Breaking in Indy: Nine CEOs call on Pence, legislature to modify 'religious freedom' law

[salin]

Nine CEOs call on Pence, legislature to modify 'religious freedom' law
Jeff Swiatek and Tim Evans 5:47 p.m. EDT March 30, 2015

"We are deeply concerned about the impact it is having on our employees," letter says.

Top executives at nine major Indiana companies today called on Gov. Mike Pence and legislative leaders to reform the newly passed Religious Freedom Restoration Act so it can't be used to "justify discrimination based upon sexual orientation or gender identity."

The one-page letter was released this afternoon after being hand-delivered to Pence, House Speaker Brian Bosma and Senate President David Long.

"Regardless of the original intention of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, we are deeply concerned about the impact it is having on our employees and on the reputation of our state," the letter says.


More at Link: http://www.indystar.com/story/money/2015/03/30/nine-ceos-call-pence-legislature-modify-religious-freedom-law/70689924/

Other executives (joining CEO of Cummings) signing the letter were Bill Oesterle, CEO of Angie's List; Joseph Swedish, CEO of Anthem; Jeff Smulyan, CEO of Emmis Communications; Dan Evans, CEO of Indiana University Health; Jack Phillips, CEO of Roche Diagnostics; John Lechleiter, CEO of Eli Lilly and Co.; and Tim Hassinger, CEO of Dow AgroSciences.

These are some of the largest employers in the state. You have also had calls from several Universities (IU, Butler, DePauw, and a quieter non political statement from Purdue (where Mitch Daniels is Pres)

I can not recall a situation like this happening before.

[RKP5637]

1. Excellent! Pence has made an absolute ass of himself on this one, but he's had practice IMO! n/t

[alcibiades_mystery]

2. Hooo-weeee. When you've lost Anthem...

[Myrina]

65. Or Lilly ... The BFEE's best friend ...

[calimary]

72. Or Angie's List. I still can't believe that one.

[Eleanors38]

80. Hell, they lost NASCAR. That's a torpedo below the forward stack.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

3. This could be a good thing in the long run, showing just how full of hate and violence

these people are.

Lets be aware of who exists for the sole purpose of hate, and who doesn't.

This is a good way of finding out who belongs in what column.

Pence is angry, BTW, that there is any blow-back and he is threatening something, not sure what.

[alcibiades_mystery]

6. At the very least, it's working the refs

Who wants to be the next state or governor to deal with this sort of thing?

It's already a net gain, though repeal or functional defanging also seems inevitable at this point.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

11. You see and I wish they would keep the law for a while so we could see

businesses with hate signs and those with love signs, if you know what I mean.

I wanna know which businesses support this and which dont...

I want their bigoted asses out in the open

[salin]

12. he is very angry

and suddenly... very silent. Alot has happened today. Yet his voice is not one I have seen reported (just replays of his 5 minutes of infamy when he wouldn't state that this would not allow discrimination.)

[calimary]

73. Well, what it makes clear is that we have to go back to those 19 other states that have

"MY religion trumps your rights" laws (MRTYR - HAH!!!! OMG look at THAT!!!! "Martyr"!!!!!!!! ROFL!!!!!!!) and GET RID of them, too.

And reverse the Hobby Lobby blunder.

And that one that pence keeps trying to point out that President Clinton signed ("but... but... but... CLINTON did it too!!! CLINTON did it TOO!!!!!!&quot - THAT one has to be revisited as well.

[libdem4life]

75. The Amen Choir is tuning up.

[calimary]

76. Well guess what? SO SHOULD WE!!!!

[libdem4life]

84. Damn straight. Should we start with wet-behind-the-ears bigot Cotton and Arkansas?

My poor, liberal sister lives there. Pity.

[safeinOhio]

4. The only hope of saving $ from leaving the state

is to find a loop-hole in the Bible. Money always wins.

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. Hahaha. The Indiana money bag has been punctured

Now there will be some action.

[RKP5637]

8. Yeah, money talks and gets action, the rest of us just talk. n/t

[WorseBeforeBetter]

24. That is the ONLY thing they understand... money.

I'm waiting to see what our idiot Republican-controlled legislature does in NC. Governor McCrory isn't too thrilled with what they're proposing. He's trying to lure one of the big auto manufacturers here, and the good ol' boys aren't helping.

