Louisiana's Republican Governor, the pious Piyush "Bobby" Jindal, has yet to announce that he's running for
On Tuesday, to the dismay of Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), Louisiana’s proposed Marriage and Conscience Act failed in the state’s house. The legislation, which has been compared to “religious freedom restoration acts” (RFRA) in Arkansas and Indiana, would have prohibited “the state from taking any adverse action against a person on the basis that such person acted in accordance with a religious belief or moral conviction about marriage.” Thus, a pizza shop that said it would not cater a gay wedding — as happened in Indiana — might not be penalized.
But after the bill failed, Jindal stepped into the breach.
“We are disappointed by the committee’s action to return the Louisiana Marriage and Conscience Act to the calendar,” Jindal said in a statement, as the Times-Picayune reported. “We will be issuing an Executive Order shortly that will … prevent the state from discriminating against persons or entities with deeply held religious beliefs that marriage is between one man and one woman.”Hmmm. Circumventing his (Republican) legislature by Executive order. Sounds suspiciously like another tyrant. However, unlike that other "tyrant," pious Piyush's action would almost certainly be overturned in court (and certainly would be moot should the Supreme Court rule against discrimination and in favor of same-sex marriage next month), and is not intended to be anything but a campaign talking point (UPDATE: Make that a 30-second spot.). But we hope he and other dead-enders in the Republican/ New Confederate/ Stupid Party continue to fight this to the last crumb of the last gay wedding cake, because it defines them so perfectly as the Stupid Party (thanks again, irony-free Piyush!).
