It wasn’t that long ago that conservatives used the excuse of religion to defend racism. It was an ugly period and it needs to be called out. When the right uses states’ rights or religious freedom, it is just another way for them to try to justify bigotry. Fifty years ago, the right was wrong just as they are today.

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/02/26/3333161/religious-liberty-racist-anti-gay/