NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – Oracle, the tech giant expected to bring thousands of jobs to Nashville with a $1.2 billion investment, is among dozens of companies nationwide to oppose “harmful legislation” toward the LGBTQ community, according to the Human Rights Campaign.
The HRC said Friday that 81 companies, including Oracle Corporation, had signed their Business Statement Opposing Anti-LGBTQ State Legislation, “stating their clear opposition to harmful legislation aimed at restricting the access of LGBTQ people in society.”
Tennessee is among ten states listed by the HRC as having anti-LGBTQ bills sitting on the desk of their governors, including Senate Bill 1229 which was sent to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk on Thursday for a signature.
On a tour of the proposed Oracle site, Nashville Mayor John Cooper told News 2 the tech giant is a good partner for Music City’s diverse communities.
“It’s a hundred percent graded HRC company on issues of human rights. It is uncompromising. I think it is significant that they are going to be a large employer here in Nashville and they have an outstanding national record and outstanding national profile and I’m sure when they are here, they will be even stronger advocates for all of our people,” explained Mayor Cooper.
Oracle announced earlier this month that it hoped to bring 8,500 jobs to Nashville with a $1.2 billion investment and a new campus in the city’s East Bank. The proposal will go to the Metro Industrial Development Board for a public hearing on April 27.
Joe Woolley, CEO of the Nashville LGBT Chamber, said Oracle is sending a clear message by signing HRC’s business statement.
“By signing that letter and joining the other businesses on that letter and opposing state-based discrimination, Oracle is sending a clear message that businesses do not want discrimination in Tennessee and that discriminatory laws, those that include and single out transgender youth, they hurt our economic competitiveness,” said Woolley
He hopes the governor and state legislators are listening.
“Oracle’s investment in our state is unprecedented. And we have to be able to attract them, and future investments to the state. Businesses have again and again and again made it clear when they come to Tennessee, that they are opposed to discrimination. All of these bills stop the great economic business development that we have going. The governor and the legislature should be rolling out the welcoming map for Oracle, they shouldn’t be making it more difficult for them to invest in our state. I really hope they hear and see what Oracle did.”
Woolley said he thinks the letter is a reminder that the deal with Oracle is not set in stone.
“I think Oracle signing that letter shows that they are not committed to Tennessee yet, and this deal is not done. And that is what’s scary is the deals not done. There’s nothing signed, the ink isn’t dry. And Tennessee is still in the running. And this is an issue that they’re watching closely.”
News 2 reached out to Governor Lee for comment. His office sent the following statement:
“Organizations have opportunities to weigh in on the legislative process but ultimately, Tennesseans, through their elected representatives, determine the law in our state.”The HRC’s Business Statement Opposing Anti-LGBTQ State Legislation:
The companies joining this statement do business, create jobs, and serve customers throughout the United States. Our businesses strongly embrace diversity and inclusion because we want everyone who works for us or does business with us to feel included and welcomed as their true, authentic selves. Fairness, equal treatment, and opportunity are central to our corporate values because we care about our employees and the customers we serve. What’s more, these values also matter to our bottom lines. Inclusive business practices lead to more productive and engaged employees, increased customer satisfaction; and, ultimately, improved competitiveness and financial performance.
We are deeply concerned by the bills being introduced in state houses across the country that single out LGBTQ individuals – many specifically targeting transgender youth – for exclusion or differential treatment. Laws that would affect access to medical care for transgender people, parental rights, social and family services, student sports, or access to public facilities such as restrooms, unnecessarily and uncharitably single out already marginalized groups for additional disadvantage. They seek to put the authority of state government behind discrimination and promote mistreatment of a targeted LBGTQ population.
These bills would harm our team members and their families, stripping them of opportunities and making them feel unwelcome and at risk in their own communities. As such, it can be exceedingly difficult for us to recruit the most qualified candidates for jobs in states that pursue such laws, and these measures can place substantial burdens on the families of our employees who already reside in these states. Legislation promoting discrimination directly affects our businesses, whether or not it occurs in the workplace.
As we make complex decisions about where to invest and grow, these issues can influence our decisions. America’s business community has consistently communicated to lawmakers at every level that such laws have a negative effect on our employees, our customers, our competitiveness, and state and national economies.
As business leaders dedicated to equal treatment, respect, and opportunity for all – as well as to improving the financial and investment climate across the country – we call for public leaders to abandon or oppose efforts to enact this type of discriminatory legislation and ensure fairness for all Americans.
Signed:
* Adobe Inc.
* AEO Inc.
* Affirm
* Airbnb
* Altria Group Inc.
* Amalgamated Bank
* Amazon
* American Airlines
* Apple
* Asana, Inc.
* AT&T
* Atlassian
* Bayer US LLC
* BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe)
* Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc.
* Biogen
* Boehringer Ingelheim USA
* Capital One
* Cardinal Health
* Cargill
* Cargo Transporters, Inc.
* Celanese
* Center for Community Self-Help
* Chobani
* Corning Incorporated
* CSAA Insurance Group
* Dell Technologies
* Dow Inc.
* Dropbox Inc.
* Eastern Bank
* EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Electronics
* Gearbox
* GoDaddy
* Gusto
* H&M
* Hilton
* HP Inc.
* IBM Corp.
* IHG Hotels & Resorts
* IKEA
* Instacart
* Intel
* Intuit
* The Knot Worldwide
* Levi Strauss & Co.
* Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics
* Lyft, Inc.
* Mailchimp
* Marriott International, Inc.
* MassMutual
* Medtronic
* Micron
* Microsoft
* Mobilize
* MolsonCoors
* Mondelez International
* Nike, Inc.
