Nine CEOs Call on Gov. Pence to Revise Indiana Law

Wall St.J. | March 30, 2015

[Steelfish]

Mar 30, 2015 Nine CEOs Call on Gov. Pence to Revise Indiana Law

Corporations are ratcheting up pressure on Indiana over its religious-objections law. Nine chief executives wrote a letter to Republican Gov. Mike Pence calling on the him to revise the law. The full text of the letter, which was written by CEOs from Angie’s List Inc., Anthem Inc., Cummins Inc., Dow AgroSciences, Eli Lilly & Co., Emmis Communications Corp., Indiana University Health, Roche Diagnostics Corp. and Salesforce Marketing Cloud, is below. Read more on the law here and an opinion piece by Mr. Pence.

March 30, 2015

Honorable Mike Pence

Governor of Indiana State House Room 206 Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2797

Dear Governor Pence: Regardless of the original intention of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, we are deeply concerned about the impact it is having on our employees and on the reputation of our state. All of our companies seek to promote fair, diverse and inclusive workplaces. Our employees must not feel unwelcome in the place where they work and live.

As we seek to attract and retain great talent from Indiana and around the world, it is critical that we make it clear that Indiana is the welcoming state we all believe it to be. As leaders in the Indiana business community, we call on you to take immediate action to ensure that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act will not sanction or encourage discrimination against any residents or visitors to our state by anyone.

By immediately enacting new legislation that makes it clear that neither the Religious Freedom Restoration Act nor any other Indiana law can be used to justify discrimination based upon sexual orientation or gender identity, our state’s elected leaders can provide the reassurance to the people of our state, our nation and the world that is needed at this critical moment.

Sincerely,

William S. Oesterle Chief Executive Officer Angie’s List, Inc.

Joseph R. Swedish President and CEO Anthem , Inc.

Tom Linebarger Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Cummins Inc.

Tim Hassinger President and CEO Dow AgroSciences

John C. Lechleiter Chairman, President, and CEO Eli Lilly and Company

Jeffrey H. Smulyan Chairman, President and CEO Emmis Communications Corporation

Daniel F. Evans President and Chief Executive Officer Indiana University Health

Jack Phillips President and CEO Roche Diagnostics Corporation

Scott McCorkle CEO Salesforce Marketing Cloud

[Steelfish]

http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2015/03/30/nine-ceos-call-on-gov-pence-to-revise-indiana-law/?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_management

[kingu]

Since the act you signed is nondiscriminatory, nor does it permit discrimination, it is against our viewpoint as we want to discriminate against most religions in the state. You shall therefore enact legislation to codify and force people to participate in rites and ceremonies which are utterly contrary to their religious beliefs. You shall do so immediately, or we'll throw a temper tantrum. In addition, we will encourage others to do the same.

Because it's all about the gays, no kidding.

[GeronL]

This is the real corporatocracy in action

[exit82]

Mr. Pence, tell these jerks that the First Amendment is not negotiable.

The gays want tolerance, they are going to have give tolerance too.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

It is astounding to me how many people are either deliberately or negligently misunderstanding this law. Look at all the CEOs who should be able to, you know, read and stuff, reacting as they are to what is existing law in many other venues and in actuality, valid under Constitutional law without the slightest equivocation. Signed by their heroes. I’ve never seen anything like this.

[Steelers6]

Thanks for Democrat Crony Corporatist links, tell everyone you know to not buy from these companies in response to their willingness to be part of another Rat Smear Campaign.

[magna carta]

[Fungi]

They do not want tolerance, they want acceptance. If they wanted tolerance, they would not be objecting to this law. Tolerance does not mean acceptance. Learn the meaning of the word.

[DesScorp]

Years ago, in Commentary Magazine, I read an article: "Is Capitalism conservative"? The author, a deeply conservative man (especially on the social stuff) argued that not only is Capitalism not necessarily conservative, but explained how the old English Tories considered Capitalism a radical, anti-conservative force that smashed family and tradition and order. I'm coming to the conclusion, after all these years, that the author was right. Most corporations are run by amoral people, after all, that would sell you and I to the lowest bidder for a fraction of a penny's gain in share prices. I think the Right has made a mistake in glorifying Capitalism all these years. It's simply an economic system, not a moral force, as we had believed. Indeed, without the restraining forces of social and religious ties of tradition, order, and morality, Capitalism seems to be an inherently immoral force. Taking the morality of out economics seems to be having the same effects of taking morality out of sexual relations, child rearing, and governance: horrible consequences.

[Steelfish]

Well summarized. Would like to read the article.

[RayChuang88]

No, the big ones that could influence this is the NCAA and NFL, both of which have substantial events and/or operations in the Indianapolis area.

If the NCAA announces that Lucas Oil Stadium cannot hold the college basketball Final Four and the NFL announces Lucas Oil Stadium cannot bid on another Super Bowl and will move the NFL Combine out of the state, THEN there will be fast action to amend the law.

[G Larry]

Dear Homosexual Lobby,

We’re under no obligation to promote, endorse, or participated in the bastardization of marriage.

The First Amendment precludes the government from prohibiting the free exercise of my religious beliefs.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Why aren’t they happy to monopolize the homo market?

[exit82]

Actually, they don't want acceptance.

They want dominance.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Die, corporate scum.

[donna]

They don't want tolerance.

They want to have sex with you and your children.

Gays are raping us!

[DesScorp]

"Well summarized. Would like to read the article."

Happy to help. And it was FrontPage Magazine, not Commentary. Here's the link:

Is Capitalism Conservative? - Robert Locke, FrontPage Magazine Archive, November 3, 2000

[Steelfish]

We must pay back in the same filthy lucre and boycott each and everyone of this companies.

[DesScorp]

"Actually, they don't want acceptance. They want dominance."

Not only must they win, you must lose.

[RginTN]

if these CEOs were around when the Founders were writing the Constitution they would be urging the Founders not to write the First amendment.