When somebody tries to tell you something you don’t want to hear, loud humming or singing can block it out. There’s a certain bliss in tuning out irksome or conflict-laden messages. Of course, nothing is solved by turning a deaf ear. What if they were shouting: “Fire!”? Well, something urgent has come up: Mississippi’s welcome mat is burning.
With Mississippi House Bill 1523 signed into state law on 5 April 2016, religious groups and private businesses can, on the basis of “a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction,” legally deny service to gay or transgender people.
It is almost certain that those who desire this law do not want to hear any objections to it. It is equally certain that any “sincerely held religious belief” underlying such discrimination is not based on words attributed to Christ in the gospel of St. Luke: “love your enemies and do good and lend hoping for nothing in return;” and “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:” [Luke, 6: 35-37]
The fundamental message is one of tolerance, respect, empathy and generosity.
Bill 1523 has met strong opposition from business interests in our state as well as nationally. Ranked by Forbes as the second least business friendly state in the nation, Mississippi doesn’t have a lot of slack in this area. Entertainers, as well as writers (almost a hundred Mississippi authors have signed a letter condemning the bill) object to this legislation. At least two big-name singers have recently canceled planned shows in Mississippi. The British government has issued a travel advisory for LGBT travelers to Mississippi. Festivals and tourism are being impacted: People do take seriously the risk of not feeling welcome. To wit, the annual picnic in New York City’s Central Park celebrating Mississippi’s food and culture has been canceled by the organizers there expressly to signal opposition to adoption of this bill, a form of reverse discrimination that apparently came as a complete surprise to at least one proponent of the bill.
So why was this law introduced? No doubt it arose partly in response to the ‘Obergefell ruling,’ legalizing same sex marriage across the country. If some form of support is needed for people who truly object to serving LGBT clients/customers/citizens, surely there are better ways to deal with this, unless one is truly bent on imposing one’s will and values on others.
By emphasizing exclusion and becoming a prime example of pre-judgement and hypocrisy, the bill does inestimable harm to Mississippi. It hurts people we all know. It may hurt our friends and neighbors. It certainly hurts our economy. By over-reacting and over-correcting for what might, could, possibly happen, it signals a clear message of exclusion and discrimination.
Who needs this? Before entry into force on 1 July, with a modicum of goodwill, Bill 1523 could surely be repealed, if for no other reason than such legislation is not compatible with fair and humane American values.
Elizabeth Simpson
Columbus
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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