Legislature's not having a gay old time

Arkansas appears headed straight for the 19th century thanks to our Legislature. Those lovable lugs and lassies in Little Rock just seem determined to turn the clock back with anti-discrimination laws that allow discrimination. George Orwell would be proud with their wording.

What I've found particularly disappointing, to put it mildly, is the Legislature tripping over itself to throw wide open the door of discrimination against people just because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Not only did our lawmakers forbid local communities from adopting legitimate anti-discrimination laws to protect the rights of LGBT folks (that's lesbian, gay, bi- and transsexual for those wondering), they took it a step further to provide a legal loophole to protect discrimination.

One is supposed to be a law to protect individual and businesses' religious rights. Someone can cite religious conscience and refuse to do business with anyone who's gay — whether it's making wedding bouquets or renting an apartment. That doesn't necessarily mean they have to prove they have a religious conscientious objection, they can just say they do.

Now, I think a little common sense all around could be applied instead. If a florist, or a caterer, or a baker doesn't care for gays (the law seems prompted by same-sex marriage, which still is outlawed in Arkansas) or believes homosexuality is wrong, just tell gay potential clients you'd prefer not to do business with them. On the other side of the coin, when gay potential clients are told that, don't make a big issue of it, just go to another business, preferably a competitor. I suspect that before long the open market would resolve the issue.

As for banning local anti-discrimination laws, the legislators contended they did it to avoid a patchwork of such ordinances in different communities. It seems to me it would have been simpler to amend the state anti-discrimination law to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

I really can't remember if I've ever said anything about this before — if it hasn't become obvious — but even if I have, it might bear repeating: I don't care if you're gay.

It doesn't bother me if anyone is gay, because it's none of my business. It's not the Legislature's business, either, or anyone else, for that matter. Someone being gay doesn't affect me, it doesn't affect my family, and it really doesn't affect society.

Oh, when I was younger, I thought there was something wrong with anyone who was gay, something sick, it just seemed repulsive. As I grew older, and learned more about life and people, I came to see people who are gay are no different than anyone else, except for dating and, now, marriage preferences.

I don't see homosexuality as right or wrong; it's just a fact of life. I'm of the school of thought that it's something genetic, or inherent, in the individual. It's just who someone is no matter how hard some try to suppress and hide it. And even if some people choose a gay lifestyle, it's still none of my business.

For those who have a religious view of homosexuality and think it's a choice, and wrong, I say it's none of your business, either. After all, it's said we're not to judge. Should someone who is gay face an ultimate cosmic judgment, they have to answer for themselves, just as everyone else would. Our judgment would not matter. Of course, that's a whole other ball of wax.

Not meaning to sound trite, or cliched, but I know gay people, I have friends who are gay, and to me it's like saying, "I have friends who are redheads." Someone tells me they're gay, well, that's great; I'm fat. So what? It's no big deal, let's just get along with life.

I realize I've probably made some folks mad, or even disappointed a few. But, we all have our own lives to live without worrying about how someone else lives theirs, and especially without trying to control their lives. Just because we may not care for how someone else lives does not give us the right to tell them how they can live, or discriminate against them because of it.

Discriminating against someone because of their color, size, hair, religion, beliefs, where they're from, or who they love, is stupid and wrong, which accurately describes what the Legislature's done.