Business Group Blasts Religious Freedom Proposals [Texas]

Texas Tribune ^ | 04/07/2015 | Edgar Walters

[GIdget2004]

Standing alongside Democrats, a representative for the state’s powerful business lobby Tuesday denounced two proposed amendments to the state constitution aimed at bolstering protection for people acting on religious beliefs, which detractors say would legalize discrimination against gays and lesbians.

“These amendments are bad for business,” Bill Hammond, chief executive of the Texas Association of Business, said at a press conference. “They would devastate economic development, tourism and the convention business.”

It’s part of a larger debate taking place around the country, most notably in Indiana, where public backlash over a similar law forced the state’s governor to sign an amended version that included protections for gays and lesbians. The question Texas lawmakers face is how they should balance their obligation to protect minority groups with a commitment to religious liberty.

[a fool in paradise]

This is nothing new, actually. Companies have been sponsoring gay pride fests since before sodomy was legal in the state. They've also had "diversity training" political re-education as a requirement (everyone in the department takes it).

It's like Henry Ford's Model-T, you have any belief as long as it is liberal.

[TexasFreeper2009]

Big business is playing a dangerous game here. The left already hates them and always will, but if they tick off the right enough with this kind of nonsense the right will turn against them too and you might see a be-partisan push to attack them in response.

[factoryrat]

So the texas CofC, along with their fascist ilk, are willing to alienate 98% of their customer base, solely to accommodate, at best, about 2% of the population?

Tell me again why caving in to the homosexual lobby makes good business sense?

[Lake Living]

For the love of money is the root of all evil!
Can’t have morality as it ruins business.
America is making her choices one little compromise at a time.
This won’t end well for us. There’s only so much corruption a nation can tolerate before it implodes.

[martinidon]

This is why the Republicans need to focus on more important legislation. The liberals, dems, and gay mafia love this. For the gays it makes them relevant; for the libs and dems it gives them a platform to run on in 2016. Along with their media friends they will demonize Republicans as bigots, homophobes, etc. and frame the debates around single issues like this, abortion, war on women...
Let the small group of companies that would serve a gay event that have religious convictions against doing so work with attorney's to draw up contracts that give them an out such as subcontracting to another company.
Take the issue off the table and force the libs and dems to defend the issues that are really impacting the people; taxes, health-care, jobs, etc....

[Adder]

UNlike IN and AR, TX should pass the laws or amendments and ignore the threats.

Why? Because business need TX more than TX needs them. You think Apple is going to close its stores? Seriously?

Religious freedom is far more important than where Adam and Steve get their wedding cakes.

There is not any discrimination happeneing. Goods sellers providing items off the shelf...they do bot and cannot discriminate. But people in contractural business such as contracting to provide a wedding cake or flowers are NOT discriminating to turn down business they find objectionable....any more that some homosexual would refuse to make a Death To Sodomites cake.

Its not the same at all.

The Right needs to articulate that.

[Resolute Conservative]

Nothing ever happens. 90% of people will continue to shop at stores that have been openly political. They throw out excuses like, it is too much trouble to go xxx, they have the best deals, yada yada...

Americans just do not care as long as Starjunks is open and Dancing with the Stars or football is on tv.

[madprof98]

Why does it make sense? Because they know the GOP will always favor pro-business policies no matter what they do, and standing on the side of perversion and evil makes the Democrats hate them a little bit less . . . and feel less inclined to hurt them with anti-business legislation.

[pierrem15]

Someone needs to organize an alternative business association and put Bill Hammond out of business.

[pierrem15]

I disagree: let the Dems and crony capitalists reveal themselves for the fascists they are.

You are sadly mistaken if you think conceding victory on these issues will change politics: the Dems will just move on to ever more despotic laws and regulations and, with their media cheerleaders lying on their behalf, will probably win on those issues, too.

Make them fight block by block, issue by issue.

[pierrem15]

The GOP already supports criminal business enterprises that employ illegals.

Both political parties and the business elites in this country behave more and more openly as a criminal class of looters with no respect for the law or Constitution.

[martinidon]

I used to feel that way, but where has it gotten the Republican party? The problem is the Republicans get spooked when they get the fake outrage. Look what Indiana and Arkansas did; they passed the laws and then fell all over themselves to appease the libs, dems and gay mafia. In the end the Republicans look weak and the libs use it to paint the Republicans as bigots, homophobes, etc and unfortunately, the low information voters buy it.
IMHO, for the Republicans to take back this country they need to be smarter and more simplistic and focus on the issues that impact everyone. Stay away from these fake outrage issues. Look at the capital that was wasted in Indiana. What did they gain? What are the chances that a religious business owner that caters weddings (for the most part this is what this is about)has strong convictions against participating in a gay wedding. You can be sure the gay mafia and the media have looked everywhere. The only business owner they could find was a pizza joint that doesn't even do catering. The other problem with this issue is how many Religious business owners have been sued for not participating? maybe 4 or 5 in the entire country. Why in the world would the Republicans want to get drug into this debate and fake outrage? If you really want the dems to reveal themselves make them do it on things most Americans can agree on like Immigration. Here is an issue that has about 70% of Americans that disagree with Obama and the dems position. Hang that issue around their neck and make them defend illegals sucking up jobs, taxpayer subsidies, committing crimes. In my opinion issues like this should be front and center and the Republicans need to pound those issues daily. Don't let the media and libs frame the debate about gay rights, war on women, abortion, etc.

[pierrem15]

You seem to think the GOP should avoid the cultural issues and defend other more popular positions, like stopping illegal immigration.

The problem is that they are just as corrupt on these other issues as the are on "gay marriage:" the same businessmen who have pulled their leashes over gay marriage are also pulling their leashes to allow illegal immigration and abuse of H1B and other visa programs.

I don't support the GOP on a regular basis any more because most of them are as hopelessly corrupt as the Dems. I can only hope that the 2016 election improves things: if not, the only viable response will be force.

[NetAddicted]

Why would Texas worry? Nothing’s going to effect their economy.

[NetAddicted]

I assume the legislators are well aware of that.