Recently, Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed HB 1523, or the “Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act” into law. The law allows government employees and businesses to deny housing, jobs, adoption and foster care services to those who they feel violate their morality as well as allowing physicians and other medical professionals to deny provision of care for the same reasons.

Bryant said the law was an attempt to prevent government interference in people’s lives: “This bill does not limit any constitutionally protected rights or actions of any citizen of this state under federal or state laws,” he said. “It does not attempt to challenge federal laws, even those which are in conflict with the Mississippi Constitution, as the Legislature recognizes the prominence of federal law in such limited circumstances.”

PCU is live on the scene in Mississippi to gauge the reactions of everyday citizens to the new law:

A. Finch

“I do my best to love everybody… I’m hard put, sometimes. It’s never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it doesn’t hurt you.”

A. Marie

“I know what it’s like to be different in a small town. How desperate the need to fit in is. I been there…but you can’t beat yourself up like this. It gets better.”

L. Trent

“Wonderful. I’m Opie Taylor… and Mayberry’s been locked down tighter than a drum. Let’s hear it for the politics of fear.”

W. Kovacs

“This state is rotting. Garbage and decay pile higher, becoming our homes. Monuments to the corruption of those in powerful positions. Citizens too distracted to notice this horror. Authorities benefit keeping us that way.”

L. Luthor

“I think it’s great. In fact, I’m seriously considering moving LOD LLC headquarters here. All I need to do is find a suitably large swamp.”

PCU will continue to follow this story, as well as developing stories in North Carolina, Tennessee, and everywhere else in America that decides to legislate whatever version of morality they happen to subscribe to at that particular moment. From the way things are going we will be claiming a LOT of mileage on our 2016 taxes…