Pearl Jam Cancels 4/20 Raleigh, NC Concert in Opposition to HB2; Official Band Statement

MayDay10 said:

^^^ yup.

Feds circuit court just ruled against a Virginia school board trying to do this in a case yesterday

Thank you. Thought I was losing my mind. (Probably still am, but at least I know I wasn't dreaming that there is a federal law to protect citizens already on the books.)

Merkin Baller said:

MayDay10 said:

^^^ yup.

Feds circuit court just ruled against a Virginia school board trying to do this in a case yesterday

That's the real kicker here..... This law was doomed from the get-go.

PJ didn't have to cancel to force action, the wheels were already in motion. That's why some people think this is a little bit of grandstanding / posturing on behalf of the band.

Right, there is more than just boycotting to get rid of a stupid law.

bluesuedeitzrad said:

Having GA tickets, I am still pretty pissed about it being cancelled. Even more so, YES – IT'S ALREADY IN MOTION TO BE REPEALED. What justice did they really do by cancelling?

Many other states are considering adding these laws yet. So when there is pushback in Georgia and business pulling out of areas makes legislators nervous, it stops a lot of those bills from happening. This is bigger than just NC.

JP Losman said:

If they truly believe in this cause, they will cancel MSG and Philly shows. There is not much of an economic hit by cancelling one PJ show in Raleigh, but the NBA all star game is BIG business. MSG and Philly both also are partners with the NBA, so by cancelling those shows, they are putting pressure on the NBA to go through with moving the All star game instead of just threats. If PJ truly is committed to making a difference and wants a good conscience, then they should do that.

But they won't. Because they aren't really doing this for the cause but for their image. And its not a debate or an opinion that they are hypocrites. Its a fact. Because you play in cities and states and countries with bad laws too but don't boycott, it makes you a hypocrite. Because you aren't going full out and doing everything within your power to overturn HB2 which could be helped by things like cancelling MSG and Philly, you are a hypocrite.

Now you can say its not a big deal and they can choose their battles and I agree with that. Doesn't change the fact they are hypocrites.

Good call, they should cancel the whole tour. Show America you're serious.

It's only a few concerts.

It's only money.

JP Losman said:

Steph Curry's church is very anti LGBT rights and Curry so far has been avoiding taking a side in the HB2 debate.

Speaking to Bay Area News on Friday, Curry said: “I’ve already kind of explained kind of how I feel about discrimination period. I think that’s not tolerable. Nowhere. And it just sucks that it’s in my home state, where there are a lot of great people there.”

Sounds like he picked a side.

And the NBA:

“The current state of the law is problematic for the league. But we’re not making any announcements now,” Commissioner Adam Silver said at the conclusion of the league’s board of governors meetings in New York. “We can be most constructive by working with elected officials to effect change.”

So, if they are trying to effect change, that would mean they oppose the law, no?

Ledbetterman10 said:

What's there to be gained from discriminating against transgendered people?

A smokescreen.

"Tucked inside is language that strips North Carolina workers of the ability to sue under a state anti-discrimination law, a right that has been upheld in court since 1985. “If you were fired because of your race, fired because of your gender, fired because of your religion,” said Allan Freyer, head of the Workers’ Rights Project at the N.C. Justice Center in Raleigh, “… you no longer have a basic remedy.”

“The LGBT issues were a Trojan horse,” added Erika Wilson, a law professor at the University of North Carolina who co-directs a legal clinic for low-income plaintiffs with job and housing discrimination claims. The broader change hasn’t received much attention, she said, because “people were so caught up in [the LGBT] part of the law that this snuck under the radar.”

Conservative-leaning groups have been trying for decades to reduce the number of civil lawsuits in the states. In HB2, lawmakers accomplished this by adding a single sentence to the state’s employment discrimination law that says: “[No] person may bring any civil action based upon the public policy expressed herein.”

The language does not repeal North Carolina’s job-bias law, which continues to ban discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, religion, or disability. But it forces workers seeking redress for discrimination into the federal system, where access is more difficult, the rules are much more complicated, and businesses often have significant advantages. Time, in particular, is on employers’ side: Under federal law, fired workers have just 180 days to file a claim, versus three years in state court. "

Ledbetterman10 said:

callen said:

Ledbetterman10 said:

Mignelli14 said:

Ledbetterman10 said:

choop said:

99.9% of the fan base have no idea what it would be like to be transgendered and needing to use a public bathroom. The overwhelming amount of Pearl Jam fans are white men, who don't know what it's like to be discriminated against.

This is true. But I gotta admit to being kinda confused on this whole issue. You note how awkward it must be to be transgendered and have to use a public restroom. I agree it must be. But wasn't the intent of this law to designate which bathroom to use? So that transgendered people don't have to wonder which one they should use or which one might offend people.Again, I'm of the understanding that this was the lawmakers intent. I don't think there was any malice behind it. But again, I'm not complete sure about all aspects of the issue.

I really like that you looked at this from a different angle, one I hadn't even considered. Kudos to you. Very interesting opinion at the least

Well I just feel that no lawmaker, even the dumbest among them, is going to discriminate just for the sake of discriminating. Especially in today's PC culture. So I feel the lawmakers were probably acting in good faith...but just without much sensitivity or discretion

LAw makers acting in good Faith!?!?!?!?!?!? Really. Forget about understanding how discriminating the law is and the ignorance that drove it but.......

Sure. Unless there's something for them to gain from it. What's there to be gained from discriminating against transgendered people?

Votes. There are plenty of religionists out there who vote their "faith". It is easy to get the fundie vote by siding with discrimination against any heathens.

jeffwalsh said:

JP Losman said:

Steph Curry's church is very anti LGBT rights and Curry so far has been avoiding taking a side in the HB2 debate.

Speaking to Bay Area News on Friday, Curry said: “I’ve already kind of explained kind of how I feel about discrimination period. I think that’s not tolerable. Nowhere. And it just sucks that it’s in my home state, where there are a lot of great people there.”

Sounds like he picked a side.

And the NBA:

“The current state of the law is problematic for the league. But we’re not making any announcements now,” Commissioner Adam Silver said at the conclusion of the league’s board of governors meetings in New York. “We can be most constructive by working with elected officials to effect change.”

So, if they are trying to effect change, that would mean they oppose the law, no?

How have they picked a side? They haven't moved the all star game yet. Just threats.

and as far as Curry, he was very broad and describing discrimination overall.

“I knew I would be asked about my views on the situation in North Carolina and potential ramifications on next year’s All-Star Game in Charlotte, which I hope can be resolved,” Curry said. “While I don’t know enough about the North Carolina law to comment more fully, no one should be discriminated against.”

That's not taking a stance. And I'm not saying he personally should but if he doesn't come out against HB2, everyone who is for PJ cancelling should also pressure him to be against the law. and the band should be doing everything in their power to economically hurt the state including putting pressure on the NBA. Boycott all hornets games, even in Miami. They opened this door. Let's see if they want to follow through or if it was just a hollow gesture by PJ.