The unforgiving minute: Economic backlash concentrates the mind wonderfully

Well, the – Indianapolis Star -- no haven for candy-assed liberalism, let the reader be assured – has weighed in prominently on the debacle following passage and signing of Indiana's anti-LGBTQ law earlier this month.

And yet, and yet, and yet . . . Where was the equally bold front page "STOP THIS NOW" message when the law was first proposed by legislators who candidly admitted its discriminatory purpose, or as it was working its way through the legislative process, or when it came up for a final vote (where it won handily on party-line votes, 40-10 in the Senate and 63-31 in the House)? Nowhere to be found, that's where.

I imagine the Star was caught by surprise by the commercial and media backlash the law triggered, just as the bill's proponents and the governor were. Sure, the instigators knew enough not to parade their success – key homophobes joined the governor for a "private" signing ceremony. But the Star, unlike the somewhat challenged Governor Pence, was apparently quicker to see which side its bread is buttered on: Indiana's economy isn't in great shape anyway, and boycotts and high-profile pullouts, as long as they continue anyway, mean less money from advertising. Hence the editors now find themselves shocked – shocked! – to find legislated homophobia going on in their state!

Minute's up.