State Of Hate–Arkansas Votes In Favor Of LGBT Discrimination

For LGBT residents of Arkansas, Friday the 13th was indeed a dark day. On that day, by a vote of 57-20, the Arkansas House of Representatives made the state one of the most hate filled and intolerant in the nation. Disgusted with efforts to expand equal protections to the LGBT community in Arkansas, Republican State Senator Bart Hester sponsored an LGBT discrimination bill and then attempted to defend it by saying it would attract business.

There are many things necessary for stability — and civil rights need not be a volatile situation.” 

Arkansas need not bother to call itself the Land of Opportunity any longer. That just so happens to be the state motto “The Land of Opportunity.” Unless you happen to be a person who is lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender of course. No doubt the irony would be lost on a someone as dense as Senator Hester.

But Hester wasn’t through with his moronic logic, and even had the nerve to say he is discriminated against,opining:

I am singled out as a politician. I am singled out because I am married to one woman … I want everyone in the LGBT community to have the same rights I do. I do not want them to have special rights that I do not have.”

I wasn’t aware the the LGBT community in Arkansas wanted “special rights.” I thought their fight was to just have the same rights as Senator Hester. They don’t want to be discriminated against because of who they are. Is that really too much to ask for?

Playing an active role in the passing of this despicable legislation was none other than Michelle Duggar of 19 Kids and Counting fame. Duggar got involved when the city of Fayetteville, Arkansas passed a non-discrimination ordinance in 2014. Duggar is adamantly opposed to any laws or ordinances which might grant equal rights to those she disagrees with. Most people are adamantly opposed to Duggar.

Opponents of the legislation said most Arkansans are not pleased with the bill, which GOP Governor Asa Hutchinson has said he will allow to become law by not signing or vetoing it. In other words, he will play the role of spineless accomplice in this Theater of the Absurd.

Holly Dickson, legal director of the Arkansas ACLU remarked:

As soon as LGBT people get some protections against being evicted or fired just because of who they love, the state is going to absolutely prohibit them from obtaining that sort of protection.”

So on Friday, Arkansas took a huge step towards becoming the most hate-filled state in the country. That’s gotta be a point of pride for the Land of Opportunity.

This article was originally published by the same author at LiberalAmerica.org

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