Apple has a data center in Maiden, NC and Tim Cook has already spoken out:

Apple CEO, Gov. McCrory Call Out NC Religious Freedom Proposal
http://www.twcnews.com/nc/triad/news/2015/03/30/apple-ceo--gov--mccrory-call-out-nc-religious-freedom-proposal.html

[Adrahil]

27. Something to be aware of....

These companies and more have been working against this law from the beginning. This is not just a case of them coming on board since the uproar. They have been supportive of Freedom Indiana since the early days. Freedom Indiana was formed to oppose the effort to pass a Gay Marriage Ban amendment, which was procedurally defeated before the existing law was tossed by the courts altogether.

Many of us here in Hoosierland have been fighting this idiocy for years, and that includes many of the larger businesses located here.

[RKP5637]

29. Thanks for posting this!

[Cha]

35. Good to know, Adrahil.. I wondered.. but, it only makes sense. And, now they have even more people

on board against the gov and his legislature.

[Adrahil]

37. Yes! It's working! Keep it up! Thank you America! n/t

[Thinkingabout]

7. This will get their attention along with other planned boycotts of events.

It is sad companies who choose not to discriminate will be caught up in this but I give credit to the companies which have stepped up. Pence is going to have to man up to the religious groups and say he is not going to discriminate against citizens if his state. Until these groups are shut down and stopped from pushing their beliefs on others they will not stop.

[sdfernando]

9. Were these CEO's pushing against it before the bill was passed?....

and if not, why not?

[salin]

13. many were as was the state and local chamber of commerce

but the teaparty doesn't listen very well.

Until it hits crisis.

[sdfernando]

16. Glad to hear that.

I would be less enthused about a CEO that only came out against it because of the falling $$$ signs.

[herding cats]

17. The article states they were.

That major companies found the door slammed in its face regarding opposition to RFRA — at least so far — just points up that the traditional alliance in Indiana between leading corporations in the state and the Republicans who run the legislature and governor's office isn't as tight as some might think. Lobbyists for social conservatives also have considerable influence.

In enacting RFRA, the legislature and Pence untypically defied the wishes of Indiana's largest corporations, including Lilly, Cummins, Cook Group and Anthem.

Cummins and other companies actively testified against RFRA legislation at public hearings. Other companies weighed in with letters and talking to legislators from their home districts.

It would appear Pence acting surprised, has been exposed for just that, acting. These major companies attempted to be heard prior to the passage if this law and were ignored by the state lawmakers.

[Cha]

36. Exactly, herding cats.. just another disingenuous bullshit act from a Con.

[herding cats]

51. The lying liars and the lies they tell.

It's the Republican way.

Nice to see you, Cha.

[Cha]

53. U2

herding cats!

[Adrahil]

28. Yes.

Most have been supportive of Freedom Indiana since the days of fighting the Gay Marriage Ban amendment.

Almost all big businesses in Indiana are against this.

[arcane1]

10. "Regardless of the original intention" my ass! That WAS the original intention

They're going to get away with pretending this was all an unintended side-effect.

[yardwork]

26. I don't know that they will get away with that, because they show no sign of changing the law.

These laws are being written and passed in legislatures around the country for a very specific reason. The timing makes it clear that these laws are specifically designed to allow discrimination against gay folks, now that we've come out of the closet and won't shut up.

[Skittles]

54. yup

they are so dishonest, they will not own their own bigotry

[lovemydog]

57. Precisely. When these bullies get punched in the nose

they pretend no one wrote, passed & signed the law. Cowards & liars, every one of them.

[sheshe2]

14. Pence thought he could spew

his hate without repercussion. He's learning differently.

[mnhtnbb]

15. It's too bad that these guys weren't more pro-active.

But, Republicans will definitely respond to $$ pressure.

[sunnystarr]

18. At this point I'd say .... ONLY 9 ??!! (nt)

[valerief]

19. I wonder what Big Money Asshole/s wanted Pence to pass the bill? nt

[Trillo]

55. Don't know, but a list posted in another thread may provide leads

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6438539

[druidity33]

61. Eli Lilly is on both lists. Pro and Con. nt

[valerief]

70. Thanks. Someone asked on that link if ALEC was involved in writing the bill.

Interesting. Divide and Conquer would be their strategy.

Found this.
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2015/0330/Who-s-pushing-the-religious-freedom-legislation-in-states

[KingCharlemagne]

20. Wow! The ruling elites are at one another's throats. I cannot recall ever having seen this

either since at least 1974 (Watergate and Tricky Dick's resignation).

