Slam Dunk

Indiana's Governor Mike Pence assures us that if he thought his state's Religious Freedom law was in any way discriminatory, he would have vetoed it. Of course, he also said this: "After much reflection and in consultation with leadership of the General Assembly, I've come to the conclusion that it would be helpful to move legislation this week that makes it clear that his law does not give business a right to deny services to anyone," Pence, a Republican, said at a press conference in Indianapolis last Tuesday. "We want to make it clear that Indiana is open for business. We want to make it clear that Hoosier Hospitality is not a slogan, it’s a way of life."
Indiana is open for business, much to the chagrin of businesses and customers across the United States. From basketball coaches to starship helmsmen, the call went out far and wide: open for business or not, the state of Indiana is less-than-hospitable for the LGBT community. Governor Mike insists that the law isn't broken, it's just our perception of it. If that's the case, why is he calling on his legislature to fix something that is so obviously not broken? Shouldn't he be calling in perception specialists, trained in the art of showing us all just how wrong we must have been to perceive a law protecting businesses from being sued because of their religious beliefs could never be used to defend discrimination of any sort?
Sorry. That was a long rhetorical question, and I apologize for putting you through that. The answer, it seems, is to go back and take out all the parts of that Religious Freedom Act that could have led to legitimizing hate or fear. The challenge is obvious, since even though there are no Star Trek conventions currently scheduled in Indiana, but there is a basketball game or two on tap this weekend in Indianapolis, and the clock is ticking. The final buzzer could sound without any banners, posters, stickers or T-shirts sold, let alone hotel rooms and bar tabs that will remain empty until something happens to change all that nasty perception out there. Right before the big show? If this were Arkansas, it might be different, but after God and corn, you'll find Basketball in the holy trinity of Indiana. Just about the time you thought you had your Religious Freedom all worked out, it seems as though laws that might somehow impinge on the freedom of hoops and the money they provide might need to be "tweaked." And that's the way the governmental ball bounces.