TWC, Backed by CTA, Others, Urges Opposition to Missouri 'Religious Freedom' Resolution

Time Warner Cable CEO Rob Marcus signed on to a Human Rights Campaign open letter to Missouri House Speaker Todd Richardson in opposition to Senate Joint Resolution 39, which would prohibit the state from penalizing individuals or religious entities that refuse to take part in same-sex marriage ceremonies or provide goods or services for a same-sex marriage celebration, due to religious beliefs. In a blog post Wednesday, Marcus said, "Legislation like Missouri’s SJR39 and North Carolina’s HB2 are clearly bad for business, serving as a barrier to attracting and retaining the best talent and discouraging customers and potential customers from living and doing business in our markets. But equally importantly, this troubling trend of laws runs counter to our core values of diversity and inclusion." Also among those signing the letter were Brocade Communications Systems CEO Lloyd Carney, Bloomberg Chairman Peter Grauer and CTA CEO Gary Shapiro. Many other tech company leaders also signed the letter, and such companies have opposed actions in other states, saying they infringe on the rights of those who aren't heterosexual (see 1603240022).