[skepticscott]

21. I keep asking myself

would I stop doing everything I can to boycott the state of Indiana even if this law were repealed? It will still be the same state..same bigoted governor, same bigoted, fundy legislature, same rednecks who elected all of them. Why let up on them when this is just a very small change in all of that?

[Cheviteau]

68. Totally Agree.

You just can't mask hatred.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

22. I called...

I called Clabber Girl (talked to a person), ESPN (talked to a person), and NCAA (closed for the day).

You can make a difference

Clabber -812-232-9443

ESPN -888-549-3776

NCAA - 317-917-6222

[matt819]

23. Modify?

Fucking cowards. Demand that it be reversed.

[bullwinkle428]

30. I would define "modify" as "turn into a roll of Charmin"!

[Thespian2]

25. K & R

MONEY got a real loud voice!


Pence has probably spent hours on the phone, looking for all those corporations who asked for this legislation...or did they? One can never trust the lying liars.

[ColesCountyDem]

31. Wabash College also called on Gov. Pence and the Leg to modify the law. Statement:

Released about an hour ago, and re-posted with permission:

Statement on Indiana’s Religious Freedom Rights Law

Wabash College is committed to being a welcoming academic community. Indeed, for the last 25 years our Faculty Statement of Principle Concerning Diversity has stated, “While in no way wishing to abridge the free exchange of ideas, we believe that … actions that threaten or embarrass people because of their race, gender, religion, occupation, sexual orientation, national origin, physical disability or ethnic group hurt all of us. Such insensitivity to any individual or group betrays the spirit of the liberal arts.” (Adopted 1990.)

I am following the evolution of the newly approved Religious Freedom Rights Act (RFRA) that is set to become law in the State of Indiana on July 1, 2015. The RFRA’s wording is vague and its legal application is unknown. Reports suggest that there may be an amendment to the law, which will clarify the extent to which it either implicitly or explicitly provides an avenue for discrimination against valued members of our society.

I call on our legislators to take immediate action to make it clear that Indiana is a state that will not tolerate discrimination of any kind.

Gregory D. Hess
President of Wabash College

[salin]

42. Go Wallys!

As an alumna of a rival institution - never felt the call to yell that out loud - but reading this - I did.

Proud that an increasing number of institutions of higher education in this state are lining up firmly against this law.

[ColesCountyDem]

45. Are you a Danny?

I'm a proud Wally, and thank you for the kind words.

[salin]

46. My brother is a Wally,

as are some of my former students, and numerous talented colleagues.

I am, indeed, a graduate of the just south school on the old Monon (sp?) line.

Am so glad to read that the leader of both schools have come out against this law.

[ColesCountyDem]

47. Well howdy, sort-of-neighbor!

I'm also pleased they've both spoken out against this horrid piece of legislation.

[passiveporcupine]

32. Just curious

How does this bill differ from the RFRA signed by Clinton in 1993, and why wasn't there a big uproar over that? I wasn't even aware of the federal version till this came up at state level. But then, when Clinton was in office I wasn't paying attention to politics, sad to say.

If I'm not mistaken the language in this bill was based on the language in the federal bill.

[salin]

43. There are several discussions on this in GD. There is also an article on the Atlantic.com website

the website of "The Atlantic Monthly" website that highlights the very specific differences.

[passiveporcupine]

44. thanks, I'll check out The Atlantic Monthly.

BTW, it's theatlantic.com. I looked for atlantic.com first and it's a different site. thanks so much for the reference though.

[MysticHuman]

58. In a nutshell....

The federal bill from the 90s does not apply to individual states so many states have taken it upon themselves to enact similar bills. All 19 other states and the federal bill are specifically worded to protect individual religious rights from "Government" interference. Such a Muslim wishing to wear a beard in a federal prison... or a Native American wishing to honor his culture again on federal level. So it would be private citizen vs federal or state government. The Indiana law would expand this to private citizen vs private citizen. Thus the fear of a business owner being legally able to discriminate against the LGBTQ community. Arizona also tried to expand the religious freedom law in 2012 the same as the Indiana bill does and if you recall the response was swift and severe. The NFL threatened to pull the Superbowl... countless corporations were ready to pull out of the state.... tourism feared a drastic drop... in the end... our favorite Republican Governor Jan Brewer decided the bill was a huge mistake and vetoed it. Governor Pence wasn't so insightful....and of course now we are seeing the same outrage as we did with the Arizona law.

[passiveporcupine]

60. Thanks

I just hope this works against the GOP in 2016.

