Reminder: this subreddit is meant to be a place free of excessive cynicism, negativity and bitterness. Toxic attitudes are not welcome here.

All Negative comments will be removed and will possibly result in a ban.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

the bill now goes to the Governor's desk where she will sign it.

Incredibly based

Alright Michigan I see you!

[removed]

☺️

I think I will spend one of my small vacation funds in Michigan this year.

I am in Wisconsin and am planning on two short but close little vacations, one in spring and one in fall.

A little bit of everything here in Michigan. Got the top rated campground and art museum in the country. Tulip festival is nice

Marquette is a lovely city. Definitely worth a visit.

Detroit and Grand Rapids both have vibrant downtowns with nightlife and cultural amenities. Traverse City and Marquette are great for the small lakefront tourism town vibe. Check out Sleeping Bear Dunes, Pictured Rocks, Mackinac Island.. and grab some legal weed before you head home.

Tulip festival and Art museum? I will look it up, thank you for the recommendation

All right Michigan

Depending on what you like there's sleeping bear dunes, pictured rocks, Tahquamenon falls, Cherry festival (wine tour near there as well), The art & science museums, mackinaw island. Also plenty of roadside parks you can stop at while you drive. I don't tend to vacation too much outside of my state, especially since we've been on a bit of an upswing lately.

Yes!! I'm so proud of how we voted in November!

That's my home state, baby!

It funny Christians think that by not being allowed to discriminate against others, that they are being suppressed somehow. What a bunch a trash people.

YES MICHIGAN!

Mackinac island is great:)

One in Michigan and one here in Minnesota? If the density of people isn't an issue we do have MoA with, I'm pretty sure, a giant Lego store in it. The RenFest is usually around into October atleast too and while it has had better years is still really fun to go to

If in Grand Rapids, check out the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. It’s wonderful! Pictured Rocks in the Upper Peninsula is breathtaking.

As a Floridian, sick of rising fascism, oppressive heat and mosquitoes, am I welcome to your beautiful state?

Mosquitoes there too, unfortunately.

Are you a Florida man or just someone from Florida? We don't need crazy coming here lol

They claim they want to be free from persecution, in reality these bible-bashers want to be free to persecute

[removed]

I was born and raised near Rochester, New York, and every Spring/Summer they had a Lilac Festival, and it was awesome!!

It was a fun, hippie-ish music festival (I remember seeing Jack Johnson perform there before he got mildly successful!), all in the middle of high trees, and walls of gorgeous, pink/purple lilacs. And the smell throughout the whole area was so incredibly amazing, it's hard to describe.

Ha, TL:DR - If you ever get a chance to go to a 'Festival' named after a flower or tree, definitely go!

“Opponents tried to get a religious liberty clause attached to the bill because they felt like otherwise this would give LGBT people “super rights”

Christians literally cannot help but make everything about them and their own perceived victimization. (Because yknow, people they don’t like having rights is an attack on them specifically)

Good on the Michigan senate for saying no to that additional bullshit

All year!?

That is a great idea!

Edit: So got off work and am now home. I love that idea. RenFest sounds extra fun so that will be a great fall trip, and I will do Michigan this spring! I am not sure what I will do in Michigan but everyone has tossed out so many GREAT ideas I will have to look them up and decide. Thank you everyone! And if you do have suggestions, please keep tossing them on here, I love it

Just in the summer. Upper peninsula mosquitoes can give Florida mosquitoes run for their money, but if you're staying in the lower peninsula, you should be safe from the kind that carry away children.

We welcome all sane people.

That’s the whole reason Puritans came to America in the first place. They thought there was too much religious freedom in England and they weren’t allowed to persecute Catholics as much as they wanted to.

“Super rights”, like giving a fetus the right to use a different person’s body for 9 months against their will? The Republican base is so brain dead.

One of the few times I’m happy I live in Michigan.

Reasons to go to Michigan:

• Legalized weed

• Abortion protection

• No gerrymandering

Same here, planning a couple small visits from Ohio. I'm hoping Michigan keeps up this momentum and doesn't backslide into the red, because it's looking like an appealing and safe place to move after I finish grad school.

Should be.

[removed]

r/CampAndHikeMichigan

I'll just leave this here.

Still waiting on the major roads near my house to stop being under construction for 3 years.

