Arkansas is currently embroiled in a fight over whether to pass a “religious liberty” law. Like the bill passed into law in Indiana, the Arkansas bill establishes the “right” to withhold service (like wedding photography) from LGBT couples as a free exercise of religion. LGBT groups have argued that the law unfairly discriminates against them and denies equal protection of the laws. Write an essay in which you briefly explain the Indiana law (one paragraph). Using Locke’s “Letter Concerning Toleration” and “Second Treatise”, assess the issues raised regarding equality, religious toleration, separation of church and state, etc. Make sure you have a specific thesis (example: Lockean liberalism would allow/forbid x and y in this case or Lockean liberalism would view this as pitting x against y). You have almost unlimited options but you MUST demonstrate a thorough and extensive reading of Locke. End the paper with a concluding paragraph in which you make a recommendation to states like Indiana.
