CNN's Wolf Blitzer hounded Rep. Michele Bachmann over Arizona's
religious freedom bill on Wednesday and "disagreed" that religious
beliefs of business owners are being violated when they are forced to
act against their consciences and serve all customers.
"Americans are very tolerant people. And there is religious freedom in
our country," Blitzer insisted. When Bachmann responded that "This is
not tolerating people's religious beliefs," he chimed back in, "On this
one, I disagree."
[Video below. Audio here.]
Blitzer didn't even acknowledge the conservative argument that
religious freedom is under attack from ObamaCare's birth control
mandate, as well as from lawsuits against businesses who won't serve gay
couples for religious reasons.
Bachmann said as much: "But remember, we are treating people who hold
sincerely held religious beliefs differently than other Americans
either. This isn't one side or another. What we're talking about is
tolerance on both sides. And it is not tolerant to force people to
violate their religious beliefs. That's not tolerant."
Blitzer didn't offer much of a rebuttal, other than that he disagreed.
He focused on the gays and lesbians affected by the law: "But if gays
and lesbians won't be able to get services like all other Americans,
that's discriminatory against them."
Below is a transcript of the segment:
CNN
THE SITUATION ROOM
2/26/14
6:18 p.m. EST
WOLF BLITZER: What do you think the Republican governor of Arizona, Jan
Brewer, should do with this legislation passed by the state legislature
that the supporters say is a religious freedom piece of legislation.
The critics say it gives an opportunity to discriminate against gays and
lesbians.
MICHELE BACHMANN: I think that what we need to do is we need to respect
both sides. We need to respect both opinions. And just like we need to
observe tolerance for the gay and lesbian community, we need to have
tolerance for the community of people who hold sincerely held religious
beliefs.
BLITZER: So should she veto that legislation?
BACHMANN: No, I don't think that she should. My opinion is –
BLITZER: Won't that open the door for less tolerance for gays?
BACHMANN: Oh, in fact it's just the opposite. This is a decided level
of intolerance. It's effectively eviscerating the First Amendment rights
of freedom of speech, expression and religious expression for the
people of Arizona, and it sets a terrible precedence.
BLITZER: But if gays and lesbians won't be able to get services like all other Americans, that's discriminatory against them.
BACHMANN: We need – again, we need to respect the gay and lesbian community, and they need to have access to services.
BLITZER: But if they're treated differently than other Americans, that certainly isn't respectful.
BACHMANN: But remember, we are treating people who hold sincerely held
religious beliefs differently than other Americans either. This isn't
one side or another. What we're talking about is tolerance on both
sides. And it is not tolerant to force people to violate their religious
beliefs. That's not tolerant.
BLITZER: I think you're going to be disappointed because I think, I think she's going to veto that legislation.
BACHMANN: It looks like she may veto it, but I think that will prove to
serve us not very well in terms of tolerance in the United States.
BLITZER: There's a lot of tolerance. Americans are very tolerant people. And there is religious freedom in our country.
BACHMANN: This is not tolerating people's religious beliefs. And we need to do that.
BLITZER: On this one, I disagree.
