Our only hope is that November reverberates for a WHILE (but I said the in November of 2014 too).

3/23/2016 10:54:12 PM

this whole ordeal is going to shine a giant light onto our state for the absolute wrong reasons

sadly, a good amount of the ignorant fucks behind this won't realize it, but there will be more than a few who will reverse their opinions on it once more businesses come out vehemently against it

the NCAA has already issued a statement on it

3/23/2016 10:57:44 PM

HUR secretly loves pickup trucks

3/24/2016 12:17:24 AM

This is why trump has been able to be successful... What draws the ga to a special session isn't bolstering the working class or middle class in some way, but rather to cater to corporate interests and religious extremists.

3/24/2016 12:27:44 AM

The left should be frothing at the mouth over this. Quit your whining, because this will end up going straight to the Supreme Court, who will permanently end this kind of legislation, for better or for worse.

I mean they are essentially removing the protected status for the LGBT crowd. There's no way that will stand in the Supreme Court.

[Edited on March 24, 2016 at 12:31 AM. Reason : k;h]

3/24/2016 12:31:08 AM

the left?

every American who doesn't have their head up their ignorant ass should be floored by all of this

and for better or for worse?

you really want to attempt to make the argument that legalized discrimation is a good thing?

[Edited on March 24, 2016 at 12:40 AM. Reason : this is wrong on about a 1,000 different levels, but you had to throw in a "for better or for worse"]

3/24/2016 12:39:34 AM

No. I'm just not taking a side here. There's no need to really. Like I said, this bill will be undone before rubber hits the road. It will make it to the Supreme Court very fast. Scalia would've been the only judge to uphold it, so there's no need to worry. Little Jimmy will still be able to call himself Jenny and go wee wee in the girls bathroom.

The LGB folks need to boot the T because the T makes that whole crowd look bad. I get what the GA was trying to do. They were trying to prevent pockets of progressives from creating laws protecting head cases and in so doing making a lot of other people feel unsafe. I don't agree that anybody has been put in danger by what Charlotte has done, but many people out there feel that they have been.

What I don't understand is the far-reaching scope of this bill, and the retarded unintended consequences that would most certainly follow.

3/24/2016 12:50:33 AM

it'd be nice if you were able to use some critical thinking skills for once

but I guess you just don't have it in you

ps: not taking a side is taking a side

[Edited on March 24, 2016 at 1:06 AM. Reason : .]

3/24/2016 1:05:15 AM

There's a pretty simple solution here. All levels of the state GOP have now taken a position on this issue with their passing of HB2 yesterday. You have your guys run on the issue of letting anyone use any bathroom they choose in any public setting (as if the next push isn't going to be to extend these "protections" to every facility statewide public or private) and our guys will run on HB2. The idiot voters will decide in November. If your guys win then reason and freedom prevail. If not, well there's always another election in two years.

3/24/2016 7:00:25 AM

Or maybe our guys can run on limited government and allowing local jurisdictions control on determining some of their local ordinances and your guys can run on big state government swinging its dick every chance it gets. That's really the trend here. The NCGOP has led the charge in neutering a swath of local ordinances: non-discrimination, development, storm water, living wage, municipal broadband, local airports, local water systems, extra-territorial jurisdictions, steep-slope, etc. They hate cities and they hate city governments, period.

3/24/2016 7:30:05 AM

The most concerning thing about this bill to me is ^. The state trying to take away power from local governments. I don't like this anymore than the federal government trying to take away power from the state government.

3/24/2016 7:56:42 AM

Municipalities are creations of the state in NC - this concept can't be divorced from the discussion of the state "taking away powers" of local governments. Cities have limited powers under 160A-174 and ordinances can't conflict with state or federal law.

http://www.ncleg.net/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_160A/GS_160A-174.html

3/24/2016 8:11:11 AM

4^ 5 out of 6 people agree, Russian Roulette is safe.


[Edited on March 24, 2016 at 8:31 AM. Reason : /]

3/24/2016 8:28:06 AM

^^i get that it's fully legal for the legislator to act, but you'd think the party of limited government would show some restraint before tampering with local governments. But when you adhere to your ideology only when it's convenient.....well you end up with the NCGOP. It's a TOTALLY fair attack as far as I'm concerned, and it's not gonna play well with actual grassroots GOP voters, who seem to adhere to their ideology above all else.

