Message to GOP: Major Employers and Chamber of Commerce Support Gay Partnership Rights

One fact that the wingnuts in Virginia - and that includes GOP candidates Bob "Taliban Bob" McDonnell and Ken "I'm a Nutcase" Cuccinelli - is that employers FAVOR diversity and equal treatment of LGBT employees. While the theocrats and teabaggers who comprise the base of the GOP hate everyone who is not white and an adherent to their style of intolerant Christianity, that world view is increasingly unattractive to the business community and is becoming a larger deterrent to businesses seeking to relocate. Northern Virginia has suffered less that the rest of the state for the simple reason that Washington, D.C., and its far more liberal and accepting laws is in close proximity. The most backward areas of the state - which generally also have the highest unemployment - are those areas that embrace the Christian Taliban mindset of Bob McDonnell and his mentors, Pat Robertson and The Family Foundation. What is happening in Washington State ought to make voters seeking new jobs and employers wake up. Here some highlights from The Stranger.com:

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In the footsteps of five large companies that issued a statement yesterday, the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce came out today in favor of approving Referendum 71, thereby upholding the domestic partnership bill.

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“This law is about the rights and responsibilities of adults in committed relationships raising families, running businesses and owning property. Diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace, and in our state as a whole, are core values in our business community,” Chamber chair Tayloe Washburn said in a statement. “We must protect and enhance them if we want to attract, retain and grow the talented workforce needed to stay competitive in the global economy. Supporting the Approve R-71 campaign sends the right message about the economic environment we have and want. ”

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The five big corporations that are supporting the upholding of domestic partnership in the face of Christianist efforts to overturn the law are major players. If these are the types of employers Virginia wants to attract outside of places other than Northern Virginia, Virginians and the Virginia General Assembly need to wake up. Here's more on the five corporations:

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In a move that's certain to draw fire from religious conservatives, five companies have come out gunning for Washington voters to approve Referendum 71, thereby upholding the domestic-partnership bill passed by the legislature this year. The Boeing Company, Microsoft Corporation, Nike, Puget Sound Energy, RealNetworks and Vulcan Inc issued an enlightened statement today, saying that they "respect and support employees with diverse backgrounds" and that "Overturning this law would undo years of equal rights progress made in Washington state. We do not believe that this step backward would be in the best interest for the future of our state."

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Meanwhile, Bob McDonnell and Ken Cuccinelli seek to take Virginia socially back to the 1950's or even the 19th century. Is this really going to attract progressive and dynamic business? I think not. To help defeat this backward looking mindset was one of the reasons I helped found HRBOR, Virginia's only gay and gay friendly chamber of commerce and NGLCC affiliate.