Openly gay actor George Takei of Star Trek fame slammed pending Arizona legislation which would allow people to refuse service to customers based on religious principles.
Takei, known these days for both his acting work and guest stints on The Howard Stern Show, called the measure a “Jim Crow” law that would unfairly discriminate against gay people.
This “turn away the gay” bill enshrines discrimination into the law,” Takei wrote. “Your taxi drivers can refuse to carry us. Your hotels can refuse to house us. And your restaurants can refuse to serve us. … You’re willing to ostracize and marginalize LGBT people to score political points with the extreme right of the Republican Party. You say this bill protects ‘religious freedom,’ but no one is fooled. When I was younger, people used ‘God’s Will’ as a reason to keep the races separate, too. Make no mistake, this is the new segregation, yours is a Jim Crow law, and you are about to make yourself ground zero.
Takei vowed to boycott the state if Gov. Jan Brewer signs the measure into law.
The actor previously compared Utah Gov. Gary Herbert to famous segregationist George Wallace for the politician’s stance on gay marriage.