Breathe a Sigh of Relief, Arizona

Just two days ago, Secretary of State John Kerry spoke out against Uganda's law enforcing penalties on homosexuals in the country, telling reporters that the U.S. will review its relationship with the nation in lieu its "aggravated homosexuality' law. But his statement only led some to wonder: Has the Secretary of State looked at some of the anti-gay policies within his own country? Turns out he now has, and, now, he's speaking out against them as well, joining the ranks of politicians and talking heads who are in awe of discriminatory legislation introduced by Arizona's Senator Steve Yarbrough. On Wednesday, addressing Arizona's bill SB1062, which would allow businesses to to ban gay customers, Kerry said he "cannot imagine" that any anti-gay laws would pass stacked up against the Supreme Court in an interview with NBC's Andrea Mitchell. Said Kerry, “Let’s see whether the governor vetoes it ... I am counting on the governor."

Here's certainly hoping we don't even get to that point, for the sake of not only our increasingly progressive nation — which would suffer a drastic 180 with the law — but also for the sake of Arizona's own government. The law, SB1062 appears to be a lose-lose scenario: Not only would the state face boycotts that would severely hurt its economy, but it would also, of course, discriminate against a population in the state that already is behind the times, denying gay marriage rights to homosexuals in Arizona.

Luckily, SB1062 looks likely to fail, with Arizona governor Jan Brewer likely to veto the bill before Saturday, when idleness would turn it into a law. Though Brewer leans conservative, she has, in the past, vetoed similar bills, despite her vague statements about what she'll do with SB1062:

I am a woman, and I don’t rely a whole lot on my gut. I have to look at what it says and what the law says, and take that information and do the right thing. But I can assure you, as always, I will do the right thing for the state of Arizona.

But it would be difficult even for someone that tows the party line to not veto the bill. After all, politicians like Arizona's own John McCain have criticized the bill, and religious leaders, like Rabbi Stephen Kahn of Scottsdale’s Congregation Beth Israel, claim the passing SB1062 could be a slippery slope that allows the state to religious groups. (Everyone's favorite conservative troglodyte Rush Limbaugh, however, claims that Brewer is being "bullied by the homosexual lobby in Arizona and elsewhere" into her decision.)

So will Brewer, as Kerry says, make the "right decision"? It's likely, this time around. But, unfortunately, it would only be one step in the right direction for a state filled with a lot of wrong.