AFSCME Relocating Conference Out Of 'Disgust' Of Religious Liberty Law

[DonViejo]

Source: TPM

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) has decided to relocate its 2015 National Women's Conference "as a direct result" of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) signing a controversial religious freedom bill into law.

AFSCME's decision to pull out of Indianapolis, Indiana, where it was scheduled to host its conference in October, was announced by AFSCME President Lee Saunders (pictured) on Monday.

"This un-American law allowing businesses to refuse service to gay and lesbian customers sets Indiana and our nation back decades in the struggle for civil rights," Saunders said in a statement. "It is an embarrassment and cannot be tolerated. The 1.6 million members of AFSCME cannot in good conscience make such a sizeable financial investment in Indiana knowing that women and men in that state are deliberately being targeted for discrimination."

A number of major businesses and national figures have criticized the law. Just before Pence signed it, the popular tabletop convention Gen Con threatened to relocate. Meanwhile, in Georgia, the science fiction convention Dragon Con warned that it could move out of the state if Georgia's legislature moved forward with similar legislation.

-snip-

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/afscme-mike-pence-religious-freedom

[slumcamper]

1. Indiana's brand of "religious liberty" offends America's better angels. n/t

[calimary]

6. DAYUM that's a good one, slumcamper!

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. Hey Mike, are you paying attention yet?

This is b e a u t i f u l

[Roy Rolling]

3. Remember: It's not about discrimination

It's about telling certain people that you will single them out for substandard service or no service at all.

That is the American way, "The Customer is Always a Piece of Shit".

[Enthusiast]

10. The Republican Party is fundamentally anti-consumer.

[stillwaiting]

12. I think they are anti-everything except the wealthy and white, Christian men. nt

[appalachiablue]

19. +1

[Liberalynn]

21. This!

[erronis]

4. I think we need some RW groups to book some big conventions in Indiana

to make up for the loss of all this business.

How about the Koch Bros, Inc. (and all their loyal employees)?

Or the National Federation of KKK and Bigot Investors, LLC?

I'm sure Ted Bundy and Glen Beck and Joe Scarborough and whats-his-face, the drug addict - I'm sure they could start a new conference of RWNJ.

Indiana could be a mecca (or Jerusalem if you prefer) for @ss-wipes (my apologies to toilet paper.)

[Iliyah]

5. OK the sane people know its discrimination.

[tomm2thumbs]

7. Pence is looking like the fool he is -- and things were going so splendidly until now... (g)

When even the two leaders of the Indiana house blame him during their press conference, you know it's bad

Vewwy, vewwy bad.

[LynneSin]

8. Wow, maybe the Klu Klux Klan or the Neo-Nazi need a site for a convention

Indiana seems to have sites opening up left and right!

I hope other states contemplating these hate laws recognize the money they could lose passing them. There are plenty of states here in America more than happy to host these conventions and business expansions that also treat all citizens as equals.

[Roy Rolling]

13. Ha ha

That's a rumor that's just waiting to go viral . . .

[appalachiablue]

20. The JBS, John Birch Society established 1958 in Indianapolis, IN is a radical RW political

advocacy group founded by Robert Welch and 11 other Birchers including Fred Koch of Koch Industries and father of Charles & David Koch. The organization is active and was named for the American WWII soldier killed by the communist Chinese in 1945 at the start of the Cold War. Mission; Christian principles, anti Federal Government, anti communist & collectivism, and anti Civil Rights. According to Claire Conner, DU member and daughter of JBS founder Robert Welch, JBS extremism aims to take the US back to the year 1900. Meet the new John Birch, Jr. & James Crow, Jr.

[Enthusiast]

9. Kicked and recommended a whole bunch!

Thank you, DonViejo.

[blkmusclmachine]

11. Good. Somebody's got to start standing up to these hard rightwing Christian fascists.

[SoapBox]

14. That key phrase..."un-American" law.

OUCH! That should hurt!

INtolerance.

[Aldo Leopold]

15. Awesome!

[Dont call me Shirley]

16. We need to create a new name for this bill, like the legalization of bigotry bill.

"Religious freedom" makes the bill sound like the religious are being imprisoned and victimized, when the religious conservatives are the real abuser bullies.

[AlinPA]

17. Good move; good statement!

[The Jungle 1]

18. Question

At my barbecue joint can I refuse to serve fat bald old white republicans?
Can I demand to see their political registration or can I just not serve any fat bald old white men. After all fat bald old white men are all republicans. Wait a minute except for the bald part and the republican part. Well I am a 5 head. Maybe I need to switch parties.

Boycott anything that has anything to do with Indy. Shut um down. The people of this state need to understand they are responsible for their elected officials. We also need to demonstrate to the party of fat bald old white men how capitalism works. WE THE PEOPLE are still in control.