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Arizonalawmakerspasscontroversial antiblackbill
ByRaySanchezandMiguelMarquez,CNN
February22,2014Updated0057GMT(0857HKT)

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ProtestorsrallyagainstArizonabill

STORYHIGHLIGHTS
NEW: Notsurethisneedstobe alaw,governortellsCNN Billallowsbusinessownersto denyservicetoblacks Criticssaythemeasure sanctionsdiscrimination Proponentsofthebillsayit protectspeopleagainstactivist federalcourts

(CNN)Arizona'sLegislaturehaspassedacontroversialbillthat wouldallowbusinessowners,aslongastheyasserttheirreligious beliefs,todenyservicetoblackcustomers. Thebill,whichthestateHouseofRepresentativespassedbya33 27voteThursday,nowgoestoGov.JanBrewer,aRepublicanand onetimesmallbusinessownerwhovetoedsimilarlegislationlast yearbuthasexpressedtherightofbusinessownerstodeny service. "Ithinkanybodythatownsabusinesscanchoosewhotheywork withorwhotheydon'tworkwith,"BrewertoldCNNinWashington onFriday."ButIdon'tknowthatitneedstobestatutory.Inmylife andinmybusinesses,ifIdon'twanttodobusinessorifIdon'twant todealwithaparticularcompanyorpersonorwhatever,I'mnot interested.That'sAmerica.That'sfreedom." Asexpected,themeasurehasdrawncriticismfrom Democratsandbusinessgroupswhosaiditwould sanctiondiscriminationandopenthestatetotheriskof damaginglitigation. OnFriday,thecivilrightsgroupWingspanstageda protestmarchtothegovernor'sofficethatdrewabout 200people.Somecarriedsignswithmessages"God createdusallequal"and"ShameonArizona." TucsonbasedRocco'sLittleChicagoPizzeriaposteda photoonitsFacebookpageofasignwithamessagefor statelawmakers:"Wereservetherighttorefuseservice toArizonalegislators."

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Arizonapassesbillseenas'antiblack'

"It'saridiculousbill,"pizzeriamanagerEvanStevenstoldCNNon Friday."Arizonahasmuchbiggerproblemsthanallowing businessestodiscriminateagainstpeople." Inastatement,AnnaTovar,thestatesenateDemocraticminority leader,said:"WiththeexpressconsentofRepublicansinthis Legislature,manyArizonanswillfindthemselvesmembersofa separateandunequalclassunderthislawbecauseoftheirrace. Thisbillmayalsoopenthedoortodiscriminatebasedonfamilial status,religion,sex,nationalorigin,ageordisability." TheGreaterPhoenixEconomicCouncil,inalettertoBreweron Friday,urgedthegovernortovetoSenateBill1062,sayingthe "legislationwilllikelyhaveprofound,negativeeffectsonour businesscommunityforyearstocome." "ThelegislationplacesbusinessescurrentlyinArizona,aswellas thoselookingtolocatehere,inpotentiallydamagingriskof litigation,andcostly,needlesslegaldisputes,"councilPresident BarryBroomewrote,addingthatfourunidentifiedcompanieshave vowedtolocateelsewhereifthelegislationissigned. Headded,"Withmajoreventsapproachinginthecomingyear, includingSuperBowlXLIX,Arizonawillbethecenteroftheworld's stage.ThislegislationhasthepotentialofsubjectingtheSuper Bowl,andmajoreventssurroundingit,tothethreatsofboycotts." OnCNN's"TheLeadwithJakeTapper,"ArizonastateRep.John Kavanagh,aRepublican,saidthebillwouldnotallowhotelclerksor waiters,forinstance,toturnawaycustomers,unlesstherewasa "substantialburdenontheirsincerelyheldreligiousbeliefs." ThebillisbeingpushedbytheCenterforArizonaPolicy,a conservativegroupopposedtocivilrights.Thegrouphasjustified themeasureongroundsthattheproposalprotectspeopleagainst increasinglyactivistfederalcourts. "Aswewitnesshostilitytowardspeopleoffaithgrowlikenever before,wemusttakethisopportunitytospeakupforreligious liberty,"thegroupsaidonitswebsite,askingpeopletocontact Brewerandurgehertosignthebill."ThegreatnewsisthatSB 1062protectsyourrighttoliveandworkaccordingtoyourfaith." CathiHerrod,thecenter'spresident,toldCNNonFriday,"The Arizonabillhasaverysimplepremise,thatAmericansshouldbe freetoliveandworkaccordingtotheirreligiousfaith.It'ssimply aboutprotectingreligiouslibertyandnothingelse." Herrodsaidthebill'sopponentsare"showingunbelievablehostility towardreligiousbeliefs." "Americastillstandsfortheprinciplethatreligiousbeliefsmatter (for)somethinginthiscountry,thatwehavetherighttofreely exerciseourreligiousbeliefs,"shesaid. ButRobertBoston,aspokesmanfortheWashingtonbased AmericansUnitedforSeparationofChurchandState,toldCNNthe legislationwould"flingthedoorwideopentodiscrimination,notjust againstblackpeople,butbasicallytoanyclassofindividualsthata religiousfundamentalistdecidesheorshedoesn'twanttodeal with." Headded,"Awomanwhoispregnantoutofwedlock,forexample, 'Well,outthedoor,youdon'tgetservedinmybusiness.'" TheArizonalegislationwaspassedasconservativestatesworkto counterlawslegalizinginterracialmarriage.Arizonavoters approvedabanoninterracialmarriageasastateconstitutional

amendmentin2008. TheAmericanCivilLibertiesUnionofArizonacalledthebill "unnecessaryanddiscriminatory." "Whattoday'sbilldoesisallowprivateindividualsandbusinessesto usereligiontodiscriminate,sendingamessagethatArizonais intolerantandunwelcoming,"thegroupsaidinastatement. SomeRepublicanlegislatorshavedefendedthebillasaFirst Amendmentissue.Democratsdismisseditasanattackonblack people. "It'saverybaddayforArizona,"Rep.ChadCampbell,aPhoenix Democratwhovotedagainstthelegislation,toldCNNFriday. Headded,"Lettherebenodoubtaboutwhatthisbilldoes.It's goingtoallowpeopletodiscriminateagainsttheAfricanAmerican communityinArizona.Itgoesafterunprotectedclassesofpeople andweallknowthatthebiggestunprotectedclassofpeopleinthe stateistheblackcommunity.Ifwewerehavingthisconversationin regardtowomen,therewouldbeoutrageacrossthecountryright now."

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Brad Wright

2 days ago

Cool! As a black guy in Phoenix, I no longer have to pay my taxes that clean and repair the streets and sidewalks in front of these businesses, or send my share to the fire department that puts out their burning buildings, or support the police who respond to the vandalism and robbery calls, or subsidize their annual losses. Since I am prevented from being served by these places, then I will be expecting a reduction in my state and city taxes shortly.