I feel bad in one way about all this dumping on Indiana. I've been to the state many times, mainly to Indianapolis and Muncie, and I have quite a few good friends there. Then again, they are all decent, smart folks and I'm pretty sure they're all outraged and embarrassed by this so-called "Religious Freedom Restoration Act." One even wrote me, "I'm sorry our governor likes to pander to the worst and richest people in our state."
You know, at a time when more and more Americans identify with no particular religion, I have to wonder if this controversy will hasten that decline further. During the scandal about the Catholic church protecting pedophile priests, a lot of people decided that religion — and not just Catholicism — was a racket unconcerned with true morality or the fundamental teachings that are preached. The religious leaders who clearly seem to be in it for the bucks also drive people away. Seeing religion used as the justification for discrimination ought to make a few more think it's not for them.
Anyway, I don't want to write a whole lot more about this but a few people wrote me to "agree" with me that the Indiana law was the exact same thing Barack Obama had signed, the same thing Bill Clinton had signed, etc. Actually, I said it was "like" these other laws which, of course, those men no longer support. Here's Garrett Epps to explain why it's not the exact same law.