Adam Silver, commissioner of the National Basketball Association, speaks at a news conference on March 22, 2016.
Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images
WASHINGTON — National and North Carolina advocacy groups on Thursday questioned the National Basketball Association's actions regarding the state's anti-LGBT law known as HB2.
In a letter obtained by BuzzFeed News sent on Thursday to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, the Human Rights Campaign, Equality North Carolina, National Center for Transgender Equality, and NAACP North Carolina wrote "to share [their] concerns about the NBA's evolving posture toward HB2 and other proposals targeting LGBTQ and other people across the state of North Carolina for discrimination."
The news comes as LGBT advocates have blasted a draft proposal to amend HB 2. They say that, rather than repealing language opposed by LGBT groups, the new proposal actually could make things worse.
The NBA has called HB 2 "problematic" but is scheduled to host the 2017 All-Star Game in Charlotte. The league's role in brokering the draft amendment has been questioned since it surfaced.
"It is easy to march alongside the LGBTQ community in a parade. But whether you stand shoulder to shoulder with us when we are under attack will be the true measure of your leadership," the groups wrote in Thursday's letter.
The groups note that there have been reports that "the NBA has been actively working behind closed doors to help hammer out another discriminatory bill that would exacerbate some of the worst provisions in the HB2 law targeting LGBTQ people."
Additionally, the groups claim that "the NBA has also briefed several individuals on the ground in North Carolina on its hope to use a combination of this new legislation — and the establishment of a meaningless, non-binding commission — to provide political cover for a potential decision not to move the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte."
The groups urge that the only "compromise" measure would be to repeal HB 2 completely, "which would simply get us back to square one in North Carolina."
Going further, they wrote, "If the NBA wants to be a champion for LGBTQ equality, then work with us to ensure full statewide protections for LGBTQ North Carolinians. But please do not cut a deal that would sell us out."
Multiple NBA spokespeople did not respond to a request for comment on the letter.
Source BuzzFeed - Politics http://ift.tt/299Qc0W
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