The professional organizations boycotting Nashville over an anti-gay law in Tennessee are doing a grave disservice to a city that supports them and to the vulnerable people who need them the most.
The American Counseling Association, the Centers for Spiritual Living and the Human Rights Campaign may think they are thumbing their nose at state lawmakers by moving their upcoming events from Music City, but here is the reality: Most legislators in Tennessee do not care.
By withdrawing their conventions, elected officials can continue not to care.
A better approach would be to engage and support local communities working toward inclusion, talent recruitment and economic development because there are sometimes setbacks in the fight for civil rights. It requires a long-term commitment, especially during the hardest times.
Besides, democracy works best with dialogue that helps persuade officials to evolve in their positions.
Welcoming cities of North Carolina, like Charlotte, are feeling the brunt of a boycott against the state, caused by its legislature’s decision to pass House Bill 2, which targets transgender people’s bathroom use.
Among the consequences: PayPal canceled a $3.5 million complex and Bruce Springsteen canceled a concert.
In addition, cities such as Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia have prohibited official travel to cities whose states have adopted anti-LGBT legislation, and that now includes Nashville.
Tennessee legislators passed and Gov. Bill Haslam signed a law that allows counselors and therapists to refuse clients based upon “sincerely held principles," which was seen by critics as targeting the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community because the original bill referred to "religious beliefs."
A bill nearly passed that would have restricted people’s bathroom access based upon the sex listed on their birth certificate.
Nashville has positioned itself as a welcoming city, and city leaders, from Mayor Megan Barry to Convention and Visitors Corp. CEO Butch Spyridon, have vocally opposed laws harming that reputation, both because of the economic consequences — as much as a $58 billion loss in revenue — and because it is the right thing to do to oppose bigotry.
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On Wednesday Barry told The Tennessean editorial board: “The economic impact is real.”
“My hope is that Nashville doesn’t get punished for what the legislature has done. I want us to still be that place that people want to come to," she added.
The Nashville area is the main economic engine driving job and population growth in the state. The region frequently shows up in Top 10 lists of growth and tourism, from Travel + Leisure (No. 1 destination) to Forbes (No. 4 in job growth) to the Kauffman report (No. 5 in startup growth).
Some legislators showed indifference to the economic consequences of a boycott during the 2016 legislative session. During the state House of Representatives debate to try to override Haslam’s veto of the law making the Bible the state book, Rep. John DeBerry, D-Memphis, said businesses opposed to the bill could go elsewhere.
“Tell our folks that if folks want to leave Tennessee, tell them to leave, if they want to stop doing business, tell them to go,” DeBerry said.
House Majority Leader Gerald McCormick, R-Chattanooga, vowed retribution against businesses opposed to the bathroom bill when he blasted a letter from the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce.
“All these companies who tried to blackmail us for this thing, when they come for their corporate welfare checks next year, we need to have a list out and keep an eye on them,” McCormick said.
DeBerry and McCormick’s attitudes are contrary to the mission and spirit of economic development and prosperity across Tennessee, which just had its bond rating upgraded to AAA by Standard & Poor’s.
National groups should be helping change attitudes, and if needed, helping change legislators.
Nashville has been a critical ally for decades in the fight for civil rights and should not be shunned for lawmakers’ actions. Local groups like the Tennessee Equality Project and the Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce have provided grass-roots advocacy, lobbying and visibility.
By pulling out of Nashville, these professional organizations have empowered the bullies.
They would do so much better by showing up, speaking out and helping people on the ground fight for their rights.
David Plazas is the Opinion Engagement Editor for The Tennessean Editorial Board, where this column originally appeared. Follow him on Twitter: @davidplazas.
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