At the Corner Wine Bar and Wellington Pub in Broad Ripple, the menu board outside proclaimed service for everyone. <\/p>\n
Its a slogan that began popping up across Indiana on Thursday, in doorways, on windows and other spots, in response to Gov. Mike Pence's signing of Indianas hot-button religious freedom law. <\/p>\n
The Broad Ripple restaurant and pub also posted the slogan in Facebook posts that were quickly greeted with multiple likes, its general manager Ashley Daubenspeck said. <\/p>\n
The slogans meaning, she explained: We dont discriminate, and we are happy to serve anybody. <\/p>\n
Hours after Pence signed the measure, dozens of calls by reporters to Central Indiana businesses couldnt find one willing to admit it planned to use the new law to discriminate against some customers for religious reasons. <\/p>\n
That was the fear expressed most often by opponents of the measure, including gay rights groups and others. <\/p>\n
Most businesses contacted Thursday insisted they had no desire to discriminate against any of their customers. For many, the law brought a new worry: that it will spawn a backlash of negative public reaction that will discourage tourists from coming to the state and some residents from spending money for certain services. <\/p>\n
One scenario sketched out by opponents of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act was that the law would give wedding-related businesses the legal right to refuse to serve same-sex weddings. In 2014, an Indianapolis cake shop thats now closed did just that. Years earlier, an Indianapolis bakery wouldnt sell its baked goods to a gay customer. <\/p>\n
But several businesses in the wedding industry didnt see the new law causing a rise in such practices. <\/p>\n
Taylors Bakery of Indianapolis and Fishers, one the oldest bakeries in the state, said it has made many wedding and commitment cakes for gay couples, and plans to continue. <\/p>\n
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Businesses fear costly backlash from Indiana's religious freedom law<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" At the Corner Wine Bar and Wellington Pub in Broad Ripple, the menu board outside proclaimed service for everyone. Its a slogan that began popping up across Indiana on Thursday, in doorways, on windows and other spots, in response to Gov. Mike Pence's signing of Indianas hot-button religious freedom law Continue reading