The American Unity Fund, a group created by billionaire Paul Singer to push Republicans to support LGBT rights, launched a new website urging North Carolina lawmakers to repeal the new sweeping anti-gay law, the News and Observer reported on Wednesday.
On conservativesagainsthb2.com, people are greeted with the message, “North Carolina … Small Town Not Small Minded.” On the site, people can send a form letter to Gov. Pat McCrory (R) or state lawmakers urging them to repeal the law that prohibits local ordinances requiring anti-discrimination protections for LGBT individuals and limits employees’ ability to file workplace discrimination lawsuits.
We need your help! Let’s defeat #discriminatory #HB2 to protect our #LGBT neighbors & friends. Tell #NC legislators: https://t.co/NR18v5PwMU
— American Unity Fund (@American_Unity) April 12, 2016
The website stresses that the law hurts the North Carolina economy. Numerous companies with a presence in the state have voiced their opposition to the law.
“North Carolina needs to attract automakers, high tech firms, and large growing companies to compete in the future. As states like Georgia stand up to discrimination and refuse to pass bills like HB2, North Carolina has taken a huge step backwards and is now less competitive in today’s economy,” a message at the bottom of the website reads. “Tell our state leaders we need to fix this by repealing HB2.”
In a statement responding to McCrory’s executive order extending anti-discrimination protections to state employees, American Unity Fund senior adviser Tyler Deaton said that the order was a first good step, but ultimately not enough.
“We thank Governor McCrory for his willingness to recognize the mistakes of HB2 and act decisively to fix some of the damage caused by HB2’s passage,” Deaton said. “This is a major milestone for North Carolina and it represents the start of a reconciliation process that needs to take place in the aftermath of HB2. The executive order itself references current anti-transgender law imposed by HB2, which is just another reminder of how sweeping and harmful HB2 is.”
“All eyes now turn to the General Assembly as it reconvenes later this month. They must continue the process of reconciliation and the only way to do that is to repeal HB2,” he added in the statement.
