NAACP joins North Carolina boycott after failed attempt to repeal anti-LGBT law
The North Carolina branch of the NAACP will join the growing boycott of the state, after an attempt to repeal anti-LGBT law was defeated.
North Carolina has lost a string of big investment ventures after Republican Governor Pat McCrory’s decision to sign the contentious HB2, which voided all local ordinances protecting LGBT rights, banned transgender people from using their preferred bathroom, and permits businesses to discriminate against LGBT people on the grounds of religious belief.
After McCrory was defeated in his re-election battle by Democratic challenger Roy Cooper, the two parties this week attempted to broker a compromise deal on the issue – with Republicans initially agreeing to repeal HB2 in return for the repeal of LGBT rights protections in the Democrat-controlled City of Charlotte.
Though the Democrats held up their end of the deal, it fell apart when the Republicans violated their end of the agreement, attempting to introduce a clause in their own HB2 repeal bill banning LGBT rights ordinances. Attempts to resolve the issue fell apart in a special legislature session last night.
Following the political catastrophe, which comes following unprecedented steps in the legislature to strip the incoming Governor-elect of executive powers, the NAACP has joined the boycott of the state.
Speaking at a news conference, North Carolina NAACP President William Barber called for an economic boycott until HB2 and anti-democratic measures in the state are repealed. The group said it would begin the process of making it official NAACP policy.
In a statement, the North Carolina NAACP said: “House Bill 2 is anti-civil rights and anti-LGBTQ hate-filled legislation.
“HB2 should have been repealed in its entirety [this week] as promised by the leadership of the NC General Assembly.
“Our elected officials should have worked to protect all the people of North Carolina but instead they wasted our time and tax money.
“Both the House and the Senate’s all white Republican caucus have proven that they are not fit to govern North Carolina.”
“The legislature adjourned without repealing House Bill 2 because they could not bring themselves to protect living wages and the civil rights of the LGBTQ community. This is shameful and a disgrace to North Carolina.
“The majority of the Republican extremists can only seem to get together when they are passing unconstitutional laws that hurt the poor, African Americans, minorities, women, immigrants, public education, the environment and the LGBTQ community.
“Otherwise, today is proof that they are totally dysfunctional.”
