Watch: New TV Ad Absurdly Claims Equal Rights Ordinance Will Hurt Business

Michael Sam, Jason Collins join campaign in support of HERO

A new ad from opponents of Houston’s Equal Rights Ordinance absurdly claims the law would actually hurt the city’s economy. 

In the ad from the Campaign for Houston, the narrator states the ordinance would invite lawsuits “when a customer or employee’s feelings are hurt,” and subject small businesses to fines. 

“With the threat of endless litigation, businesses will close or relocate outside the city limits, eroding our tax base and costing up jobs,” the narrator says. 

The ad, of course, flies in the face of recent history. One need look no further than Arizona or Indiana to see the potential negative economic impacts of inequality. 

In Arizona, GOP Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed an anti-gay “religious freedom” bill in 2014 after the NFL began discussions about moving the 2015 Super Bowl out of the state if the measure became law. And earlier this year in Indiana, the Center for American Progress estimated an anti-gay “religious freedom” law would cost the state $256.4 million over six years, prompting the legislature to amend the law to protect LGBT people.

And that’s precisely why groups like the Greater Houston Partnership — which is the local chamber of commerce — support the Equal Rights Ordinance. 

Bob Harvey, president and CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership, told KPRC-TV in response to the ad that nothing is further from the truth. He said if the ordinance is repealed, national headlines of “Houston voters reject equal rights” will could be very damaging.

“We know that the ordinance is workable and enforceable and fair to business,” Harvey said. “Quite the opposite. The business community wholeheartedly supports the Equal Rights Ordinance. So the suggestion that they would leave Houston because of the ordinance is quite the opposite.

“I find this claim, like others they’re making, to be factually inaccurate,” Harvey added, apparently referencing other anti-HERO ads promoting the debunked transgender bathroom myth.

Supporters of the ordinance have expressed concern that if HERO is repealed, Houston could lose the 2016 NCAA Men’s Final Four or the 2017 Super Bowl. And 44 prominent business leaders recently signed a full-page ad in The Houston Chronicle in support of the ordinance.

The only prominent business owner who’s come out against the ordinance is Houston Texans owner Bob McNair, who contributed $10,000 to the Campaign for Houston. However, on Friday, McNair asked that his contribution be returned, accusing the Campaign for Houston of making unauthorized statements about his position on the ordinance to the media. 

“I do not believe in or tolerate personal or professional discrimination of any kind,” McNair wrote in a statement to ThinkProgress. “I also believe that we Houstonians should have an ordinance that unites our community and provides a bold statement of non-discrimination. I encourage all Houstonians to vote on November 3.”

Earlier this week, McNair was slammed for the contribution by former Vikings punter Chris Kluwe. 

On Friday, retired NBA player Jason Collins, the second publicly gay athlete to play in a major U.S. profssional sports league offered his support via Twitter:

Also on Friday, former NFL player Michael Sam added his voice to the conversation. 

“I know firsthand what it feels like to be unwelcome – to live an open and authentic life in a place where you can be ostracized or even discriminated against for simply being yourself,” Sam wrote in an email for the Human Rights Campaign. “That’s why as a Texas native I was thrilled when Houston passed the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) last year … and equally disappointed when opponents petitioned for its repeal this year. … I’ve seen what the opposition is doing and it’s revolting – launching ugly ads insinuating LGBT people pose a danger to the community. They’re out in full force, trying to scare fair-minded Texans into voting against their LGBT neighbors.” 

Sam’s support for the ordinance is especially relevant since HERO also prohibits discrimination based on race. In fact, more than half of complaints filed under HERO while the ordinance was in effect were based on race. And the coalition supporting the ordinance, Houston Unites, planned a press conference Friday where black attorneys will discuss how they were recently forced to pay a cover charge at a local nightclub, while white patrons got in for free. 

“Two of the men, Brandon Ball and Dan Scarbrough, will discuss their case and how they have been forced to make a costly, federal case out of the incident because there is no local equal rights ordinance on the books,” according to Houston Unites. 

 

EARLIER:

Chris Kluwe Totally Takes Down ‘Cowhumping Glue-Huffer’ NFL Owner For Financing Anti-LGBT Hate

Texas Groups Scare Voters With ‘Bathroom Ads’ Ahead Of HERO Vote

Trailing In Polls, Houston Equal Rights Opponents Continue Desperate Anti-LGBT Ad Campaign

Watch: Anti-LGBT Right Wing Group Releases Ad Promoting False, Fear-Mongering Trans Bathroom Myth

Pastor In Anti-LGBT Radio Ad Attacking Nondiscrimination Ordinance Was Fired For Sexual Harassment

Family Research Council Pushing Ridiculous Anti-LGBT ‘Bathroom Bill’ Ad (Video)

 

 

Image: Screenshot via Campaign for Houston/YouTube