Page 688 - Baker News Today

Of free exercise and it has nothing to do with mistreating, but making sure that government bureaucrats understand theres a bright line in what they can and cannot do in terms of interfe interfering with the right of free exercise. >> so the big question, would your law allow a baker to deny a gay couple making a cake in georgia? >> under current georgia law, sexual orientation is not a protected class, so is discrimination on that basis can occur today. my law would no way impact that one way o...

>> youre asking a baker to go in and use her creativity to participate in the wedding. she doesnt want to do that. and so shes lost her business. so there. shes lost her business. >> so youre taking the position that your religious association, the beliefs of your religion should trump public accommodations? >> chris, i did not say that. i said that -- >> tell me what you said. >> when you have a personal conviction of something, you should not be required to participate in it if it goes against...

Record i support gay rights, i also support religious freedom. i dont think this law actually allows this hypothetical baker to deny to make a cake for a gay wedding. i mean, theres been no legal scholar whos actually come out and said this would effectively do that and hasnt done it in the 19 states. >> what it does unlike most of the 20 other states by the way is allows an individual not a state sanctioned activity, but an individual to then say under the law i have the right because of my rel...

Protect? >> that is exactly the question. the way this reads now from what they have done if i can see what they are deleting from the original language and what they are inserting into it it tracks exactly, almost exactly, may in some ways be stronger than the national religious freedom restoration act in protecting individuals from government intrusion but not allowing essentially individual businesses corporations from not providing services to for instance a gay or lesbian company -- couple ...

But will it fly? right now in the states capital lawmakers are debating the new language for the controversial religious freedom law that weve spoken out. this comes after the enormous backlash that forced indiana governor mike pence that asked lawmakers to clarify, in his words, that their intent of the original law was not to discriminate. now theyre going to say theyre going to clarify it does not discriminate against anyone including members of the gay and lesbian community. lets bring in mi...

No quarrel. look, im for gay marriage but i think this movement has moved from tolerance to totalitarianism. totalitarianism of the left. >> you are absolutely right on that. no baker should to stop two people from getting married. they shouldnt they shouldnt be forced to bake the cake. >> i agree with you. >> i disagree with you and marco rubio. this is not about religious rights. its about individual freedom. >> >> there has got to be a reason why. look. if a black couple comes in and the bake...

That religious sect basically wanted to improperty a hallucinogenic tea for religious ceremonies. the supreme court said this sect, they have the right to do that. >> it is fascinating to see how this has evolved over time. when we look at the modern day laws and theyre using intent in timing and how the law has changed, its fascinating but revealing. >> when you go from peyote to a baker denying a cake at certain businesses, too, fascinating to see the parallels. >> well continue to watch this ...

Ferguson the governor says we want to clarify not fix. semantics aside, whats the right thing to do? >> i think they need a fix. i think he realized this has become such a bad pr stigma for the state, even though other states have done virtually the same exact thing. and to clarify it is probably the right decision moving forward. >> clarify it how? >> well clarify by saying look if are you gay or lesbian and you walk into a business you cant be kicked out just because youre gay or lesbian. here...

To accept interracial couples, religious differences, couples with religious differences. thats one possibility. the other possibility is the government can say individuals of conscious can, in their own discretion, say we dont want to do business with same-sex couples. those are the two possibilities. i dont see how you can work out some sort of compromise, because they are completely different positions. >> exactly. it does seem to be mutually exclusive. im just going to paraphrase something t...

Assembly to recall the bill. >> reporter: after saying he would call the bill into law, hes asking the state legislature to make it like the federal law signed by president clinton in 1993. the intent is to protect business owners. >> they are listening. they hear you. >> reporter: critics say would open the door to legal discrimination against gays and lesbians. >> clearly theres been misunderstanding and confusion. >> reporter: one of the arkansas bill sponsors said the law would not allow for...