How many more socially progressive bills will Whitmer pass as she ignores poor Detroiters.

I'm convinced U.P. mosquitos make up for the shorter season by going way harder than their southern cousins.

Road construction takes awhile.

Come to Detroit for Memorial Day weekend, you’re guaranteed to have a good time - and it will be a lot different than Wisconsin that I can promise you!

Did you say the same thing about interracial marriage?

Don’t forget your local elections this year.

Freedom of dissociation should be protected

No it shouldn’t; that’s just segregation

You choose to live in a society, you exist with all parts of that society

Especially when no one is working on it and it’s terribly underfunded. I can write to my state Senator for months about how people are struggling to get to work and no one cares.

The republicans here only care about Christian farmers. The Democrats want to focus all their energy on gay kids.

And the working poor? Left behind as usual.

[removed]

Lower peninsula didn't have much in the way of hard freezes this winter. Should be an exciting tally of humans carried away by giant mosquitoes by the end of the season!

I will not provide service to KKK members or arm band wearing Nazis. And you can get bent if you think I should be forced to

Calm down, nice scapegoat though.

Besides, that’s what hate group designations are for.

Besides that, if your store is the kind of store the KKK frequents, who exactly are you marketing to?

People choose to join the KKK or wear Nazi paraphernalia.

People don't choose to be gay or their gender. These things are influenced by biology.

We grant protections to people based on things they can't control, like age, race, or where they were born.

Nazis are not a protected class, discriminate against them as much as you like!

Why don’t you run if you think you can do better?

I second that notion on Sleeping Bear. Just...Northern Michigan in general is beautiful. If you like camping it's like heaven.

[removed]

Ah yes, all the people I know chose to be gay so they'd get kicked out of their homes and excommunicated.

Take the carferry to Ludington it's a cool trip

Can catch it in that town from Making a Murderer

Easier for them to complain on the internet than actually do anything about it

[removed]

Absolutely, just leave all that bs down there.

[removed]

So you're only straight because you're choosing to be straight?

I have news for you, you're probably gay.

I'm straight, but I didn't choose to be. Just don't find the same sex attractive.

The democrats aren't focusing all of their energy on gay kids.

It's just the story that is getting the most media exposure right now: Republicans persecuting gay and trans people, and Democrats doing the right thing and protecting them.

[removed]

I met whitmer once. Really nice lady. Smart as a whip.

It's funny they call themselves Christians yet they completely ignore the example that Christ is said to have left for them. Do they even read the new testament??? If they ignore the teachings of Christ then how are they Christians exactly? They keep citing scripture from the old testament and completely miss the point, that the old testament is there for context of what Christ was supposed to be CHANGING.

[deleted]

how isn't it uplifting? Why does it make you sad?

[deleted]

[removed]

Hey, don't speak so quickly. They could be Bi or Pan or maybe even Asexual and they just think they're straight because that's what society tells them to be

For once some good news for the lgbtq+ community.

[removed]

That's the whole point. They don't have to think. Theyve been indoctrinated into a religion where questioning things is a sin. And even worse, their bought-out politicians that don't practice Christianity are using their religion as a weapon against human beings, and the Republicans go with it because in their eyes, Rebulicanism is basically an extension of Christianity, so they don't question that either.

It's basically giving themselves the right to punish people because God is going to punish them anyway.

How does this violate religious freedom?

[removed]

I needed something positive after reading about Arkansas and other states today

[removed]

That's not an answer... I'm asking specifically what parts violate religious freedom.

[removed]

[removed]

[removed]

Meanwhile the whole State of Tennessee keeps steam rolling its way down the path of stupidity and sociopathic views that hasn't been seen in 50+ years. It's truly embarrassing.

Keep up the good fight Michigan...

Honestly fuck your religious freedom. You can worship your god all you want but you're not allowed to be a bigot and if your god demands bigotry get a fucking better god because that one is shit.

LGBTQIA+ people exist and that's enough for the Christofascists to call for genocide. Why is it hard to live and let live? That's what Christ taught, live up to that, not this bullshit bigotry.

Can confirm, went camping up there last summer and the little bastards gave no shits about DEET or campfire smoke.

The only good Nazi is a dead Nazi.

i look forward to the Lilac festival every year!

Go to Detroit. They need some of that tourist money.

