Religious Freedom Restoration Act Receiving Backlash from Evansville Businesses

03/26/2015

[E. Pluribus Unum]

EVANSVILLE -- Suzy Blesch has worked in a costume shop for almost 30 years, and she has seen many characters and creatures around, but it does not matter what anyone looks like or what anyone does. Everyone is welcome.

"It's important to me that whenever you walk into Nick Nackery to understand that you will be treated with respect," Blesch, the owner of Nick Nackery, said.

Gov. Mike Pence (R-Indiana) signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law Thursday morning, which could give business owners the right to refuse services to people based on their own personal religious beliefs.

In response to the new law, Blesch has posted a notice on her door, letting everyone know just what she thinks about the RFRA.

"I think to call it religious freedom is a farce," Blesch said. "I don't believe that's what it is. It's something to enable people to pick out a group of people and be discriminatory towards those people."

Other businesses in Evansville, including bars and restaurants, are also taking a similar stance against the law.

"I do believe that everybody should be treated fairly," Cassandra Watkins, a bartender at Side-Track, said.

"This is a second home for a lot of people, and that is for all people, every person, no matter of religious beliefs, religious creeds, sexual orientation, by the color of your skin, Lamasco's home to everybody," Lamasco Bar & Grill owner Amy Word said. "This is absolutely ill-guided. It's absolutely disgusting. It's bad for Indiana and it's bad for small business in every possible way.

And many Evansville residents and customers are equally outraged at the new law.

"Religion is about being accepting to love your neighbor, and if you can discriminate now against that, I feel like this should not have been legally allowed," University of Evansville student Lizz Domberger said.

Domberger said her class has had discussions about the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and what it means for the state of Indiana.

"We see it's moving backwards and that we are taught to ask questions and get to know more and not be a closeminded person," Domberger said.

Blesch grew up during the Civil Rights movement, and she said the signing of the bill takes her back to the darker days of her childhood.

"I remember in the 50s, in some remote areas where they would have signs that said 'whites only' or 'blacks only' and that is the most ungodly way to live that exists," Blesch said.

And for Domberger, who was born far removed from the Civil Right era of discrimination, she fears the new law is a slippery slope back those times.

"I'm very sad that I live in the state of Indiana right now," she said.

[sergeantdave]

“Considering his proclivities, he’d probably enjoy it. “

You’re probably right. Let’s do a garden hose up the nose instead.

[Roos_Girl]

I used this example earlier today in a discussion with some youngsters (I just turned 40) who thought this law was just plain evil:

I love the clothes from Banana Republic, but darn it, they only go up to size 16 and I wear an 18. They’re discriminating against and hate fat people because they only offer smaller sizes. The government should force them to provide larger sizes. The Gap offers clothes up to size 20, I could shop there, but I want the clothes from Banana Republic.

No one would admit that this example is the same thing as what’s being talked about in Indiana.

[Steve_Seattle]

Suzy Blesch sounds like an idiot. The objection to serving gays is not being raised by people who own shops or restaurants, but by those who are being forced to participate in gay marriage ceremonies that violate their religious beliefs.

[Coronal]

Don’t be surprised if more follow. Large companies will probably think twice about doing business in the state.

[hoosierham]

Business that promotes disgusting behavior is not a plus.