes of the segment with only one follow up question.
Jason Rahlan from the Human Rights Campaign brought up Microsoft, Apple, Nike and other corporations who have spoken out against this idiotic law. So Rios interrupts and said that they don't know the whole story. Rahlan said, "you don't think the CEO of Apple is smart?" She claims they are not smart, along with the NCAA who are just wrong here. Never mind what millions of Americans think, Rios and her hate-monger AFA don't hear the call of the majority of this nation. They cater to the far-right fringe of the Republican Party.
I thought perhaps listening to Rios that it had to be an April Fools Day joke, but I guess not. She doubled down saying that the Morning After Pill is the same thing as an abortion. She said that gay people can just "go to another florist." The convictions of religious bigots supersedes the rights of people who love someone of the same sex. Hobby Lobby can do whatever they want because they have a history of religious zealotry, if we follow Rios' logic.
She finishes the awful segment by suggesting that Tamron Hall would be offended if MSNBC ran laws that advocate for racial discrimination. Jason said that's like comparing "apples to Volkswagens." Rios barely let Rahlan get a word in edgewise.
Her hate and delusion should never be allowed this much airtime ever again. She commandeered the whole segment with her vitriolic lies, which no one should ever be subjected to again. Anyone from such a hate-filled group should be banned from any reputable news station, but then again, this was MSNBC, the new Fox-lite station.
