The U.S. state of North Carolina recently passed a sweeping and highly controversial bill, walking back city ordinances concerning discrimination against LGBTQ people, and banning future local laws to protect them.
There has been widespread anger at the bill, and now The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen, has added his voice to the chorus, cancelling an upcoming show in North Carolina, in protest of the state legislators’ decision.
He apologised to his “dedicated fans”, but said that “some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry … is one of them.”
His full statement read:
“As you, my fans, know I’m scheduled to play in Greensboro, North Carolina this Sunday. As we also know, North Carolina has just passed HB2, which the media are referring to as the “bathroom” law. HB2 — known officially as the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act — dictates which bathrooms transgender people are permitted to use. Just as important, the law also attacks the rights of LGBT citizens to sue when their human rights are violated in the workplace. No other group of North Carolinians faces such a burden. To my mind, it’s an attempt by people who cannot stand the progress our country has made in recognizing the human rights of all of our citizens to overturn that progress. Right now, there are many groups, businesses, and individuals in North Carolina working to oppose and overcome these negative developments. Taking all of this into account, I feel that this is a time for me and the band to show solidarity for those freedom fighters. As a result, and with deepest apologies to our dedicated fans in Greensboro, we have canceled our show scheduled for Sunday, April 10th. Some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry — which is happening as I write — is one of them. It is the strongest means I have for raising my voice in opposition to those who continue to push us backwards instead of forwards.”
Various corporate entities have also walked back their dealings with North Carolina, including PayPal, who pulled out of a planned expansion that would have created hundreds of jobs, saying the discriminatory bill goes against its corporate culture.
A+E Networks – makers of the hoarding, house-flipping and duck-hunting reality shows that form the lifeblood of America – have said that they will reconsider the use of North Carolina as a filming location in future, as have 20th Century Fox.
Source: Vox.
Photo: Kevin Mazur / Getty.
