Chris Christie says moving All Star Game over anti-LGBT law is ‘grandstanding’ by the NBA
The Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie has said that the NBA moving its 2017 All Star Game away from Charlotte North Carolina is “grandstanding”.
The NBA earlier this year announced that it had opted to move the game in protest against the state’s anti-LGBT HB2, which was introduced this year.
The statement announcing the move does give North Carolina one last chance to “resolve” the situation, presumably by repealing HB2.
But it doesn’t seem that the state has any plans to try to resolve the situation, as Governor Pat McCrory told Charlotte-based WFAE that the NBA’s decision is “total [Politically Correct Bullshit] PC BS”.
Fellow Republican Christie made the “grandstanding” remarks as he co-hosted the WFAN ‘Boomer and Carton’ morning radio show on Friday.
The Trump supporter asked whether the NBA would look at all laws, suggesting it was picking and choosing which ones to object to.
It was thought that HB2 would be repealed or revised in North Carolina, but lawmakers in the state last month adjourned, leaving the law barely changed.
Previously tweeting, the NBA said it was “deeply concerned that this discriminatory law runs counter to our guiding principals of equality and mutual respect and do not know what impact it will have on our ability to successfully host the 2017 All-Star game in Charlotte.”
“It would be easy to say we’re moving it,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver clarified on Friday.
“We feel there’s a constructive role for the league to play. If we announce we’re moving it now, what’s the incentive to change the law?”
A fake news story briefly published by some news sources claimed that the NBA had given an ultimatum to North Carolina – to repeal the law or lose the All Star game.
But it was later clarified by the NBA that the quotes attributed to the league were fake.
Hundreds of business leaders have urged the repeal of North Carolina’s HB2, and multiple celebrities have pulled out of appearances, including Ringo Starr and, Bruce Springsteen.
Springsteen was even accused of using “bully tactics” for cancelling the concert by one of the state’s Representatives.
But dozens of celebrities and hundreds of fans came to the defence of Springsteen, commending him for taking a stand.
Others such as Mumford and Sons and Cyndi Lauper have said they will appear but that they will donate their profits to LGBT rights organisations.
Mississippi also faces similar threats as Bryan Adams and Sharon Stone have pulled out of appearances there.
