HB2 gives our state a national black eye

The Courier-Tribune asked our state lawmakers to respond to questions concerning HB2, and their responses were in the April 5 issue.

The legislators seemed to agree that the outcry over passage of the bill was due to liberalsand the left-wing media. I will let the liberals and the left-wing media speak for themselves, but the way I read and understand the situation, it is the General Assembly that has overreacted to the Charlotte ordinance, and as a result, has given North Carolina a national black eye and wasted $43,000. The state will spend additional dollars defending this legislation in the courts.

The passage of the bill has had enormous economic impact on Randolph County and our state already. The loss of PayPal’s new global operations center in Charlotte with its 400 jobs and average wage of $51,000 is only one of many companies rethinking investments in or travel to our state. Some companies are expected to bypass the High Point Furniture Market this year because of the legislation. This didn’t seem to be a concern to Randolph’s legislators.

The legislators speak of preserving the state’s values. Are they saying that discrimination and demeaning a group of our citizens (the LBGT community) are the state’s values? The N.C. Constitution speaks of equality and inalienable rights. These are the state’s values and mine.

Enforcement of the law seems to be downplayed by the legislators. But this can be a real problem. Will citizens have to carry their birth certificates with them and then disrobe to prove they are in the right bathroom? And taking the law literally, if I see a mother taking a little boy in the women’s bathroom, do I need to call security and have the boy arrested?

The law clearly needs to be repealed.

Lois Bohnsack
Archdale

HB2 gives our state a national black eye