If anyone can recall, back in 2012, owners of the Liberty Ridge Farm, a ranch that hosts various venues and forums in upstate New York was contacted by a Lesbian couple, Jennifer McCarthy and Melisa Erwin, who were inquiring as to whether or not they could host their marriage ceremony. Liberty Ridge Farm's owners, Cynthia and Robert Gifford, are devout Christians, and after much consideration, decided to host the reception, but not the actual marriage ceremony, because it conflicted with their own personal beliefs. Despite this being the United States, where the First Amendment promises freedom of speech, and religious expression, the Giffords were fined $10,000, and were forced to pay each of the spouses $1,500, on the grounds of New York's anti-discrimination Human Rights laws. So much for personal liberty, at Liberty Ridge Farm.
The case with Gifford's farm sparked much outrage, most particularly to Christian churches, who choose not to recognize same-sex marriage due to their Christian belief that marriage is something sacred between a man and a woman. Many Churches began to fear, that they too would be sued on such grounds, for not adhering to these so called Human Rights laws being ushered in by the state judiciary.
Fast forward to today, both Arkansas and Indiana have recently passed a Religious Freedom Restoration Act, along with 19 other states, which already have such laws which ensures the rights of businesses or persons, " to take part in only the transactions they want to." Hence alleviating businesses, one's similar to the Gifford's ranch, from having to partake in transactions with those whose beliefs are contrary to theirs, at their own discretion.
Immediately after its passing in the state of Indiana, both prominent CEOs and celebrities displayed an immense amount outrage, decrying the new law. Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, claimed that his company has a zero tolerance towards discrimination, and that the new act was reminiscent to that of the discriminating Jim Crow laws that plagued the Southern US after the Civil War.
Our savior Christ said, "You will know them by their fruits," and indeed this saying holds true here. Is it that these celebrities and CEOs are really concerned with some fallacy of discrimination taking place, or is that they're simply side stepping to the tune and indoctrination that comes from the Left unquestionably? Ben Shapiro chief editor at large for Breitbeirt News pointed out this paradox, that despite Tim Cooks criticism of Indiana's new act, Tim Cook has yet to have a problem with doing business with and in countries like Saudi Arabia- a place where homosexuality isn't simply discriminated against, but where it is an outright crime punishable by death.
William F. Buckley Jr once remarked: "liberals claim to want to give a hearing to others, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views." This seems to be the case with much of the mainstream media's perception of both Indiana's and Arkansas' newly passed Freedom of Religion Act, along with the CEOs and celebrities with their phony outrage.
