Arizona state Sen. Al Melvin (R) said there's no discrimination in his state, so he's not worried about the consequences of a bill that would allow businesses to invoke religious beliefs to discriminate against gay customers.
Melvin, who voted for the bill now before Gov. Jan Brewer (R), became confused and upset when CNN's Anderson Cooper asked whether a hypothetical business owner could refuse to serve an unwed mother or a divorced woman under the measure, because the Bible condemns such behavior.
"Who would discriminate them?" Melvin asked. "I've never heard of discriminating against people like that. I never have. I don't know where you're getting your hypotheticals from, Sir. ... You know, all of the pillars of society are under attack in the United States: The family, the traditional family, traditional marriage, mainline churches, the Boy Scouts, you name it."
Melvin insisted he didn't know a single Arizona resident who would discriminate against "a fellow human being."
"Really? Discrimination doesn't exist in Arizona?" Cooper responded, saying he's seen plenty of discrimination in his own state of New York.
"Well, maybe you ought to move to Arizona," Melvin responded. "We're more people-friendly here, apparently."
Brewer told CNN Monday she hadn't decided whether she'll sign the bill.
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