And none of that changes the fact that the GOP despises cities. I wonder how long clinging to counties with shrinking populations is going to keep them in power?

[Edited on March 24, 2016 at 9:18 AM. Reason : .]

3/24/2016 9:14:22 AM

My comment was more directed to rjrumfel and others who don't seem familiar with state laws on this topic - not being critical, just trying to educate.

Sure, you can attack the NCGOP as the party opposed to limited govt and we'll see how far that goes with the idiot voters. I really don't get your "GOP despises cities" argument. The current majority party in the state house and senate asserted their reasons for calling a one day special session on this topic, none of which were because they hate cities and love pastoral settings only if I recall, and the idiot voters will decide whether they want to throw the bums out over it in November.

3/24/2016 9:44:12 AM

http://m.indyweek.com/news/archives/2016/03/23/fun-fact-hb-2s-gonna-cost-us-tons-of-money-hooray

3/24/2016 9:53:29 AM

Not only did this bill go way too far, but millions of taxpayer dollars will be wasted in the court system as the state tries to defend this bill. Combine that with the economic impact of lost tourism, corporate spending, and potentially slower growth and this could be a devastating bill for years to come. i dont understand why lawmakers cant fathom the future impact of legislation instead of pandering to the immediate fix crowd.

3/24/2016 10:06:56 AM

I didn't like Charlotte's bill, but this response to it is terrible. These idiots aren't getting voted out of office, just plan on moving to a better state.

3/24/2016 10:08:26 AM

Then what response would you have preferred? Only two other alternatives in my opinion: do nothing or litigate while leaving the ordinance in place.

3/24/2016 10:14:32 AM

Why not do nothing and wait to see what happens? These lawmakers are paranoid about a situation that hasnt even been proven yet. We dont know whether transgender will feel comfortable to use their bathroom of choice even after the Charlotte proposal. If we start to see abuse of the proposal then figure out how to deal with it. Knee-jerk reactions never work.

And honestly, the transgender population is so tiny in NC that it probably wont affect 90% of the state...

There should be an IQ test to be a lawmaker versus having more money.

[Edited on March 24, 2016 at 10:22 AM. Reason : a]

3/24/2016 10:20:26 AM

Wow, that's pretty racist. Do you want to reinstate a poll tax before people can vote too?

3/24/2016 10:32:27 AM

What's racist about that? Or are you implying that certain races are dumber than others so those races would be ineligible? I would rather a lawmaker be eligible to run for office on merit than how much money they can raise and spend.

There is already a poll tax - its called the voter ID law.

[Edited on March 24, 2016 at 10:37 AM. Reason : a]

3/24/2016 10:36:53 AM

I'm not implying anything, you're the one who wants to limit "certain" people from being elected. TSB didn't used to tolerate that kind of overt racism.

3/24/2016 10:47:10 AM

Idiots arent only in specific races. I want to limit idiots. I.e., I want to limit the office to those who have the merit and experience to be in that position. There are plenty of blacks, whites, asians, hispanics, native americans, etc. that can meet this intelligence criteria. There are far fewer that have the money and backing to be able to run.

3/24/2016 11:23:41 AM

Quote :

"Then what response would you have preferred? Only two other alternatives in my opinion: do nothing or litigate while leaving the ordinance in place."

For the state's response I would lean towards do nothing, but even if you think that the state needs to pass a law I'm not sure what any local rules about contracting and compensation has to do with it

HB2 goes so far beyond this issue i'm not sure how even the strongest opponents of the bathroom ordinance can be okay with it

[Edited on March 24, 2016 at 11:50 AM. Reason : .]

3/24/2016 11:48:49 AM

You need credentials and proper intelligence to qualify for pretty much any job...why should our lawmakers just have to win a popularity contest they can throw money at to get ahead?

