Frank Franklin II/AP
Major League Baseball, which counts the Arizona Diamondbacks among its 30 teams, has joined the growing opposition against Arizona Senate Bill 1062.
Major League Baseball issued a strongly worded statement Wednesday, denouncing Arizona Senate Bill 1062, and invoking the legacy of Jackie Robinson and citing a zero-tolerance policy against discrimination.
Baseball joined the NFL, the Arizona Cardinals and Arizona’s Super Bowl committee, among many others, in opposing any discrimination the legislation might invite.
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer is expected to announce by Friday whether she will veto the bill; she was encouraged by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney to veto the legislation.
“Veto of SB1062 is right,” Romney tweeted to Brewer Tuesday.
Opponents say the bill, which would allow businesses the right to refuse service to anyone based on the business owner’s religious beliefs without fear of lawsuits, would open the door to widespread discrimination, particularly against the gay and lesbian community.
MLB’s statement cited its “zero-tolerance policy for harassment or discrimination based on sexual orientation, as reflected by our collective bargaining agreement with the MLB Players Association.”
“As the sport of Jackie Robinson, Major League Baseball and its 30 Clubs stand united behind the principles of respect, inclusion and acceptance,” the MLB statement said. “Those values are fundamental to our game’s diverse players, employees and fans. We welcome individuals of different sexual orientations, races, religions, genders and national origins.”
“Accordingly, we will neither support nor tolerate any words, attitudes or actions that imperil the inclusive communities that we have strived to foster within our game.”
Ross D. Franklin/AP
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer will decide whether to pass or veto the controversial service-denial bill.
The 2015 Super Bowl is scheduled to be played at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. The NFL has set a precedent in moving the Super Bowl out of Arizona due to discrimination issues. Super Bowl XXVII was originally slated for Tempe, but the league moved the game to Pasadena when Arizona failed to create a holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.
The NFL has said it is monitoring the progress of the bill, while the Cardinals said they are concerned about the negative image the bill represents, and the Super Bowl Host Committee said it flatly opposes the legislation.
“We share the NFL’s core values which embrace tolerance, diversity, inclusiveness and prohibit discrimination. In addition, a key part of the mission for the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee is to promote the economic vitality of Arizona,” the host committee’s statement said. “On that matter we have heard loud and clear from our various stakeholders that adoption of this legislation would not only run contrary to that goal but deal a significant blow to the state’s economic growth potential.
“We do not support this legislation.”
The NFL issued the following statement Monday afternoon:
“Our policies emphasize tolerance and inclusiveness, and prohibit discrimination based on age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other improper standard. We are following the issue in Arizona and will continue to do so should the bill be signed into law, but will decline further comment at this time.”
The Arizona Cardinals said the club does not support anything that has the potential to divide, exclude and discriminate.
“As a prominent and highly-visible member of this community, we strive to bring positive attention to the state. We are concerned with anything that creates a negative perception of Arizona and those of us who are fortunate to call it home.”
http://ift.tt/1lmnBac
via Great Local News: New York http://ift.tt/1iZiLP1
No comments:
Post a Comment