Attempting to legislate notability will have unintentional consequences and is, ultimately, impossible.

Yeah? There a clause in there that says you can't go to church? Can't pray? Can't read your Bible or have Christmas off?

In fact, is there a clause in there that actually affects the actual practice of your religion in any way?

Sorry, do you think "religious freedom" means you can do whatever you want, regardless of its effects on others, so long as you shout "religion!" when you do it?

Think really carefully if you want that to be the case, and remember alllll the different religions out there and what people have used them to justify.

Have you never heard the expression "your right to swing your arm ends at your neighbor's face"?

Rhode Island was basically founded by people who thought the Puritans at Plymouth were assholes.

That said, it’s awfully nice of them to make the city of Boston for all the Catholics.

I think Michigan may be my new favorite state. Human rights defense/blue, legal and very very affordable weed, decent teacher salary/Cost of living, and I recently found a hard cider brand that I really love from MI

Currently being in Illinois some of those aspects are similar, but some are not

Man, someone didn't pay attention during HR training. Nazis aren't a protected class. They are a club you join. They are not something you're born with and cannot change.

>No one should be forced to associate with people they don't want to.

I have terrible news for you about life...

But in rereading your comment I'm noticing (and I wonder if you missed this) that it's really a justification of racism and religious discrimination, too.

[removed]

Oh man. That's an amazing stretch there. Like the two things have anything to do with one another.

You think if Whitmer wasn't signing this bill she'd be out there driving the steamroller? Come on.

[removed]

[removed]

[removed]

I recommend. It’s beautiful here. I just got to the state a few months ago and love it.

Sharia Law shall reign supreme in the US!

No where in this bill does it force someone to accept anything.

It just adds sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected classes. Meaning you can't fire, refuse to hire, or deny service or housing to someone, and use gender identity, or sexual orientation as your reason. Religion is also one of these protected classes. So I can't fire someone just for believing in the Flying Spaghetti Monster for the same reason I can't fire someone for being Gay.

You don't have to like them, agree with them, or support them, you just can't fire them for it.

I understand that my single comment here might seem off color and nonsensical.

​

But this is not a one off thing. I have sat in frustration for years now as the Michigan state government fails to do anything to help the massive amounts of working poor in this state. The state legislature seemingly refuses to acknowledge you unless you're a gay kid or Christian farmer.

I'm frustrated with my state government, and they don't seem to care.

If I was a politician hypothetically running for office against an incumbent wouldn't my main job be to complain about the status quo in public forums?

Inane response oft quoted when lacking a real retort.

​

Next time someone complains to me about police violence against black people, I'll tell them to go become police officers if they can do it better.

[removed]

[removed]

And what does complaining on the internet do to fix your roads or about police violence? Nothing.

Hahahahahaha, what?! No, of course it isn't. You want to be able to inflict your religious beliefs and practices on others and that's exactly what Sharia law is.

Absolutely not. It is a fundamental principle of a specific religion that is widely practiced throughout the world. You want religious freedom without conditions? Sharia Law should then be allowed in the US.

The ironic thing is that if Jesus were here today he would want those that are persecuted and hated to be welcomed and supported by his followers but that’s a conversation a significant number of Christians don’t want to have.

Actually given that we live in a democracy, discussing my dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs in a public place is both a necessary and vital part of the political process.

I need a little bit of clarification, why is what a problem?

Previously gender identity and sexual orientation were only protected because of Supreme Court precedent, and unfortunately we have learned that those are not permanent under this current court. This bill is the Michigan government saying "We don't care if the Supreme Court overturns their previous rulings, we are keeping it"

Do you ever answer questions, or just dodge them and ask another?

Religious freedom means that you have the right to believe whatever it is you believe and worship however you wish to worship, so long as it doesn't trample on the liberties and sovereignty of others.

You may absolutely believe from your religious teachings that Black people should be discriminated against. You may not, however, refuse to hire Black people based on that belief.

You may believe that women are objects and belong to their husbands. That does not supercede their right to autonomy and give you permission to rape or beat them.

So in summary, "religious freedom" means you can believe and practice any faith, but you cannot force others to participate in your practicing thereof or violate any existing rights of others for the purposes of your religion.

[deleted]

[deleted]

[removed]

[deleted]

[deleted]

>Forcing a person to accept a theory as a law is the same as forcing a religion onto them

He says as he laments that it is harder to force his religion into people now.

