The more I hear about the RFRA, the more genius the idea is. The conservatives have played this card knowing perfectly well the backlash that would ensue. They also knew that the law wouldn't allow rote discrimination, yet the progressive media and various associations decided it was their chance to rally under a flag and pull an all out nonviolent protest. This whole issue was thought to be a PR gold mine for progressives.
Right now you're probably thinking I'm daft or the wife beat me too hard last night, but that's not the case and I'll explain the facts as I see them. I'll start by saying that I have a very diverse group of friends on facebook. Schoolmates, work associates, motorcycle community, diving friends, etc. are on here and fairly active with their accounts. Of the nearly 800 friends, around 50 of them were very upset at the RFRA, about twice that number are outspokenly for it. For the other 650, it's not enough of an issue either way for them to worry about because it doesn't affect them in any way. They don't discriminate, nor do they wish to deal with the strife created. They quietly go about their day just trying to get by. What they do pay attention to is the amount of disinformation being heralded by both sides. The right attempted to sway the argument by looking at other states that have similar laws while the left really went overboard saying that the laws would allow civil right violations, Jim Crowe era segregation and then called for the financial destruction of the state they live in if they didn't get their way. That's just so.... Inclusive of them.
Those 650 people noticed the grandstanding, and along with the 100 staunchly conservative people in my feed, will have an overwhelming majority once again when they vote next year. The whole affair is pure genius on the part of the right. They knew up front it would cause a stir, they knew how progressives would (over)react.
What people don't understand is the social dynamic. The low to no information voter will always vote for the hand that feeds them, even though it also is responsible for keeping them caged. They don't care about religious freedom one way or another. They are still getting fed when someone else gets elected, so it's not important to get out and vote until they might lose their meal ticket.
On the other hand, hard core progressives are a small minority of the voter pool. They always vote the same way, hard left, and will never change their tune unless their candidate changes position, which they will follow along while goose stepping to the polls. These "enlightened" souls make a lot of noise, but rarely find a following unless there's a scandal. Now here they are holding the narrative that the sky is falling while everyone else is aware that nothing has changed.
The supposed financial backlash is more of a blessing in disguise. Conservative groups have a great following in the midwest. The NRA came to town a last year and dropped 70 thousand tourists in the city. Religious organizations are clamoring to host events in the city. The Gen Con that is attempting to hold the state hostage was bankrupt just a couple years ago, and they don't bring in half the total dollars that the NRA did due to the demographics involved.
All in all, the RFRA is a huge coup for conservatives in the next election. You will see another landslide in the electorate, verifying that religious freedom and personal freedom is important to Indiana, while progressive culture won't know what happened to their elitist momentum. While I've enjoyed the roll back of the firearms laws, this and many other conservative ideas are a bit unnerving to say the least. I'd prefer things to stop where they are this year, after constitutional carry is passed.
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