3/24/2016 11:50:39 AM

Has NC GOP lost credibility yet

Quote :

"maybe our guys can run on limited government and allowing local jurisdictions control on determining some of their local ordinances and your guys can run on big state government swinging its dick every chance it gets. That's really the trend here. The NCGOP has led the charge in neutering a swath of local ordinances: non-discrimination, development, storm water, living wage, municipal broadband, local airports, local water systems, extra-territorial jurisdictions, steep-slope, etc. They hate cities and they hate city governments, period."

This is what concerns me. I honestly don't approve of 9 yr little Jimmy using the girls room after deciding to call himself Jenny and like someone else says the "T" part of LBGT really pushing the envelope and alienating a lot of otherwise supporters of the LBG community.

Either way the precedent this bills sets is dangerous and is a gross overreach of state power into local ordinances. The minimum wage thing is absolutely mind blowing and I will laugh when it completely backfires. Instead of shutting up the urban progressives who pass a local minimum wage hike within expensive metro areas, they usher in a state-wide minimum wage hike the next time democrats take back the GA. Afterall rent in Charlotte/triangle is more expensive then BumFuck NC wherever these hillbilly legislators come from

3/24/2016 11:52:49 AM

Quote :

"Either way the precedent this bills sets is dangerous and is a gross overreach of state power into local ordinances."

No, it's not. Disagree with the bill for other reasons if you choose, but in NC this ain't one of them.

3/24/2016 11:56:00 AM

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba-news/4699587-nba-all-star-game-adam-silver-north-carolina-lgbt-law-indiana-ncaa?eadid=SOC%2FTwi%2FSNMain

http://m.indyweek.com/indyweek/why-north-carolinas-bathroom-bill-debate-feels-all-too-familiar/Content?oid=5009433

[Edited on March 24, 2016 at 12:12 PM. Reason : .]

3/24/2016 11:59:57 AM

Quote :

"someone else says the "T" part of LBGT really pushing the envelope and alienating a lot of otherwise supporters of the LBG community."

you and donald rjrumfel can repeat this all you want, it's still ignorant as fuck

3/24/2016 12:49:03 PM

I don't understand how the state government intends to prevent transgender men from using men's restrooms or transgender women from using women's restrooms. Is someone going to be checking birth certificates at the door?

3/24/2016 12:53:25 PM

Quote :

"you and donald rjrumfel can repeat this all you want, it's still ignorant as fuck "

You can repeat this all you want, you are still wrong many people within any modern metropolitan community don't give a flying fuck about a dude making out with another dude or two lesbians adopting a kid; they may be alienated however due to some dude in a dress parading around the womens lockerroom or some social justice parents claiming their little girls should be using the boys room since at age 7 they "identify as male". Thus grouping the "T" part of the LBGT agenda is a distraction and could create resistance to other meaningful progress.

Regardless I'm against the legislation that NC passed. If my concerns are shared by the local community then it is up to citizens within that community to step in or weigh in.

3/24/2016 1:46:40 PM

You envision transgender women parading around women's locker rooms? I would think that, in most cases, women would be unaware that transgender women were even in their presence.

3/24/2016 1:58:09 PM

^^
https://twitter.com/JayShef/status/712845760287494144

"It's now the law for me to share a restroom with your wife."

3/24/2016 2:57:08 PM

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article69632432.html

4/4/2016 10:38:05 AM

^^ Is that a chick or a dude?

4/4/2016 12:42:37 PM

^ All born female, and assuming they're "pre-op", they will have to use women's bathrooms under the new law or face prosecution.

4/4/2016 2:24:27 PM

Quote :

"Two weeks ago, PayPal announced plans to open a new global operations center in Charlotte and employ over 400 people in skilled jobs. In the short time since then, legislation has been abruptly enacted by the State of North Carolina that invalidates protections of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens and denies these members of our community equal rights under the law. The new law perpetuates discrimination and it violates the values and principles that are at the core of PayPal’s mission and culture. As a result, PayPal will not move forward with our planned expansion into Charlotte"

It begins.

[Edited on April 5, 2016 at 10:30 AM. Reason : a]

4/5/2016 10:29:44 AM

Gonna take more than that to get the state to budge. That said, seems like Paypal is putting their money where their mouth is. Most other companies will sign a petition but not actually do anything.

