Graph of the Week – Religious Right to Discriminate

Awhile back I pointed out this ominously subtitled report from the Pew Research Center. Today, this report becomes relevant again as the State of Indiana comes under fire for passing a law which will probably have the effect of codifying discrimination against various groups on religious grounds. (Please read this post for the relevant legal background in plain English.) This calls the question of where the American electorate currently stands on the issue of whether private businesses should be allowed to discrimination against gays and lesbians, and the answer (alas) is that we are roughly evenly split:

Six months ago, Pew asked if businesses have "right to refuse" service for same-sex weddings. Result: 47%-49% http://t.co/udMsdQxxtw — John McCormack (@McCormackJohn) March 31, 2015

To quote from the full report:

The public is evenly divided over whether businesses that provide wedding services, like catering or flowers, should be required to provide services to same-sex couples despite religious objections to same-sex marriage. Half (49%) say that wedding-related businesses should be required to provide services to same-sex couples just as they would to all other customers, while 47% say that these businesses should be allowed to refuse services to same-sex couples for religious reasons.

There is reason to be cautiously optimistic, however, because if we break down the numbers by age cohort there is a distinct trend away from permitting businesses to turn away customers based on sexual orientation.

When we see a strong trend away from the traditionally held position as the people surveyed get younger, we can predict with some confidence which way the political winds are blowing. In a generation or two, straights-only florists will be every bit as uncommon, reviled, and illegal as whites-only shops are today.

But fear not, bigoted florists and caterers of America! You can always get a job working directly for the organization which taught you to hate gays and lesbians so hotly that you refuse their patronage. There will always be a place for irrational prejudice within the church, not to mention a legal exemption therefor.