Schwarzenegger criticises anti-gay Indiana law

Arnold Schwarzenegger has spoken out against the Religious Freedom Bill which has been introduced in the U.S. state of Indiana, and largely seen as a way to discriminate against gay people.

Writing exclusively in the Washington Post, the former Governor of California says that as a Republican, he’s furious with those party members who practise “the politics of division”.

He says, “As an American, I’m incredibly concerned about what happened in Indiana this week and the threat of similar laws being passed in other states. As a Republican, I’m furious.” Acknowledging that many fellow Republicans are sensible and believe in “a big tent where everyone is welcome”, he called out others who are “fighting for laws that fly in the face of equality and freedom”. He called the Indiana Religious Freedom Bill – introduced by its governor Mike Pence last month – “distracting” and “divisive” and claimed such laws were bad for the country and the Republican party.

“If the Republican Party wants the next generation of voters to listen to our ideas and solutions to real problems, we must be an inclusive and open party, not a party of divisions. We must be the party of limited government, not the party that legislates love. We must be the party that stands for equality and against discrimination in any form.”

Austrian born, body builder Schwarzenegger starred in hit films like Conan The Barbarian, The Terminator and Kindergarten Cop in the 1980s and 1990s, before going on to serve two terms as Governor of California  from 2003 until 2011.