Eureka Springs may be the toughest place in Arkansas for people who want to practice their Christian faith in the public square. Tuesday’s passage of a so-called “anti-discrimination” ordinance has made it a lot harder for Jews, Christians, Muslims, and anyone else of faith to exercise their religious beliefs. Now, it’s open season on people in those groups.
Rather than preventing bias and discrimination, this ordinance makes discrimination the law in Eureka Springs. People of all faiths have always enjoyed religious freedom in Eureka Springs. Under this ordinance, citizens can be forced to choose between obeying their faith and obeying the City of Eureka Springs.
The City of Eureka Springs has no business forcing anyone to accommodate or participate in a same-sex wedding. They have no business creating an environment where women and girls may encounter men in public restrooms. This is a harmful and backward-thinking ordinance that attempts to legislate the morality of one particular group at the expense of everyone’s freedom.
Right-thinking citizens of Eureka Springs who led the effort to reject the “anti-discrimination” ordinance all deserve medals for valor. Doing the right thing is costly. Just ask Pastor Phillip Wilson of Eureka Springs’ First Christian Church. He has taken a stand against the radical homosexual agenda for decades. Or ask the recently dismissed CEO of the Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce. Mike Bishop had received positive job reviews as head of the Chamber for four years until he opposed the ordinance. He was fired for “insubordination” on March 2.
Eureka Springs is well known for its thriving gay community. However, make no mistake: Eureka Springs has a thriving faith community as well. I’ve seen it. It’s just that most people who attend worship services in the city live outside the city limits—so obviously, they can’t vote there. This is why the vote was so much in favor of the ordinance.
Anyone who believes that Tuesday’s vote on the Eureka Springs ordinance is an indication of how the rest of Arkansas feels about same-sex marriage and similar issues is severely mistaken. The ordinance that passed in Eureka Springs couldn’t have passed anywhere else in the state. Last December’s rejection of a similar ordinance by voters in Fayetteville, which is by no means a conservative city, proves that.
When Act 137 takes effect on July 20, the Eureka Springs ordinance will no longer be enforceable. Thankfully, Rep. Bob Ballinger, who represents the Eureka Springs area of northwest Arkansas in the State Legislature, and Sen. Bart Hester secured passage of this new law to ensure that any city or county ordinance that goes beyond the state civil rights law won’t be enforced.
Until then, it’s open season on people of faith in Eureka Springs.
