Mayor Ed Murray announced last week that the City of Seattle will prohibit funding any city employee travel expenses for city business to Indiana. The announcement came after the Midwest state passed Senate Bill 101, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
The new law legalizes the ability to discriminate against LGBT people and others for religious reasons. As expected, the bill has received countless criticism, with hashtags like #BoycottIndiana trending. Seattle is not alone: Angie’s List, a company based in Indiana, has put a $40 million, 1,000-job expansion on hold as a result.
“Seattleites know that discrimination has no place in our city — that’s just ‘Equality 101,’” Murray said in a press release, noting that our tax dollars won’t support the discriminatory law. “To those in Indiana today who are working hard in the fight for equality: Know that Seattle stands with you as you continue your efforts to end discrimination and protect civil rights for everyone.”
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has defended the bill saying he would have vetoed it if it had legalized discrimination. As NPR reported, 19 more states have similar laws.
Murray is expected to issue an executive order this week to formalize his decision, and city departments are being directed to review and identify any contracts headquartered in Indiana.
At the same time, it was announced that a Benton County judge is making things right in Washington by fining a florist $1,000 for refusing to sell to a same-sex couple for religious reasons. Last month, the florist was found to have violated the state’s Consumer Protection Act.
Legalizing oppression and discrimination is a step back for equality and this country. We should be thankful to live in a city that sees that and is using its position and money to show that these type of bills and that mindset cannot stand.