memeorandum: Germanwings Alps disaster: Co-pilot Andreas Lubitz trawled suicide and gay websites before crash (Fiona Keating/International Business …)

12:15 PM ET, March 31, 2015

Top Items:

Gov. Pence, fix ‘religious freedom’ law now — We are at a critical moment in Indiana's history. — And much is at stake. — Our image. Our reputation as a state that embraces people of diverse backgrounds and makes them feel welcome. And our efforts over many years to retool our economy …

Mike Pence / Wall Street Journal:

Ensuring Religious Freedom in Indiana — Our new law has been grossly misconstrued as a ‘license to discriminate.’ That isn't true, and here's why. — By — Last week I signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, known as RFRA, which ensures that Indiana law will respect religious freedom …

Wall Street Journal:

The New Intolerance — Indiana isn't targeting gays. Liberals are targeting religion. — In the increasingly bitter battle between religious liberty and the liberal political agenda, religion is losing. Witness the media and political wrath raining down upon Indiana because the state dared …

Discussion: CNN, Washington Post and Hot Air

New York Times:

In Indiana, Using Religion as a Cover for Bigotry — Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana, who last week signed a religious-freedom law driven by bigotry against gays and lesbians, has been complaining that the law's opponents — which include top business leaders and civil-rights groups — are spreading “misinformation.”

Discussion: Senator Chuck Schumer, Washington Post, The Daily Beast, Political Wire, The PJ Tatler, The Huffington Post, Salon, American Spectator, The Week, AMERICAblog News, Daily Kos, WOOD-TV, The Daily Caller, Human Rights Campaign Blog and Bloomberg View

Hugh Hewitt / The Hugh Hewitt Show:

Jeb Bush On The Indiana Law, Iran, and Hillary — Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is making a California swing this week, and came by the studio today: — Audio: — 03-30hhs-bush-1 — 03-30hhs-bush-2 — Transcript: — HH: I begin with a great drop-in guest, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush joins me in the studio.

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, Washington Post, Fox News, McClatchy Washington Bureau, Washington Blade, New York Times, Bloomberg Business and BREITBART.COM

Erik Eckholm / New York Times:
Eroding Freedom in the Name of Freedom

Discussion: Washington Post, National Journal, Religion Clause and Josh Blackman's Blog

WALV-TV:
Indiana's corporate leaders call for action on RFRA

Discussion: Human Rights Campaign Blog, Advocate, Talking Points Memo and IU Newsroom

Ross Douthat / New York Times:
Questions For Indiana's Critics

Discussion: Weekly Standard, National Review, RedState, The Charlotte Observer, The Week, Hot Air, Washington Post, Political Insider blog, ThinkProgress, Obsidian Wings, Bloomberg View and alicublog

Stephen Prothero / USA Today:
Indiana needs to balance gay, religious rights: Column

Discussion: ncronline.org, Washington Post, The American Conservative, LGBTQ Nation, BarbWire.com, Wall Street Journal and Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times

Tom Davies / Associated Press:
Indiana Lawmakers Try to Quiet Firestorm Surrounding New Law

Discussion: Common Dreams

ABC News:
GOP Presidential Hopefuls Back Indiana ‘Religious Freedom’ Law

Discussion: New York Times, CNN, No More Mister Nice Blog, Raw Story, OnPolitics, Hit & Run, Washington Post, Slate and abc7news.com

Catherine Rampell / Washington Post:
Is inclusiveness good for the economy?

Discussion: Hit & Run, LGBTQ Nation, Bloomberg View, Common Dreams, The Huffington Post, Re/code and Boston Globe

Matt Wilstein / Mediaite:
Ben Carson Has a Hot Take on Indiana's ‘Religious Freedom’ Law

Discussion: BREITBART.COM, Wall Street Journal and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Emily Zanotti / American Spectator:
Wilco Cancels IN Show But Not Shows In 9 Other RFRA States

Discussion: Bloomberg Business, WGN-TV and National Review

Ben Kamisar / The Hill:
Rubio backs religious freedom law

Discussion: The Right Scoop

Jack Gillum / Associated Press:

Clinton also used iPad for email; mixed personal, work chats — 1 photo — WASHINGTON (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton emailed her staff on an iPad as well as a BlackBerry while secretary of state, despite her explanation she exclusively used a personal email address on a homebrew server …

Discussion: Politico, Power Line, Wall Street Journal, Liberal Values, VodkaPundit, The Daily Caller, Bloomberg Business and Hot Air

BuzzFeed:

Rand Paul Said He Doesn't Believe In The Concept Of Gay Rights — Sen. Rand Paul said he doesn't buy into the concept of gay rights because they are defined by a gay person's lifestyle. — “I don't think I've ever used the word gay rights, because I don't really believe in rights based on your behavior …

Discussion: Booman Tribune, Political Wire and PinkNews

Washington Post:

Poll: Clear majority supports nuclear deal with Iran — By a nearly 2 to 1 margin, Americans support the notion of striking a deal with Iran that restricts the nation's nuclear program in exchange for loosening sanctions, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds.

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, The Moderate Voice, Hot Air, Mediaite, Politico, The Hill, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Prairie Weather, The Times of Israel, Power Line and Pew Research Center …

Jordan Fabian / The Hill: Rabbi warns Obama against appeasing Iran

Jura Koncius / Washington Post:

Stuff it: Millennials nix their parents' treasures — A seismic shift of stuff is underway in homes all over America. — Members of the generation that once embraced sex, drugs and rock-and-roll are trying to offload their place settings for 12, family photo albums and leather sectionals.

Discussion: Wall Street Journal

Chicago Tribune:

Mayor Rahm Emanuel opens big lead on mayoral challenger Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia — Mayor Rahm Emanuel has opened up a substantial lead on challenger Jesus “Chuy” Garcia with only a week to go in the runoff campaign, a new Chicago Tribune poll has found. — Emanuel has the backing of 58 percent …

Discussion: Politico and Chicago

Ted Barrett / KCCI-TV:

Harry Reid: No regrets — There are two constants about Harry Reid that have stuck with him since he was a tough young man, taught to box by a manager named Spike: Never be a quitter and never look back. — So when the Senate Democratic Leader surprised the political world late last week …

Discussion: Politico, OnPolitics, Political Wire, National Review and The Week

Cory Bennett / The Hill:

Anonymous to launch ‘electronic Holocaust’ against Israel — The hacking collective Anonymous has vowed to “erase” Israel from cyberspace in an “electronic Holocaust” on April 7. — It's the fourth year in a row the hacking group has targeted the Israeli government for “bombing, killing and kidnapping of the Palestinian people.”

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

Russell Berman / The Atlantic Online:

How Red States Learned to Love the Gas Tax — Don't believe the axiom that Republicans reflexively oppose tax increases: Outside the Beltway, it just doesn't hold up. — States across the country are raising their fuel taxes to pay for the upkeep of deteriorating roads and bridges …

Catherine Thompson / Talking Points Memo:

‘Parks And Rec’ Actor Nick Offerman Cancels Indiana Show Over Anti-Gay Law — “Parks and Recreation” star Nick Offerman announced Monday night that he would canceling an upcoming show in Indiana because of the state's newly enacted anti-gay “religious freedom” law.

Discussion: Raw Story

Hadas Gold / Politico:

Journalists sue St. Louis County police for alleged battery, false arrest — Four journalists are filing a lawsuit against the St. Louis County police department for battery, false arrest and unreasonable search and seizure while they were covering the unrest in the city following the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in August.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit