"There’s no compromise when it comes to discrimination."
"Governor Mike Pence won’t say it, but we will: discrimination is wrong and should be illegal in our state. Republican leadership has utterly failed . . .
"Nothing short of repealing this hateful act and setting out clear protections will accomplish this aim . . .
" We do not condone discrimination: we do not tolerate discrimination: we won’t legislate discrimination . . .
"[Indiana] Senate Democrats are ready to pursue a full repeal of this ‘license to discriminate’ and have drafted legislation to achieve just that."
I learned a couple of days ago that that IN Senate Democratic Leader Tim Lanane announced that Democratic legislation to repeal Pence's Hate law AND establish legal protections for Indiana's LGBT community was already written and ready to roll:
Senate Democratic Leader Tim Lanane issued the following statement:
"Governor Mike Pence won’t say it, but we will: discrimination is wrong and should be illegal in our state. Republican leadership has utterly failed in the handling of this situation and our reputation as a welcoming state has been badly tarnished. Businesses are heading for the exits and everyday Hoosiers are fearful their neighbors will be subject to state-sanctioned discrimination. To quell these concerns we must send a strong signal. We do not condone discrimination: we do not tolerate discrimination: we won’t legislate discrimination. We need to take clear, actionable steps to repair the image of our state. To that end, Senate Democrats are ready to pursue a full repeal of this ‘license to discriminate’ and have drafted legislation to achieve just that. There’s no compromise when it comes to discrimination. This is a second chance and it’s precious. We owe it to every Hoosier to get this right. We can’t afford to forfeit a single job or drive out a single talented individual. We have a responsibility to every Hoosier. Nothing short of repealing this hateful act and setting out clear protections will accomplish this aim.”
[Found in this March 30 diary by librarisingnsf:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
A link to the YouTube video of Lanane's speech follows the quote above in the March 30 diary.]
I was cheering as I read these strong words, an I was proud to know that Lanane (rhymes with 'cannon') and his Democratic colleagues had already prepared legislation to both repeal Pence's Hate law
and establish legal protections for LGBT folks in Indiana.
The conservative Indianapolis Star's unprecedented full-page, front-page March 31 op-ed strongly supports the 'Protect' portion of this Democratic initiative, although it believes (mistakenly, imo) that Pence's Hate Law and LGBT protections can "co-exist":
The consequences [of Pence's Hate Law] will only get worse if our state leaders delay in fixing the deep mess created.
Half steps will not be enough. Half steps will not undo the damage.
Only bold action — action that sends an unmistakable message to the world that our state will not tolerate discrimination against any of its citizens — will be enough to reverse the damage.
Gov. Mike Pence and the General Assembly need to enact a state law to prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, education and public accommodations on the basis of a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
[...]
To safeguard that essential [religious] freedom, 19 states and the federal government have adopted RFRA laws, largely without controversy. But states like Illinois not only protect religious freedom through RFRA but also provide gay and lesbian residents with protected legal status.
[...]
Those protections and RFRA can co-exist. They do elsewhere.
[Found at: Indianapolis Star Editorial: fix 'religious freedom' law now by unapologeticliberal777 -- http://www.dailykos.com/... ]
While the Indy Star is right to call for LGBT protections under law, it errs in repeating Pence's '19 states and the Federal government' spin. It has by now been widely reported that Pence's Hate Law differs radically from those laws, in ways that he was warned are unconstituional (see:
http://www.dailykos.com/... )
The Indy Star has called for "bold action — action that sends an unmistakable message to the world that our state will not tolerate discrimination against any of its citizens — [bold action that] will be enough to reverse the damage [done by Pence's Hate Law].
In their 'Repeal & Protect' draft legislation, Indiana's Senate Democrats are taking the only action bold enough to ' send an unmistakable message to the world that our state will not tolerate discrimination' -- and that message will be the law.
This strong, decisive action by Lanane and his Democratic Senate colleagues has received remarkably little recognition here at dKos -- but I hope this will soon change. According to Lanane's media intern, Lanane is busy today with interviews in a 12-hour media blitz with a variety of outlets -- so tomorrow we may find this Democratic draft legislation receiving the attention it deserves.
How much time do we spend here, gnashing our teeth and moaning about wimpy Dems who just roll over for the Tea-Party GOP? Here and now, on this urgent issue, we have Red-State Dems (in poor little red-haired stepchild Indiana, no less!) acting quickly and strongly to overcome a wrong and improve the future. Let's get behind them and show them some support!
Let's make it a point to learn about this draft legislation, to applaud it, and to publicize it. Not only do we have a chance to correct Indiana's mistake, we have a chance to help other states (like Arkansas and Georgia) avoid the huge mistake of passing laws like Pence's Hate Law.
7:59 PM PT: UPDATE:
-- From Sen. Lanane's 'Issues' page --
NOTE: A copy of the amendment drafted to repeal Senate Enrolled Act 101 can be found at:
http://indianasenatedemocrats.org/...
NOTE: A copy of the amendment drafted to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation at:
http://indianasenatedemocrats.org/...
http://indianasenatedemocrats.org/...
-- Sen. Lanane interviewed by Democracy Now!
http://www.democracynow.org/...
-- I was unaware of Sen. Lanane's House colleague, Indiana House Democratic Leader Scott Pelath, who is also speaking out against Pences' Hate Law and speaking out about the IN Democrats' Repeal & Protect initiative. Here's a pic of them together --
http://www.chicagotribune.com/...