The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) has decided to relocate its 2015 National Women’s Conference “as a direct result” of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) signing a controversial religious freedom bill into law.
AFSCME’s decision to pull out of Indianapolis, Indiana, where it was scheduled to host its conference in October, was announced by AFSCME President Lee Saunders (pictured) on Monday.
“This un-American law allowing businesses to refuse service to gay and lesbian customers sets Indiana and our nation back decades in the struggle for civil rights,” Saunders said in a statement. “It is an embarrassment and cannot be tolerated. The 1.6 million members of AFSCME cannot in good conscience make such a sizeable financial investment in Indiana knowing that women and men in that state are deliberately being targeted for discrimination.”
A number of major businesses and national figures have criticized the law. Just before Pence signed it, the popular tabletop convention Gen Con threatened to relocate. Meanwhile, in Georgia, the science fiction convention Dragon Con warned that it could move out of the state if Georgia’s legislature moved forward with similar legislation.
The National College Athletic Association, which hosts its Final Four March Madness games in Indianapolis, said it was “especially concerned about how this legislation could affect our student-athletes and employees.”
Saunders added that the conference would be relocated as “a sign of our disgust and disappointment with Pence’s discriminatory law.”
I agree with John’s column about this. The tide has turned. This is a seminal moment in time.
See what you started Pence?
It won’t end well for you.
Drip, drip, drip …
Mike Pence JOB CREATOR
I’ve never been one to not be confused, but this puzzles me. Before this was signed, we had a Federal law used as a basis for Hobby Lobby by the Supreme Bigots, and laws in perhaps twenty states along these lines. Is there something in particular about this law that has differentiated it from all those?
I’m no lawyer and the details escape my poor attempts to research it, so just wondered if anyone knows in case some bigot tries to pull that Mike Pence bullshit line on me.