And I see what you're trying to do by inaccurately labeling homosexuality "a theory." But "theory" doesn't mean "thing I don't want to accept."

Actual scientific research leaves no doubt that sexuality isn't a choice. You don't have to accept it, it's just there.

And frankly, nobody cares if you accept that or not. This law doesn't force you to believe anything. You can still be as bigoted as you want when it comes to LGBTQ issues. Hell, you can still be a racist! But you can't discriminate against people based on race or sexual identity.

They don't get to discriminate against you, you don't get to discriminate against them. If you don't like equality, you're living in the wrong country.

>You want "blacks not wanted" signs up at restaurants?

I'm sure as long as he's not black, he wouldn't mind.

Posting on Reddit doesn’t solve anything.

[removed]

[removed]

And reading that you’re sad made me happy. So it balances out.

[removed]

There was nothing hateful in that response. What is hateful is your take on this whole story.

Happened to me! Lol 30 years of denial on why being close to my other woman friends made me awkward... Turns out I'm Bi and everyone's hot!!

[removed]

Blake's, or Starcut? Either way they're both amazing ciders.

Blakes! Now I have to learn about and try Starcut too! Haven't heard of that one

[removed]

[removed]

[removed]

I think most christians haven't actually read the bible in depth. I'm agnostic, but I've read the bible multiple times, and it really opened my eyes to the depth of hypocrisy among a lot of modern christians. If something is supposed to be a holy book with the commandments of god, it's very interesting how they just pick and choose which rules to follow and completely disregard like, half of what jesus actually said.

Honestly, jesus was a pretty alright guy with a lot of good ideas and moral values. It's unfortunate how so many christians love absolutely ignoring what he said while simultaneously claiming to love and obey him.

Yeah, I'm more or less Taoist myself, and it seems like I've read more of the bible than some of them

Don't forget the bridge to Canada!

Which is completely valid.

"My right to discriminate others is fundamental to my religion!"

We are the anti-Florida

Vandermill is ok too.

And now this

No. And less every year as it gets hotter.

But to answer your question: anyone who doesn't like Ron DeSantis (Meatball Ron) is welcome here.

Michigan and Minnesota doing some heavy lifting fr. Proud of y’all :)

As we send all the boomers, ahm snowbirds down to Florida, yes you are welcome. But beware, winter!

[deleted]

Just remember there are only a few places in Michigan (like other Midwest states) that actually would have gotten this through. If you visit outside those areas, you aren't supporting the people who have made sure this was passed. A lot of people forget when they travel they're supporting the politics of where they travel to because they're investing in their economy, not just the overall state economy. We're both from the Midwest and given you look like you support this and I do as well, we need to be mindful of how we show our support to different cities in the states around us (because we know there's a lot of red surrounding blue) so we have to make sure we're putting our money where our mouths are.

[removed]

A large number of Christians constitute some kind of zombie religion now - it used to be about the gospel, but now it's just about serving the interests of the Republican Party. I feel like it would be accurate to say that those churches have lost their souls, reduced to just puppets - that's why I say "zombie religion".

Using church as a method of political control... yeah that makes sense. There is that particular preacher that I saw that looks like an actual demon. I've seen cult like things too... That faith-healing hysteria type practise.

[removed]

No it wouldn't .

>"The change proposed to Elliot-Larsen goes too far because it seeks to protect one group of people at the expense of others," Sen. Thomas Albert, R-Lowell, said.

at the expense of what? being a fucking clown and taking away rights to others under the guise of religion? you can eat shit, Tom.

The first major election since the new anti-gerrymandering law goes into effect and we have our first democratic state congress in my lifetime. Hmm.

Floridian here. Can confirm. I wish I lived in Michigan instead

The Meijer sculpture garden is really cool as well!

Blake’s is good. I also really, really like Tandem.

Thank you. I will look up trying to find specific areas and businesses that supported the legislature. I know not all people even in blue areas support these kinds of ideals but it is worth the effort to me.

That’s on Mackinaw Island. Remember staying the night on the island for lilac festival. Looks and smells amazing

[removed]

[removed]

[removed]

[removed]

Michigan may be home to Hell but I guess the state really isn't.

To the privileged, equality feels like oppression.