Apr 16, 2015
Equality NC to Deliver Thousands of Messages to Gov. McCrory: Veto RFRA in North Carolina
Over 12,000 North Carolinians have already contacted state leaders asking them to stop the state's proposed religious refusal legislation.
Raleigh, Charlotte N.C. – On Monday, April 20, at 9 a.m., Equality NC, ACLU of North Carolina, and Human Rights Campaign will join business, faith and other coalition partners in Raleigh and Charlotte to deliver thousands of petitions to N.C. Governor Pat McCrory urging him to veto two so-called “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” (or RFRA) bills currently being considered in both chambers of the N.C. General Assembly.
The bills, Senate Bill 550 and House Bill 348, would allow businesses to discriminate against North Carolina’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
The Monday morning anti-RFRA petition deliveries will take place during simultaneous 9 a.m. events from McCrory’s Raleigh Administrative headquarters (116 W Jones St.), and his regional office in Charlotte, N.C. (600 E. Fourth St.). Media are invited to attend for interviews with organizational representatives, local business leaders, and faith communities in opposition to this legislation.
The petitions, culled by Equality NC, North Carolina’s statewide LGBT advocacy organization, and other coalition organizations, acknowledge the recent backlash against similar RFRA bills passed in states such as Indiana, and ask the governor to stand with fair-minded North Carolinians by vetoing any similar legislation if passed by lawmakers.
Full petition language can be found at: equalitync.org/license-to-discriminate/governor.
In preparation for the delivery, Chris Sgro, Equality NC’s executive director, echoed the sentiments of many North Carolinians who have signed petitions in the past several weeks in the wake of tge furor over similar legislation in Indiana.
“Now more than ever, it’s time for our state leaders to take a strong stand against North Carolina’s version of this discriminatory legislation,” said Sgro. “On April 20, we are proud to deliver the messages of a rising tide of business leaders, faith communities, and North Carolina voters who are demanding Gov. McCrory push back against this new obstacle to equality and not only stand with the majority of his constituents, but also help North Carolina stand on the right side of history.”