Bob McDonnell's Message: Virginia is Not Open for Business

Virginia's new governor, Bob McDonnell, who claims that he wants to be a jobs governor has obviously never read Richard Florida's books and articles on the "creative class" or the "gay index" which underscore how important tolerance and diversity are to attracting high tech jobs and entrepreneurs who think outside the box. Instead of working for an atmosphere that will attract such benefits to the Commonwealth of Virginia, McDonnell - as well as the GOP controlled House of Delegates - has chosen to send a loud and clear message that Virginia is not open for business if you are some "other" category from the mindset of Virginia's Christo-fascist elements. Bob McDonnell - dubbed "Taliban Bob" a few years back by a local reporter - fails to grasp that people ARE watching and that his anti-gay mindset IS noted all around the USA, not to mention the world. His message to the world? Virginia is closed for business unless you are the right kind of person: white, straight, evangelical Christian, and intolerant of others that differ from oneself. Both America Blog and Queerty are broadcasting McDonnell's closed minded bigotry across the blogosphere. First, highlights from America Blog:
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Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell has signed an executive order barring discrimination in the state workforce on grounds that include race, sex, religion and age, but not sexual orientation. The order, which McDonnell (R) signed Feb. 5, cements federal law, which prohibits discrimination on those grounds. It also follows McDonnell's long-standing position on the issue of legal protections based on sexual orientation.
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The DNC weighs in: “It says a lot about the Republican party that they would anoint as their ‘rising star’ someone who in 2010 is actually stripping away from Americans legal protections against discrimination. Bob McDonnell is proving his critics right. He said he’d focus on creating jobs, not social issues. But, one of his first acts as Governor was to make it easier for a fellow citizen to be denied a job and he did so as an adherent to a right-wing ideology that allows for such discriminatory behavior. McDonnell’s decision is just plain wrong in any context, but especially so in this economic climate.
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Queerty in turn has the following commentary:
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"Gov. McDonnell has signed a new executive order that strips former protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation for employees of the Commonwealth of Virginia, while legislation to protect those employees has died in the state’s legislature.
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To join the European Union, a country MUST provide LGBT non-discrimination protections (as must EU based companies). Thus, Virginia could not qualify for EU membership were it a sovereign nation. Does Taliban Bob really believe that he's making Virginia attractive to progressive and innovative businesses, or is he merely doing The Family Foundation's bidding? It seems the later is McDonnell's true concern.