By Becky Ewing ’14

Arizona Republican Governor Jan Brewer recently struggled to make what should have been a very easy decision. She had to decide whether to sign or veto a bill which allows businesses to discriminate against same-sex couples on religious grounds. Supporters of the bill, like the Arizona Catholic Conference, were urging Brewer to sign the bill passed by Arizona’s Republican state legislators. In the midst of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) social movements, bigots are once again lashing out by using religion as a justification to deny fellow Americans their equal rights. Religious institutions, including the Catholic Church, are not compelled to preside over same-sex marriage. However, it is absurd to believe that corporations, which are not individuals, should have the power to establish a single religious belief for all those who enter their businesses. Last Wednesday, Brewer vetoed the bill, saving Arizona from the embarrassment of standing in the way of progress towards tolerance and equality.