Arizona lawmakers have proposed a piece of legislation that has caused some controversy in the last few days. The bill claims to protect religious freedoms by allowing individuals to refuse service to homosexual couples if it goes against their beliefs. The bill was originally purposed for cake makers, florists and wedding planners to be able to refuse working weddings of homosexual couples, but the bill also protects people who own a restaurant or any other small business from serving these couples in any situation.

Now do I believe that an individual can run a business how they want and refuse service to anyone? The answer to that question is yes, but the issue I have with the bill is that it supports separatism and discrimination. Business owners already have the ability to refuse service to anyone, and they frequently use this ability to discriminate. If they already discriminate, do they really need a law passed to continue to do so?

The issue I have with the piece of legislation is that the bill supports discrimination. Bills like these open the doors for racism, sexism, and many other forms of discrimination. The first thing this bill reminds me of is segregation in the United States. Separating the black children from the white children, making people of color sit in the back of the bus, and separating water fountains. Discrimination is bad enough in this country without laws promoting the behavior. If Arizona passes this law, it will only create an upward trend of abuse toward others.  I would hate to think that any state in this country could revert back to the old ways of treating people, but then again, history has a way of repeating itself.