[Cha]

33. Gov Dense stepped into some Deep DooDoo.. not having a freaking clue what havoc he was

about to bring down on his Indiana state. YAY, for civilized people!

Mahalo salin

[TNNurse]

34. Do you think he learned anything today???

[Generic Brad]

41. Yes. He will never be President

Any aspirations he may have had for higher office have been destroyed by his own hand.

[awoke_in_2003]

38. heavyweights are checking in now

This hateful bill isn't going to last long

[salin]

39. I don't think it will.

Amazing turn of events.

[salin]

40. Big Update: Indy Star editorial board (Very influential in central Indiana) Fix This Law Now!

Sorry the changing events (snowballing in a single direction) keep requiring updates. They are easily buried given the speed of posting on GD.

This one seems equally important - per the likelihood of forcing the gov. and the super majorities in both houses of the legislature to act.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026439503#post2

[glinda]

48. Modify?

[closeupready]

49. Barilla's CEO's infamously invited me/my kind to buy some other pasta.

I obliged him, and continue to do so. In fact, they are practically giving Barilla pasta away at my supermarket, but I'm NOT BUYING.

Pence will likely learn that hate is not a selling point for either current business owners or for those who wish to establish a base of operations in the Midwest.

[DeSwiss]

50. On the ninth day of Christmas.....

[center]♪ ♫ my true gave to me,
Nine CEOs gripping they might lose some money.
And they want for Pence to turn back the hands of time! ♫ ♪ [/center]

- I dunno. It just ain't as catchy as the old one......

K&R


Thought they could have it both ways, did nothing. Discovered they can't........

[Surya Gayatri]

52. Will the voters of Indiana wake up to their own economic

interests and vote these ignorant bigots out?

[olegramps]

69. Only in your dreams. Indiana is a hot bed of racists KKK assholes.

[Surya Gayatri]

71. The KKK was born there, if I'm not mistaken?

[lovemydog]

56. Repeal it!

I certainly don't trust that legislature to 'modify' it.

[Major Hogwash]

59. Is there a phone number we, the people, can call?

Or an e-mail address?

We need to become activists on this issue right now!!!!!!!!!!

[Myrina]

66. Pence doesn't listen to the people of Indiana, why would he listen to others?

And, his staff's phones and VM's have been left unattended since last Thursday.

[handmade34]

62. repeal

should be the only acceptable action

[tridim]

63. More confirmation that culture does not want to go RW.

And more confirmation that mass ridicule works.

It is much more powerful than money, which scares the crap out of anyone in power.

[VWolf]

64. "We are deeply concerned about the impact it is having on our

bottom line."

There. Fixed the quote.

[Myrina]

67. Sorta. They stand to lose tons of talent, too.

I am in Indy and the company I work for (not one of the ones listed) is also international like Cummins and Lilly and has a firm stance on equality - we have Womens', Asian, African-American & LGBT outreach/'professional groups' for folks to discuss issues and help make the entire company better.

If this law stands, employees are going to look twice at 'what does your company stand for' before they apply or accept a job offer.

[Liberalagogo]

74. FUCK "modifying"

No less than FULL repeal. If this is allowed to stand in ANY form it will be a disaster. Just look to DADT and DOM for examples.

[Avalux]

77. Agree. There's no need for the law.

Unless Pence can show tangible evidence as to why the law is needed (and he can't), REPEAL.

[Liberalagogo]

78. Plus

That jackass said it "mirrors" federal law (it doesn't). If it did, what is the need for a redundant law then? What a useless lying sociopath.

[Avalux]

79. Exactly - his reasoning is ridiculous.

He loses the argument either way....his law doesn't mirror federal law, and there's no discriminatory federal law that needs correcting with his law.

[nichomachus]

81. The silver lining in this whole thing

Is that the next time the Christian wackos/Teabaggers come to Pence with some cockamamie "law" like this, he will probably throw them down the stairs -- if not out the window.

[salin]

82. I wonder how long into the fiasco (since Thursday or Friday) that it occurred to him

that his presidential ambitions just withered up like a charred piece of paper - and are now blowing in the wind.

Teapartiers thinks he's a wimp (should have just stood up for the discrimination - Yes. It. Lets. Christians. Discriminate.)

Business leaders think he's wreckless and clueless (and doesn't understand PR)

And voters across the state and nation think he is a disingenuous crank.

[nichomachus]

83. Don't rule out "All of the above" nt