We've heard a lot of ridiculous arguments attempting to defend Arizona's proposed anti-gay law over the last week, but this one has to take the cake. Fox's Martha MacCallum and Andrea Tantaros argued this Tuesday that things will work out just fine for the LGBT community in Arizona, because the free market will solve the problem if business owners want to discriminate against them.

Our friend Ellen from News Hounds breaks it down for us: Andrea Tantaros, Martha MacCallum: If Gays Don't Shop Where They're Not Wanted, They Won't Be Discriminated Against!:

Anti-gay Christian victimhood has been taken to a whole new level with the passage of the so called Arizona Jim Crow law which was passed by the assembly and now awaits a signature or veto from the governor. [...]

This morning, "news" host Martha MacCallum and her guests discussed this law. While Juan Williams said the law is discriminatory, Andrea Tantaros suggested that the controversy over laws like this, which make Christians look like bigots, could be avoided if gay folks avoid anti-gay business. MacCallum recommended that "the market" forces take over. I guess if African-Americans had only avoided all those segregated hotels, restaurants, water coolers, etc. we wouldn't have had to deal with those troublesome Civil Rights that made white Americans look like bigots?

Go read the rest for more of Ellen's take down of MacCallum and Tantaros. Here's how Fox covered the segment at their blog: Arizona Gov. Weighing Controversial Religious Freedom Bill:

All eyes are on Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) this week to see whether she'll sign or veto a bill that gives businesses the right to deny service to customers for religious reasons. Critics have called the bill, which passed the Arizona Legislature last week, "state-sanctioned discrimination," and argued that it could open the door for business owners to cite religious beliefs in denying services to homosexuals. [...]

Martha MacCallum spoke to Juan Williams and Andrea Tantaros this morning to hear their take on this controversial proposal. Williams believes the bill would basically allow people to discriminate, pointing out that both of Arizona's GOP Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake have called on Brewer to veto the bill.

Tantaros said it appears that those in favor of the bill are looking to bring "Jim Crow laws back to the forefront for homosexuals." She said she doesn't understand why this proposal is even on the table.

"What upsets me the most is that the First Amendment here has been completely ignored and instead it's turned into an argument to paint Christians as bigots. And I think that's the real problem. It's just ignited the loudest voices in the room and there's no reason to do that. I don't know why any Christian would want to not serve anybody," said Tantaros.

Williams said he thinks the debate is now hurting the image of Arizona, saying the state was already painted in a bad light over its controversial immigration law SB 1070.