Mekons Challenge Discriminatory Indiana Law With Free Doc Screening

Mekons Challenge Discriminatory Indiana Law With Free Doc Screening:

The Mekons, post-punk noise-makers turned country rebels, are taking a stand against Indiana's controversial and highly contested Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the recently signed law that many believe could lead to discrimination against the state's gay and lesbian population.

There will be four screenings of the documentary, Revenge of the Mekons, as part of Indiana University's Ryder Film Series and the band is offering free entry to anyone who tweets the #WeAreIndiana hashtag along with #MekonsMovie. They will take place on April 10th, 11th and 12th, with two occurring on the 11th. Click here for more info.

"Pulling the Indiana University screenings to protest the state's new discriminatory 'religious freedom' law would only prevent like-minded students in one of the state's liberal bastions from seeing it," said director Joe Angio in a statement. "So instead we are using social media to spread a positive message of support for the LGBT community."

The RFRA has been a point of contention among many in the music community. Wilco canceled their May 7th show in Indianapolis, saying the law "feels like thinly disguised legal discrimination to us." They later reinstated the show following amendments to the act.

Although he did not cancel any concerts, Indiana native John Mellencamp released a letter calling the law "discriminatory, hurtful and a stain on Indiana's national reputation." A collection of Indiana-based record labels — Asthmatic Kitty, Secretly Canadian, Joyful Noise and others — signed a letter registering their disapproval with the law and appealing "to our state government leaders to enact legislation clearly protecting the civil liberties of LGBT individuals to assure that none of our employees or neighbors may be discriminated against due to sexual orientation or gender identity."

Although the Mekons' Sally Timms and John Langford won't attend the Indiana doc screening, they will appear alongside director Joe Angio to answer questions following upcoming screenings in Chicago and Austin.

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