My last post addressed Target’s social agenda and the boycott over its bathroom policy, as well as Charlotte’s related ordinance and NC’s HB2 response. The DOJ has since attempted to coerce NC by threatening to withhold education, transportation, and other funds. NC responded by filing suit, so it looks like this will end up in court. Kudos to Governor McCrory for navigating this storm calmly and rationally.
Unfortunately, most news reports are advancing two narratives here, but overlooking two larger points. The first narrative is the notion that HB2 violates the civil rights of members of the LGBT community. However, gender identity is not a protected class for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that it’s subject to interpretation. AG Loretta Lynch’s attempt to equate HB2 with Jim Crow is beyond a stretch. Enough said for the time being.
The second narrative is that Governor McCrory’s move is costing NC jobs. Tell that to the city of Austin, where a December ordinance required fingerprints and background checks for Uber and Lyft drivers. The companies backed Proposition 1 to overturn the measure and spent over $8 million to persuade voters, but it failed last weekend. Uber and Lyft halted operations on Monday. Is the city of Austin thwarting economic activity? Perhaps so, but this back-and-forth is part of the process. I don’t hear a public outcry over Austin.
But two bigger issues are NOT getting much attention. The first is AG Lynch’s hypocrisy when it comes to HB2. Sanctuary cities represent an obvious rejection of federal immigration law. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, there are over 300 cities, counties and states that shelter illegal immigrants and ignore federal law. Their existence costs taxpayers billions every year and represents a threat to national security. Even if Lynch is correct with regard to HB2—which she is not—her silence on sanctuary cities is deafening and demonstrates her selective outrage.
The second issue is the hypocrisy of businesses and performers threatening to boycott the state. Consider a few examples. Paypal does business in Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan, but apparently finds the climate in NC to be too abusive for its operations. Bryan Adams is refusing to perform in NC, but has done so in Syria, Qatar and the UAE. Bruce Springsteen is refusing to perform in NC as well, but does so in Italy, where same-sex marriage is not recognized. I guess it’s okay to require a bakery to bake a cake for a same-sex couple, but Hollywood types are free to transact business—or not—when and where they please.
It’s time we have a debate about hypocrisy. If federal law trumps state law, then why not when sanctuary cities are involved? If companies want to “take a stand” on social issues, when why not demand that they apply the stand consistently? If individuals and firms cannot refuse to transact business with others because of personal or religious objections, then why are artists permitted to do so?
If Paypal doesn’t want to do business in North Carolina, then it should have the guts to cancel all of its accounts there. Don’t count on it.
the issue is not hypocrisy. boycotting the state of nc is legal and will bring about positive social change. we can’t judge paypal for doing business in the middle east because they have a different culture.
How do you blame the governor for losing jobs because of this? Companies shut down when the minimum wage increases but nobody blames the politicians.
Yes, you blame the governor. He could have stayed out of people’s bathrooms and vetoed the bill.
PayPal,Bryan Adams, and Bruce Springsteen (who “was born in the USA”), CANNOT change other countries’ culture, but they can make an IMPACT on the culture in the country they LIVE IN. That is why this is not hypocrisy.
The culture argument? So if women are mistreated in Saudi, the culture makes it OK? What is the culture in Italy where same sex marriage is not recognized? If it is religion, then why not accept religious beliefs in this country?
All the arguments eventually break down. It is about an activist government trying to control every aspect of our lives – and succeeding.
I remember the boycotts of South Africa during apartheid. That impacted the culture there. Aliza, it’s a crock to say that Paypal can influence the culture in the US but not in other countries where rights are REALLY a problem and people are jailed and killed for being different. It’s all about money. Paypal can get away with it here but not in other countries.