The executive committee of the state NAACP will ask the national leaders of the civil rights group for a nationwide economic boycott of North Carolina to protest the actions of the General Assembly, state NAACP President Rev. William Barber said Thursday.
“This legislature is trying to raise a new Confederacy in policy,” Barber said at a news conference. “This group doesn’t respect the Constitution. They do not respect the voices of the people. They do not respect the will of the people. They do not respect the vote, and it seems in some ways they do not respect just a little bit of money being removed from the state.”
Barber said the state NAACP takes issue with more than the legislature’s failure Wednesday to repeal House Bill 2, which he called “an anti-worker, anti-civil rights, anti-LGBT bill” because it prevents cities and counties from raising the minimum wage or enacting anti-discrimination protections. That was merely the final straw, he said, noting Republican lawmakers last week stripped incoming Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper of various powers and set set up partisan elections for the state’s highest court.
Back2stonewall.com agrees with the NAACP that a complete BOYCOTT of North Carolina must be continued and include ALL LGBT friendly companies, entertainers, conventions, and travelers refusing to set food and spend money in that hateful bigoted state. (That goes for you too Cindy Lauper.)
The unintended consequences of Charlotte City Ordinance #7056 and House Bill 2 have taken a considerable toll on our state as a whole. The hospitality industry has become collateral damage in a fight it did not start or ask for. Restaurant and lodging businesses and their employees are suffering the adverse impact of these policies though lost business and wages.
The North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association (NCRLA) urges policy makers on all sides of this issue to work together to find resolution quickly. “NCRLA has received assurances this week from legislative leadership, that if the Charlotte City Council repeals Ordinance #7056 at their meeting on Monday, the General Assembly is prepared to meet in special session as early as next week to repeal House Bill 2,” said Lynn Minges, NCRLA president and CEO. “Furthermore, Governor Pat McCrory has assured NCRLA that he is willing to call legislators into a special session next week for this purpose if both the city and legislators have the votes for repeal,” she said.
The North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association calls on Charlotte City Council to repeal ordinance #7056 immediately, on Governor McCrory to convene a special session of the NC General Assembly, and on the NC House and Senate to repeal House Bill 2 in its entirety.
We believe these actions are necessary as many complex issues have arisen since the passage of the Charlotte City Ordinance #7056 and House Bill 2; we also believe all elements of the debate should be carefully, thoroughly, and deliberately considered and evaluated through the immediate formation of a study commission.
And, let’s get something in place that all stakeholders can be happy with. We can do his.
The NCRLA doesn’t want it’s own LGBT members to be legally protected from discrimination in employment, housing and public services in Charlotte? This same type of ordinance has been passed without problems in hundreds of US cities. The NCRLA is part of the problem.
Congratulations NCRLA, you just found a way to make matters worse for your businesses and have become just another reason to boycott North Carolina.
The NBA has pulled the 2017 All-Star Game out of Charlotte, with New Orleans emerging as the favorite to be the new host, reports The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The NBA had discussed moving the game in the wake of North Carolina’s controversial “bathroom bill,” legislation passed earlier this year that has been criticized as anti-LGBT. Formally known as House Bill 2, the law forces transgender people to use the bathroom corresponding with the gender on their birth certificate. Both NBA commissioner Adam Silver and Hornets owner Michael Jordan have condemned the bill, though Silver has not publicly committed to moving the game. The commissioner said earlier this month the league would likely make a decision by the end of the summer.
2014: New Oreleans $106.1 Million + $4.9 Tax revenue.
After days of closed-door meetings to discuss much ballyhooed changes to the anti-LGBT law HB2, the North Carolina General Assembly voted Friday only to restore workers’ right to use state law to sue over employment discrimination. But the change won’t enhance workplace protections on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, nor does it affect other provisions decried by gay rights advocates, business leaders and other high-profile critics. It will also keep in place the ban that excludes gender identity and sexual orientation from statewide antidiscrimination protections.
“This was the lowest of the low hanging fruit. It does nothing to fix the core discrimination in that law,” said Rep. Grier Martin, D-Wake.
