Post by pavel on Apr 8, 2016 23:58:48 GMT -6
The Coca-Cola Co. has joined a coalition of major businesses urging Gov. Phil Bryant to repeal a controversial 'religious freedom bill' signed into law Tuesday.
In a news release Friday, the Human Rights Campaign announced executives from the beverage company, along with representatives of Northrop Grumman, Intel, Replacements and the Hartford signed an open letter decrying the Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act, which allows government workers and private businesses to deny services and goods to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people based upon religious convictions.
“It is unfathomable that in 2016, Mississippi has passed a law that explicitly allows LGBT people to be denied service or discriminated against simply because of who they are and whom they love," HRC president Chad Griffin said in the release. “That's why across Mississippi and the nation, business leaders are speaking out against this discriminatory legislation that harms their employees, harms consumers, and harms their businesses. But there's still time for lawmakers to reverse course and do the right thing. We urge Governor Bryant and state lawmakers to lead Mississippi toward a brighter future and leave the politics of discrimination and prejudice firmly in the past. It's time for them to listen, stand up for all Mississippians, and work quickly to repeal HB 1523.”
More than a dozen companies, including GE, PepsiCo and Whole Foods Market have coalesced with the HRC in denouncing HB 1523 as "discriminatory legislation." In the appeal to Bryant, the businesses stated the act would make it more challenging for companies within to state to recruit and retain talent and "diminish the state's draw as a destination for tourism, new businesses and economic activity."
Read more: www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2016/04/08/coca-cola-latest-ask-religious-freedom-repeal/82804246/
In a news release Friday, the Human Rights Campaign announced executives from the beverage company, along with representatives of Northrop Grumman, Intel, Replacements and the Hartford signed an open letter decrying the Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act, which allows government workers and private businesses to deny services and goods to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people based upon religious convictions.
“It is unfathomable that in 2016, Mississippi has passed a law that explicitly allows LGBT people to be denied service or discriminated against simply because of who they are and whom they love," HRC president Chad Griffin said in the release. “That's why across Mississippi and the nation, business leaders are speaking out against this discriminatory legislation that harms their employees, harms consumers, and harms their businesses. But there's still time for lawmakers to reverse course and do the right thing. We urge Governor Bryant and state lawmakers to lead Mississippi toward a brighter future and leave the politics of discrimination and prejudice firmly in the past. It's time for them to listen, stand up for all Mississippians, and work quickly to repeal HB 1523.”
More than a dozen companies, including GE, PepsiCo and Whole Foods Market have coalesced with the HRC in denouncing HB 1523 as "discriminatory legislation." In the appeal to Bryant, the businesses stated the act would make it more challenging for companies within to state to recruit and retain talent and "diminish the state's draw as a destination for tourism, new businesses and economic activity."
Read more: www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2016/04/08/coca-cola-latest-ask-religious-freedom-repeal/82804246/