The reaction from these Missouri businesses and corporations is more than a little surprising. Why would a corporation care whether or not a state statute gave businesses, any business, large or small, the right to bow out of same sex marriage ceremonies? And why do they think that declaring their opposition to gay marriage would hurt the Missouri economy? Regardless of their reason, corporations, large and small are putting on the heat, to stop religious freedom in Missouri.
This examiner.com article outlines the objection by several Missouri businesses as discrimination against the LGBT community.
While you might expect an outcry from special interest groups and liberal organizations, who knew there was such liberal leanings within major corporations, and smaller businesses, within Missouri’s borders? That outcry is what State Senator, Bob Onder, his constituents and the rest of Missouri are hearing as his religious freedom bill moves through the Missouri legislature.
Onder, who represents Missouri’s 2nd district, introduced SJR 39 at the beginning of this session and it has people, on both sides of the issue, very lathered up. The resolution is a proposed constitutional amendment that would prohibit the state from imposing penalties on religious organizations, individuals or businesses that provide goods or services, who refuse to participate in gay weddings, due to religious conflicts.
The issues of gay marriage and religious freedom are hot topics across the country, with several states already adopting and/or rejecting similar laws.
Most surprisingly are the responses from some major corporations who call Missouri home. Consumerist.com reports the resolution is bad for business.
“With North Carolina and Mississippi already passing bills that respectively, limit protections against gay and transgender people, and explicitly allow discrimination against the LGBT community, another coalition of big-name companies are hoping to stop Missouri lawmakers from going down the same path, with seed giant Monsanto telling Congress that such rules are bad for business.”
And so, Missouri Competes was formed.
Missouri businesses are standing together in support of a state that welcomes all people. To sign your business up as a public voice speaking out against discriminatory bills like SJR-39, just fill out the form below.
We believe that treating everyone fairly and equally is essential to maintaining Missouri’s time-honored brand as a welcoming and thriving home for the best minds and talented workers who want to help grow businesses, raise their families and explore our world class attractions.Missouri’s policies say a lot about its reputation as a good place to do business. We believe it is important that our state laws treat everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of their race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.We strongly believe that Senate Joint Resolution 39 does not represent our values as Missourians, and the measure will damage our state’s reputation as a welcoming home and travel destination for job creators, their employees, families and customers.We believe in Missouri. We are united in our commitment to promoting a welcoming, vibrant and diverse state that provides everyone the opportunity they need to succeed.
TalkingPointsMemo reports more than 60 corporations have signed on to stand against the religious freedom resolution.
Agricultural giant Monsanto, prescription drug benefits manager Express Scripts, and pet food maker Nestle Purina are among employers to join the recently formed Missouri Competes, according to gay rights advocacy group PROMO, which released the list just hours before a House committee heard testimony from business, sports and religious groups. Dozens crammed in the Capitol basement for the late-night hearing.
The formation of the coalition comes amid business pushback to legislation in other states protecting those opposed to gay marriage.
Several states and cities have banned travel to Mississippi in response to a law signed by the Republican governor last week to let workers cite religious beliefs to deny services to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce, which opposes the Missouri measure, has pointed to Indiana as another example of the business backlash. A public-private tourism group has estimated that Indiana lost $60 million in hotel profits, tax revenues and other economic benefits after Indiana Republican Gov. Mike Pence last year signed religious-objections legislation.
Leaders of utility company Ameren and BJC HealthCare are among those who signed a letter earlier this month in opposition to business provisions in the Missouri measure.
Supporters argue the Missouri law is intentionally narrower than laws passed in other states and is necessary to protect some businesses from being forced to violate religious beliefs.
The proposal would allow voters to decide whether to amend the Missouri Constitution to ban government penalties against businesses that cite religion while declining goods or services of “expressional or artistic creation” for same-sex weddings. That would include florists and photographers.
The Kansas City Star further enforces Missouri corporations are motivated by political correctness.
At the heart of the debate Tuesday was a growing schism between two of the Republican Party’s most loyal constituencies.
Religious leaders implored lawmakers to approve the bill and send it to the ballot for voters to decide. Meanwhile, business executives said it would hurt the state’s economy by sending a signal to businesses and workers that Missouri is not a welcoming state.
The debate between the two factions dominated Tuesday’s discussion, rankling some Republicans who see the business community’s opposition as a betrayal.
“This is quite appalling,” said Sen. Bob Onder, a St. Charles Republican who is sponsoring the proposed amendment. “Corporations who make their money from folks like you and me who overwhelmingly support protecting religious freedom, that they’d turn around and use this against us. That’s appalling.”