8 Executives Sign Open Letter Urging Mississippi To Repeal Anti-Gay Law

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant delivers his first State of the State address Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 on the steps of the Capitol in Jackson, Miss. Bryant used the address to unveil detailed policy proposals, from educat... Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant delivers his first State of the State address Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 on the steps of the Capitol in Jackson, Miss. Bryant used the address to unveil detailed policy proposals, from education to health care to energy, saying he wants to create a "Mississippi Works Agenda." (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) MORE LESS
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The executives of eight companies on Wednesday signed onto an open letter urging Mississippi lawmakers to repeal a new law that allows businesses to deny services to LGBT individuals, the Human Rights Campaign announced on Wednesday.

Executives from GE, Dow Chemical, PepsiCo, Hewlett Packard Enterprises, Hyatt Hotels, Choice Hotels, Levi Strauss, and Whole Foods Market all signed onto the letter, joining numerous other companies that had already spoken out against the law.

“We are disappointed to see the legislature and governor’s office pass discriminatory legislation. The business community, by and large, has consistently communicated to lawmakers at every level that such laws are bad for our employees and bad for business,” the executives wrote in the letter.

“This is not a direction in which states move when they are seeking to provide successful, thriving hubs for business and economic development,” they continued. “We believe that HB 1523 will make it far more challenging for businesses across the state to recruit and retain the nation’s best and brightest workers and attract the most talented students from across the country. It will also diminish the state’s draw as a destination for tourism, new businesses, and economic activity.”

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) signed the legislation into law on Tuesday despite opposition from some corporations and LGBT advocacy groups. The law allows businesses to deny services to same-sex couples, as well as allows businesses to deny services based on the belief that “sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage” and that gender is determined at birth. It also lets religious groups fire individuals with differing religious views and block adoptions to gay couples.

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  1. Avatar for jsfox jsfox says:

    An open letter is nice, but unless Mississippi actually feels it in it’s wallet they will just ignore the letter.

  2. Exactly, they need to start pulling business from Mississippi or at least a lot have to pull out of NC in order to scare Mississippi into repealing their law. Unfortunately, there are more of these laws being introduced and passed lately.

  3. I’m exhausted excoriating Mississippi and the other TEAliban GOPig dominated RedStates for their disgusting and flagrant bigotry and hate. And the legendary Nina Simone did it better with a simple song, long ago, anyway. Change comes slowly. I’ll leave this right here:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tst6Fuw2Sfo

    BTW: North Carolina is already beginning to feel the backlash in a tangible way, and all over a nonsensical, unnecessary and bigoted piece of hateful, pandering legislative crap that is destined for the scrapheap when the courts shred it.

    "The new law perpetuates discrimination and it violates the values and
    principles that are at the core of PayPal’s mission and culture. As a result, PayPal will not move forward with our planned expansion into Charlotte."
    – Dan Schulman, PayPay CEO

  4. Just look at the face in the post photo…not the sharpest knife in the Governor drawer…and, with no GOP establishment any more…what agency is coordinating all these absurd yet nearly identical state legislative efforts across the South?

  5. Mississippi! You have 999 problems and ‘potty problems’ ain’t one! Enjoy your rapidly approaching legal humiliation to go with the ridicule…oh, come to think of it, you must be used to that. So, enjoy any future hope of business development and investment while you continue to praise Juh…eee…zus…uh! and take, take, take from the Big Gummit’ you profess so to hate, in order just to survive as the backward craphole you are.

    You SHOULD be offended by a poor child with little or no education and with little or no hope for a decent future. THAT doesn’t seem to bother you. But someone using the bathroom in a manner you deem ‘incorrect’…and you go bible-thumping batshitcrazy. Absolutely bewildering.

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