* Oracle Corporation
* Patreon
* PayPal
* PepsiCo
* Peloton Interactive, Inc.
* Pfizer
* Royal Bank of Canada
* Salesforce
* Silicon Labs
* SunLife
* Sustainable Food Policy Alliance, including member companies Danone North America; Mars, Incorporated; Nestlé USA; and Unilever United States
* Synchrony Financial
* T-Mobile
* TechNet
* Thermo Fisher Scientific
* Trillium Asset Management
* Twitter Inc.
* Uber
* Unilever United States
* Union Pacific
* Verizon
* Wells Fargo
* Xperi Holding Corporation
* Zillow Group
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this segment of people are not special they think they are but they are not and i for one am tired
of having that lifestyle shoved in my face 24-7 on tv radio internet ido not care how much they promote it
i will not accept this lifestyle as normal and america better wake up to this abomination of sinners
because they have weaved there way into political pulpits and soon they will be to powerful to stop.
Well, since that pretty much is EVERY COMPUTER MAKER up there, i guess, when the current one i have wears out, i will not be replacing it.
Why should anyone be forced by the government, to force christians to accept a perverted behavior that goes against their religion and the Word of GOD, the Holy Bible, Nature and even the Muslim Quran.
Is the LGBTQ a protected species which are subject to protection under the law?
Maybe they are their own species, not human?
Amendment 1
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
I am a male and sexually attracted to blond females, can I get the government to force a company to hire me because I am sexually attracted to blond females??
What wasn’t said, is that the bill would allow the parents of school children, to have the right to opt out of teaching kids “gender studies”. In other words indoctrinating young kids with LGBTQ garbage. Look at the communist companies that back the indoctrination of children. This shows one how many airheads / communists are running these corporations mentioned in the above article.
In 1923, “intellectuals” at the Frankfurt School were devastated that the proletarian revolution had not swept the world. They decided that class division was not enough, so they invented Critical Theory to add more division. Herbert Marcuse added Critical Race Theory. LGBTQ is just the latest divisive tactic of the left.
The left doesn’t want unity (except on their terms). they want division.
Leftists don’t want to solve problems. If problems were solved, they would become irrelevant.
NAME ONE problem leftists have ever solved!
Here’s a hint, you can’t.
Of course this letter does not define “anti LGBT” legislation. If it did, no one would sign it because it would make them look like anti religious and anti woman bigots.
I wonder, where are all the professional WOMEN SPORTS STARS, who’s records, and titles are getting TAKEN BY TRANNIES, day after day? Where are THEIR Voices!
Is there any organization that is recording all the corporations that that are following the Left crazy policies and then organizing a national boycott against them? Those that signed they are against this legislation are a good start. They say they are for Diversity and inclusion as long as it does not include those with more conservative beliefs.
I am not necessarily against some of their concerns in this specific legislation bill. I am looking at the plethora of ideas they push and the cancel culture they embrace to silence opposing ideas.
If the silent majority speaks by where they DO NOT spend their money maybe it will drown out the vocal minority. We need to be active and not just “talk” about the way things are. It will not change with discourse but reasonable and legal action.
Exactly. WE NEED to stop being silent… LET OUR VOICES be heard.
I greatly appreciate this list; makes it easier for me to know where NOT TO shop at. There are many, many similar if not better businesses that do not given in to any particular group. I always thought business were there to serve the “people” and make a profit at it and not just cater to one group of those who want to live in their own world.
Hope the governor has the guts to sign the bill. If not it will show what he really is
I certainly hope he has a backbone, and doesn’t cave into this mob.
This is the Marxist Communist DemocRATS using a Huge paintbrush to paint an enormous swath of misinformation rather than state their true motive. They are upset with a law that prohibits biological males from competing in women’s sports. They look at this as an attack on their LGBTQRSTUVWXYZ Community. Anyone, no matter what persuasion, should stand up for this Legislation to protect ALL Women’s Sports. Typical of Left Wingnuts to argue against Factual Science which PROVES that there are ONLY TWO SEXES—–Male and Female!!!
IF they get their way, there won’t BE Women’s sports.. IT will just be men, and men who are nuts and think they are women’s sports.
The upside down logic of liberalism apparently was inspired by “Alice in Wonderland”. . . “A very happy UNbirthday to you!” Or is it from Groucho Marx–“Hello I must be going . .” Nothing makes sense anymore. Standards have become completely convoluted and corrupted.
I do not HATE LGBQT (or whatever other letters) people; in spite of their obvious attempt to evoke that emotion from me. I do not hate anyone; whether I endorse their practices or not.
I do know that their CHOSEN lifestyle is in violation of the clear teachings of the Word of God but the Lord is more than able to defend His commands without my approval or other input. Note that liars CHOOSE to lie and thieves CHOOSE steal and murderers CHOOSE to kill and thus none have a valid excuse for their actions.
What they do and the consenting adults with which they do them is none of my business: in the exact same way that I do not inquire concerning the sexual practices of straight couples.
I AM disgusted by those who insist on openly announcing their warped lifestyle choices and DEMAND that I accept and approve. I do NOT approve. IF I were to approve then I would become an accessory to their crime against nature and against the Holy God and Creator of nature.
SO, let the evil warped perverts return to their dark closets and do their vile disgusting deeds and await the ultimate judgment of eternity in the Lake of Fire designed for ALL who refuse to repent and grasp the offer of forgiveness now available through Jesus Christ. Ask for details from your local conservative pastor who actually teaches and preaches the Word of God; not some purveyor of useless social-club drivel.