The revised bill will once again head to the desk of Gov. Pat “One Term” McCrory, who pushed for the change to the law that was enacted after a special session earlier this year.
Also on Friday, the legislature also approved giving Gov. Pat McCrory’s office $500,000 to defend the law in court, transferring the money from a disaster relief fund. The move drew jibes from many civil rights advocates.
The NBA has suggested it might pull the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte if a compromise did not meet its “guiding principles of inclusion, mutual respect and equal protections for all.”
In a joint statement with the Charlotte Hornets, the NBA said it does not endorse the new draft amendments released and encouraged lawmakers to keep working on a compromise. The statement closed with the thinly veiled threat that “there has been no new decision” on next year’s game.
We have announced that we will be canceling our upcoming shows in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina because of the recent passage of the HB2 legislation. This was a difficult decision for us to make as a band. We don’t want to penalize our fans in North Carolina by not performing for them, but in the end it comes down to what we feel is morally right AS WE FEEL EVERYONE SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY
Way to go Adam and MAROON 5!
Now you need to do Addy is get your Voice BFF Blake Shelton to start convincing country stars to take the same stance that would really put anti-LGBT North Carolinian good ole’ boys in a tizzy!
North Carolina has been drawing the attention of the masses for new legislation that blocks cities and local governments from passing anti-discrimination measures that could protect gay and transgender people.
It all began earlier this year when Charlotte passed a decree expanding North Carolina’s anti-discrimination laws allowing LGBT people protection in places of public accommodation. The ordinance, which was set to go into effect on April 1st, would allow transgender people to use the bathrooms of the gender they identify as, amongst other progressive rights.
Rather than accepting the progression in LGBT rights, that same night, legislators returned to the state house to overrule the ordinance that would ban discrimination against LGBT people. At a special session, North Carolina’s General Assembly proposed and passed the House Bill 2 (HB2) — what has now come to be known as the “Bathroom Bill.”
As The Formation World Tour makes its stop in the Tar Heel state in the midst of such a controversial time, we think it is important for us to bring attention to those who are committed to being good and carrying on the message of equality in this core of controversy.
Among the many organizations doing the good work to get this bill overturned, there is Equality NC, a local organization dedicated to securing equal rights and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) North Carolinians.
To accomplish these goals, Equality NC tirelessly lobbies the North Carolina General Assembly, executive branch, and local governments, broadcast LGBT news, stories and content, and mobilize our communities on issues that matter, including marriage equality, parental rights, inclusive anti-bullying policies, employment discrimination, hate violence, privacy rights, sexuality education, adoption, domestic partnerships, and HIV/AIDS.
Learn more about how you can support Equality NC by donating, volunteering, becoming an ambassador, attending an event, or simply spreading the word!
In other words: Nothing was going to come between this particular consumer product and a sale. But good luck!
As opposition to North Carolina’s House Bill 2 grows, NASCAR has joined the chorus of companies calling for the law to be overturned. According to Motorsport.com, a site that covers racing news, NASCAR Chairman Brian France made the announcement at a meeting this week with Associated Press sports editors.
Jim Utter, a longtime NASCAR writer, reported that France said NASCAR also opposed a similarly controversial law in Indiana that has since been modified. “We take the position that any discrimination, unintended or not, we do not like that and we are working behind the scenes, and we are not a political institution,” France said.
“We don’t set agendas or write laws, but we express our values to policy makers. We will and we do. We are real clear about that.”
That’s not gonna sit well with the duck people and the over-populated Duggar Klan
It is with deep consideration and much regret that we must cancel the Raleigh show in North Carolina on April 20th.
This will be upsetting to those who have tickets and you can be assured that we are equally frustrated by the situation. The HB2 law that was recently passed is a despicable piece of legislation that encourages discrimination against an entire group of American citizens. The practical implications are expansive and its negative impact upon basic human rights is profound. We want America to be a place where no one can be turned away from a business because of who they love or fired from their job for who they are. It is for this reason that we must take a stand against prejudice, along with other artists and businesses, and join those in North Carolina who are working to oppose HB2 and repair what is currently unacceptable. We have communicated with local groups and will be providing them with funds to help facilitate progress on this issue. In the meantime we will be watching with hope and waiting in line for a time when we can return. Perhaps even celebrate. With immense gratitude for your understanding, Pearl Jam
North Carolina’s HB2 legislation targets the basic rights of transgender people and strips many nondiscrimination protections from the state’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. In addition to harming LGBT North Carolinians, the law limits the ability of municipalities to provide living wages above what the state provides, closes the door on state courts as a recourse for employment nondiscrimination claims, and imposes the values of Raleigh lawmakers on local elected officials and the people they serve.
Ticket Refunds: Provided at point of purchase For fans that purchased Ten Club tickets to the Raleigh show, your cards will automatically be refunded for the full ticket price in USD this week.
Thank you Eddie Veder and Pearl Jam for your support of the LGBT community and spreading the word that HB2 is much more than a “Bathroom Bill”.
While the enjoyment of our fans is our central concern, and we have been looking forward to celebrating forty years of history performing for our listeners in North Carolina with spectacular live shows this spring, human rights are more important. It is with deep regret, that I must announce the cancellation of our upcoming shows on May 4, 5 & 6 in Charlotte, Greensboro, and Raleigh in order to raise awareness, and protest in the strongest terms, the recent passage of HB2, the so called “North Carolina bathroom law.”
HB2 has the appearance of an oppressive discriminatory law against a small minority, who already have to deal with a narrow-minded world regarding issues beyond their control which they did nothing to bring upon themselves. Other aspects of the new law arguably encourage bigotry. With thousands of fans in attendance at our shows, it is likely that some members of our audience and/or their loved ones are affected on a daily basis by this ugly expression of intolerance.
My sincere apologies to our fans who have already made arrangements to attend these shows. The removal of the shows from our schedule is a major disappointment. It has always been my wish to inspire people with BOSTON’s music. Hopefully the sacrifices we are all making here will inspire people to do the right thing in the future. We look forward to the day that the state government of North Carolina will come to its senses and treat ALL individuals with equal freedom in their pursuit of happiness here in the United States. ~ Tom Scholz
With respect to the current storm which is howling through this State, we considered cancelling our show on Saturday, but decided to go ahead, both for the sake of our fans and to support those in North Carolina who feel as strongly as we do about this issue. We see this as an opportunity to make the following statement.
Yes here it is again, just plain old fashioned prejudice, fear and oppression, the same old kind that’s blighted the human race, in varying degrees, for all of its history. Duran Duran is opposed to bigotry and discrimination in all of its ugly forms, and so it follows that we are opposed to the basic premise of HB2. We support the rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender community, to have equal opportunities. We support their rights to live free, happy, fulfilled lives. If you live in this State and feel the same way, we urge you to register, so that you can vote; so that your voice can be heard. We urge you to sign this petition which will be presented at the General Assembly meeting on April 25th in North Carolina. You have the power to repeal this outdated and cruel legislation.
Sign up forms for the petition and information about HB2 and how to repeal it will be available at the show on Saturday night – so go visit the teams manning the Equality NC stalls that will be on site.
Our thanks to both Equality NC (www.equalitync.org) and NC Needs You (a new organization dedicated to connecting performers with likeminded nonprofits in the state battling against HB2) for their support and education on this issue. And, like us, please support Time Out Youth (http://www.timeoutyouth.org/), who will also be at the show and do incredible work with LGBT youth in the area.
– Simon, Nick, John & Roger
“For the sake of our fans”?
The right thing to do is cancel. Actions speak louder than words and musical performers who support the repeal of HB2 need to get on the same page.
Canceling makes a statement and hurts the economy of the North Carolina which will then pressure politicians to repeal it. The performers donating “profits” from their converts to EqualityNC, while a noble gesture does nothing more than gives that organization more money which was never the issue with fighting HB2 in the first place and will have little effect.
But Duran Duran takes the cake. We’ll still play and get paid. But come spend money and sign a fucking petition?
What the fuck?
Its either greed or they are incredibly fucking cheap and stupid.
