More opposition to Georgia's HB 757 FADA bill has been pouring in. Here are few notable ones, including opinions from a former U.S. Justice Department official, Wonkette, and businesses.
From Georgia Voice:
[Taken from the statement of Joe Whitley, former U.S. Justice Department official]
"After surveying this piece of legislation, I note that in the name of tolerance, this legislation likely will cause more in the way of intolerance for those whose private marital and family relationships may be disfavored by a particular faith. Georgia does not need to enact a law such as this to maintain the freedom of religion or protect deeply held religious beliefs, which the Constitution and Bill of Rights already protect. Moreover, no person should have religious beliefs imposed on them without their consent. While I am sympathetic to the fact that a number of my fellow citizens have been led to believe that their personal beliefs are unprotected absent such legislation, as I have shown, this is simply not the case. Instead, passage of the Act likely would lead to real harm to many people, as well as to our State and its reputation."
From Wonkette:
The law would not only give Christians the right to refuse service to gays and lesbians; Americans United for Separation of Church and State warns the measure would allow any individual or business “to ignore any law that conflicts with their religious beliefs about marriage.” While most of the debate about the bill focused on protecting bakers from ever having to bake a penis cake for a gay wedding, the language is broad enough to also permit the refusal of service to mixed-race couples, divorced people, single parents, or fornicators, as long as you seriously believe the Hairy Thunderer or Cosmic Muffin commands you to discriminate.
In a bit of Frankenstein surgery, the state Senate grafted together the “Pastor Protection Act,” which would guarantee ministers wouldn’t have to perform same-sex marriages (a right they already have under the First Amendment) with the “First Amendment Defense Act,” which would guarantee tax-funded groups to deny services to gays and lesbians. This is clearly what the First Amendment is all about.
From 11ALIVE.com:
The fight over religious freedom legislation is heating up. Some clergy members and the hospitality community are speaking out against legislation being proposed at the Georgia Capitol...
The Hyatt has joined other major hotels, the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, the film industry and even global brands, such as Coca Cola in opposing legislation –HB 757 -- which passed in the Georgia senate last week in reaction to the Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage.