Springsteen cancels NC show in solidarity!

[yankeefan7]

"Maybe you're in denial about what your fellow citizens believe. You keep bringing up Charlotte, over and over- that's ONE city, containing less than 10% of the state's population"

 
I bring up Charlotte NC because I have lived there for 26 years and know it pretty well. Charlotte has the biggest population of any city in NC, it is probably close to double the size of the capital Raleigh. You rather I talk about a place like Boone NC instead of the biggest city in the state.

[yankeefan7]

"I think it's interesting that you keep arguing how progressive NC is, while at the same time complaining what a bother and inconvenience this move towards progress is for the poor people of NC"

 

It is a progressive state but there are people that work 2nd jobs (in places like a sports arena) that supplement their income, tell me a state in this country where some people don't do that to help themselves in this economy.

[yankeefan7]

"And do you not remember the brouhaha over that? Many Democracts wanted to see the convention held elsewhere, given that shortly before the convention the state had passed another piece of anti-gay legislation. "

Then why did the party change to another city if so many Democrats wanted it changed. My cynical answer is because the knew NC is a big swing state in presidential election and they wanted to get any advantage they could in election.

 

 

[javero]

"Charlotte has the biggest population of any city in NC, it is probably close to double the size of the capital Raleigh. You rather I talk about a place like Boone NC instead of the biggest city in the state."

Should I add residents of Boone to my new signature?

While we're on the subject of Charlotte, there once was a mayor named Harvey Gantt who unsuccessfully attempted to unseat the late un-great king of bigots Jesse Helms in the US Senate.  The stunt that GOP hitman-for-hire Alex Castellanos pulled on Helms' behalf ushered in the era of the shameless attack ad.  The interesting thing about Charlotte is that it seems that only Republican mayors can translate success there into a gig in the governor's mansion or US Senate.  The minute a Democratic mayor attempts the feat, he or she is hit with a tidal wave of GOP opposition berating "Charlotte values".

[adamgreer]

yankeefan7 said: ""And do you not remember the brouhaha over that? Many Democracts wanted to see the convention held elsewhere, given that shortly before the convention the state had passed another piece of anti-gay legislation. "

Then why did the party change to another city if so many Democrats wanted it changed. My cynical answer is because the knew NC is a big swing state in presidential election and they wanted to get any advantage they could in election.

 

 One cannot simply move an entire national convention with a month's notice on a whim like that. There's many more moving parts involved than simply booking an arena. 

[bdwaygirl]

"One cannot simply move an entire national convention with a month's notice on a whim like that. There's many more moving parts involved than simply booking an arena."

 

Indeed!  I worked for a company that handled the majority of telecommunications for the 2012 conventions.  My boss was one of the leaders of this project and work for the conventions was started in July, 2011.  With all the mobile technology advances, i.e., Smartphones, tablets, etc. it was a challenging assignment. Work for this year's conventions started last June. 
 

[Steve C.]

1. McCrory is a simpering fool.

 

2. I hope God calls Tony Perkins back to Hell where he belongs.

[Steve C.]

More business withdrawals:

1. The NEA-GLBT Caucus has canceled its' scheduled annual BMEX meetings in Charlotte.

2. Pearl Jam has canceled concerts in NC, stating that the new laws are "despicable".

Only time will tell if these boycotts will work or if Hate is alive and well in NC and Mississippi.

[madbrian]

In a very unusual move, Duke University has renounced the bill and called for its repeal.

[haterobics]

Steve C. said: "Only time will tell if these boycotts will work or if Hate is alive and well in NC and Mississippi."

Both can be simultaneously true.

PJ only had one NC show, btw. I had a ticket to go, despite trying to get a refund through their fan club. So only seeing one PJ show this week, not two.

[Steve C.]

In case you have not heard, North Carolina will defy a Federal order to comply...https://www.washingtonblade.com/2016/05/08/mccrory-looking-at-all-options-ahead-of-hb-2-deadline/

I said it before, McCrory is a simpering whimpering fool. Trans people just want to be left alone, not made into political ammunition. I honestly thought we were past this. Another Republican congress will continue to try and f@ck with us again. 

Also, thanks to EricMontreal I've read LionsGate has pulled a Hulu series out of NC and moved to Vancouver

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lionsgate-pulls-hulu-pilot-crushed-881405

 

 

[yankeefan7]

"In case you have not heard, North Carolina will defy a Federal order to comply."

The article did not say that, it said the Governor said he was exploring all options. In local paper, McCrory said he will respond tomorrow since his request for extension was denied. Why don't you wait until he actually states what he is going to do first?

 

[yankeefan7]

"2. Pearl Jam has canceled concerts in NC, stating that the new laws are "despicable"."

Just curious. Do you think less of people like Beyonce, Bernadette Peters and Jimmy Buffet for example that played concerts recently in NC ?

 

[madbrian]

Personally, I do not think less of anyone who fulfilled prior commitments. I would question anyone who makes new commitments there before this law is repealed. 

[yankeefan7]

"Personally, I do not think less of anyone who fulfilled prior commitments. I would question anyone who makes new commitments there before this law is repealed"

 

Good point and very fair.

[Steve C.]

Not to be arbitrary..

MSN

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/north-carolina-officials-say-they%E2%80%99ll-defy-federal-deadline-on-bathroom-law/ar-BBsGGRm?li=BBnbfcL

LA Times

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-north-carolina-doj-20160505-story.html

Blog reports

http://regator.com/p/271760743/north_carolina_to_defy_feds_on_lgbt_law/

towleroad

http://www.towleroad.com/2016/05/hb-2/

http://blog.hiremelegal.com/north-carolina-republicans-vow-defy-feds-bathroom-law/

I read a lot and more than just one source. I think  "defy" and "plan to defy" or "extension denied" probably mean just that. 

[yankeefan7]

Steve C - You seem like a very nice person so I want to ask you a couple of questions and I am not trying to be mean, hope we can keep this civil. I will admit I am not expert on civil rights laws so please correct me if I got something wrong.

1) Under existing law, is it really discrimination to require someone to use the bathroom of the sex they were born? I believe the civil rights law mentions "sex" and not gender identity.

2) Shouldn't the solution be to change existing civil rights law to cover gender identity?

3) I believe the NC law mentions that if you have sex re-assignment surgery you can have your birth certificate changed regarding your sex. Is this something that is acceptable or do you feel it discriminates because I assume the surgery is expensive.

 

[madbrian]

Frankly, I'm a little surprised the focus on NC's HB2 has been limited to the bathroom issue, when there is so much more to it than just that.  

From Wiki (emphasis mine):

The act also prohibits municipalities in North Carolina from enacting anti-discrimination policies, setting a minimum wage above the statewide minimum, regulating child labor, or making certain regulations for city workers. The legislation also removes the statutory and common law private right of action to enforce state anti-discrimination statutes in state courts.

[madbrian]

Governor McCrory has announced that NC is suing the federal government over this.

[ErikJ972]

It also prohibits municipalites from raising the minimum wage.

[Steve C.]

Thank you Yankee, I'd like to think I'm a nice person too. Hopefully this info will support my opinion.

1) Under existing law, is it really discrimination to require someone to use the bathroom of the sex they were born? I believe the civil rights law mentions "sex" and not gender identity.

Yes, the Civil Rights act of 1964 has been amended to cover transgender persons also known as "gender Identity expression or discrimination". These are the EEOC protections:

https://www.eeoc.gov/federal/otherprotections.cfm

2) Shouldn't the solution be to change existing civil rights law to cover gender identity?

It is already. This is part of their "fight". The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals that covers NC has already ruled that this kind of discrimination is wrong and is discriminatory. These ACLU guidelines further explain what is identified and covered.

https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/transgender-people-and-law

Even with the inclusions of the Civil Rights Act, some of the most respected organizations agree. The AMA says gender identity is a valid expression of rights. The American Pediatric Association agrees. This is not the "rest stop" or "locker room" predator horror scenario that NC is trying to extol. They are just plain, dead wrong. 

To reiterate the NC actions, the Republican house AND Republican Governor pushed this legislation through and passed it in less than 24 hours. It was hurriedly rushed through the house and passed based in fear and discrimination.

3) I believe the NC law mentions that if you have sex re-assignment surgery you can have your birth certificate changed regarding your sex. Is this something that is acceptable or do you feel it discriminates because I assume the surgery is expensive.

I'm not sure how to answer this question other than do you want people to have to show their drivers' license to go to the bathroom? Discrimination has nothing to do the cost of surgery. This link is to the Transgender Law and Policy Institute. Hopefully this information can explain it better than I.

http://www.transgenderlaw.org/ndlaws/index.htm#restrooms

I know you're not trying to be mean and my #1 BWW rule is not to scream and insult people. Let's just hope this gets resolved and dies down. (Another election issue preying on old unfounded fears). Transgender people do not deserve this. We/Us/They know this is wrong.      

  

 

[yankeefan7]

Steve C - Thanks for the detailed and informative response, it is appreciated.

[madbrian]

AG Lynch just responded to NC, and will be taking them to court seeking a ban on enforcement of HB2.