Imagine the anarchy if Starbucks decided to close all its stores in the state and ship out. Suburban moms will be protesting and holding lock-ins at the capital.

4/5/2016 10:57:00 AM

400 tech jobs is not insignificant.

Guess they really didn't care about the economy after all.

4/5/2016 11:07:24 AM

of course they don't

4/5/2016 11:37:15 AM

North Carolina should take a hint from Saudi Arabia and find oil. That way they can execute LGBT people and people will still line up to do business with you.

4/5/2016 7:06:21 PM

Absolutely incredible these idiots are trying to blame Cooper and Charlotte's Mayor for this when Paypal has clearly, and repeatedly said why they changed their mind about NC.

Quote :

"Charlotte Republican Rep. Dan Bishop, who helped draft the law, said PayPal’s decision was “not about HB2.”"

except:

Quote :

"“We have been deliberating this decision for the past week or so,” Dan Schulman told the [Charlotte] Observer. “But with the passage of the bill, it really goes against the values of our company and we just couldn’t proceed forward.” [...] “We hope that the governor will reconsider and repeal HB2, and if he does so that Charlotte is obviously a community that we were looking forward to becoming an employer in,” he said."

4/6/2016 10:01:50 AM

Charles Barkley says the NBA should pull the All Star game out of Charlotte over HB2

4/6/2016 1:49:04 PM

Quote :

"Google Ventures, now known as GV, has joined a growing list of tech and corporate heavyweights speaking out against North Carolina’s HB 2, a law that the companies say discriminates against transgender people in the state. And GV, the early and middle-stage investment arm of Alphabet, is taking it a step further: Its chief has pledged not to back any companies from the state until the law is repealed. Bill Maris, the CEO of GV, added his name to a Human Rights Campaign letter signed earlier this week by a litany of tech execs — including those from Apple, Facebook, Uber, Cisco and Salesforce — calling for the bill to be overturned. As it stands, HB 2 requires transgender people to use public restrooms and locker rooms that match their gender assigned at birth. After signing, Maris sent out a note to his firm’s partners asking them to “please flag any investments in NC that come through as I am not comfortable deploying dollars into startups there until the voters there fix this.” It’s a personal issue for Maris, who lived in the state as a neuroscience researcher at Duke University. “I have great faith in the people there and a lot of affinity for the state and its people,” he wrote in an email. “I am hopeful this will be repealed quickly.” GV, which has $2.4 billion under management, has not invested in a North Carolina startup to date. Yet the venture firm is increasingly backing bio-tech and life sciences companies, and that is a big share of the tech activity emerging from the state’s famed Research Triangle. According to one report, North Carolina startups raised $1.2 billion in investment funding last year; half of that went to life sciences companies."

4/6/2016 2:05:06 PM

freakin bigots at paypal pulling out jobs

#allstatesmatter

4/6/2016 6:24:46 PM

I like that corporations are standing up for civil rights. But it conceptually makes me uneasy that they seemingly have more sway than the individual voters in NC that also support LGBT equality.

4/7/2016 1:47:52 AM

While we're on the topic, a question for those more up to date with these type issues to help educate me and I'm sure others.

How many genders are there?

How many "trans" categories are currently recognized? I know of transable and we were recently introduced to the concept of transracial thanks to Ms. Dolezal, but what others are currently recognized?

4/7/2016 9:14:47 AM

Quote :

"But it conceptually makes me uneasy that they seemingly have more sway than the individual voters in NC that also support LGBT equality."

when has that ever not been the case?

4/7/2016 11:24:06 AM

^^ As I have seen it referenced online (and perhaps somewhat unofficially), there are ~2 genders and 2+ sexes.

Your 'sex' is your designation based on genetic code. Standards are male (XY) and female (XX). There are other genetic makeups which might make this more complicated (XXX, XXY, XYY?), but I think the general consensus is that if you have a 'Y', you are some form of male. Regardless of how you identify, your 'sex' is pretty much hard-coded.

Your 'gender' is the gender with which you identity. Pretty standard male/female, but I suppose people could go for the more grey "non-designated" (if such a thing exists).

Romantic preference is a completely different topic from all this and has no bearing here.

4/7/2016 11:35:29 AM