I have a question concerning the Indiana Republican legislators:

[PCIntern]

During the two days I have been watching the TeeVee machine, these legislators and their apologists keep getting up and stating that they and the businesses which they purport to represent would never discriminate against a Hoosier no matter who shows up at the cash register.

Now what if a gay couple from New York, Florida, or even Wyoming(!) were to attend a concern within the state in an attempt to purchase goods and/or services? Would it be permissible under the "law"for discrimination to occur at that time and place because the individuals involved were not Hoosiers?

Now since I can't seem to author a post without someone getting mad at me for one reason or another, I'll just say that I'm just a little bit tired of this "Hoosier" moniker. As far as I am concerned, these people who hail from the Great State of Indiana are Americans as I am an American and President of The United States Barack Obama is an American. Since when do we individualize the residents of America as to their state or commonwealth of residence when discussing the application of laws to the Citizenry? Sure, if you want to root for one of their basketball teams, sure: you have the floor. But when these guys and ladies get up and start talking about how they're going to treat other Hoosiers rather than how they're going to treat other citizens, the hair on the back of my neck goes up.

[dissentient]

1. I don't get the Hoosier thing either...Never have.

[salin]

2. I can't speak to the nutty governor's use of the term.

Is your beef the silly arguments made - and throwing the term around as if it isn't okay to discriminate against a Hoosier (and you bet your ass they would) but it would be okay to discriminate in general (you bet they would). Indeed the Majority leader in the house back in 2008 (as majority leader) led a floor fight to get a gay marriage ban amendment to the state constitution - so it would go onto the ballot in a future state-wide election: stating (while the economy was comatose) that 'This is the Most Important Issue Facing the State'. So per their specious arguments - we all know they are full of it.

Or are you just being irked by the use of a nickname for citizens of a state?

Just as Californian's sometimes refer to themselves as Californian's (usually referring to a state issue) - a hundred yrs or so ago the term Hoosier came about so we never came to calling ourselves "Indianians". (There are some great tall tales as to how the term came to be.)

Do you get fed up with "New Yorkers" calling themselves "New Yorkers"? I think it usually means a call out per a local perspective... and right now - a call out per "doesn't it stink to be associated with all of this yahooism?" camraderie to those also stuck here.

I can't speak to other parts of this state but in Indianapolis and in Bloomington, I doubt even if the law made it permissible that the gay couple from out of state (or in state) would be refused service. That's just bad business - and the yahoos in state government don't represent the more cosmopolitan areas of the state. However, I can't speak to the environment in other parts of the state. I can say that the issue wouldn't be of whether or not you were from instate or outstate. It would be how indoctrinated a community was by the religious right - and how poor of a sense of 'good business' that the owner had. IMO

But I am not really clear which your beef is or whether I have responded to it.

[PCIntern]

3. I'll be blunt...

I don't real give a good goddamn about their nickname. I care about their language and their intent. If I were to say as a legislator that Pennsylvania would not discriminate against Pennsylvanians, my unstated words would be obvious. But with this Hoosier business, I can't frigging tell who they're talking about: is everyone a Hoosier? I doubt it...

[salin]

4. who knows with the teapartyists, but inside and outside of the state

it's concern about discrimination against anyone.

Just posted a letter from 9 CEOs of major corps in the state, I believe including the largest employer in the state (IU Health Care) and their letter describes concerns for their employees, and for visitors.

I think some of the GOP leaders use of Hoosiers in this context maybe typical foxlike messaging: maybe trying to push the frame that "outsiders on the internets" are saying bad things about us and creating confuuusion which is the problem so you nonHoooosiers - go away.