Tim Cook calls the Indiana Religious law “Dangerous”
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| Demonstrators gather in downtown Indianapolis Saturday to protest the controversial religious freedom law.(Reuters) |
— Apple Inc. Chief Executive Tim Cook toughed his criticism of Indiana’s new “religious freedom” law, calling it “very dangerous” and said Apple would opposite such legislation wherever it emerges.
Similar legislation has been introduced in more than two dozen other states, including Arkansas and Georgia. Critics say the law could be used to sanction discrimination against gays and lesbians.
In addition to Apple AAPL, -0.07% , several other business leaders, including Salesforce.com Inc. CRM, +0.45% CEO Marc Benioff, have publicly opposed the law. Eli Lilly & Co. LLY, +0.14% , the largest publicly traded company in the state, said the law was “bad for Indiana and for business.”
“There’s something very dangerous happening in states across the country,” Cook wrote in an opinion piece published in the Washington Post this weekend, after tweeting against the law on Friday.
Bills similar to the Indiana law, which was signed into law on Thursday, and a measure being considered in Texas that would allow the state to strip salaries and pensions of clerks who issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, even if the Supreme Court strikes down Texas’ marriage ban later this year, will “rationalize injustice,” Cook said.
“America’s business community recognized a long time ago that discrimination, in all its forms, is bad for business,” he wrote. “I’m standing up to oppose this new wave of legislation — wherever it emerges. I’m writing in the hopes that many more will join this movement.”
Despite the backlash, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence continued to defend the law this weekend, and state Republicans planned a news conference at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time to clarify the law.
State Democrats will take center stage at 10 a.m. to respond to calls for legislative action in response to the law, according to the Associated Press.
(MarketWatch)
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