Thursday, February 16, 2017

Gov Abbott Whines About NFL Warning About SB6

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So far during this rollout of the Texas Transgender Oppression Bill, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has been content to let Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) and Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) get their hands and reps dirty in pushing oppression of Texas trans people via SB 6.

On Tuesday the governor finally opened his mouth when the NFL warned that if SB 6 passed, there will be no more Super Bowls for Houston and Dallas.

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"We want all fans to feel welcomed at our events and NFL policies prohibit discrimination based on age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or any other improper standard," said NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy in a prepared statement.

"If a proposal that is discriminatory or inconsistent with our values were to become law there, that would certainly be a factor considered when thinking about awarding future events."

What future NFL events you ask?   In addition to the big prize of Super Bowls, there's also hosting the NFL Draft, NFL owners meetings and the Pro Bowl.

Abbott  issued this response to the NFL:
"'For some low-level NFL adviser to come out and say they are going to micromanage and try to dictate to the state of Texas what types of policies we're going to pass in our state, that's unacceptable.  
'We don't care what the NFL thinks and certainly what their political policies are because they are not a political arm of the state of Texas or the United States of America.  They need to learn their place in the United States, which is to govern football, not politics."    

Image result for at&t stadiumYou'd better care what the NFL thinks, Gov. Abbott.  The NFL isn't playing on this and they have the power to determine whether Houston or Dallas gets their multimillion dollar generating championship event ever again.

You and your Texas Republican buddies should stick to governing the state and not using your power to legislatively bully other Texans who aren't white hetero male conservatives.

If you think the NFL is selling woof tickets on this, ask the state of Arizona, who lost Super Bowl XXVII in 1990 to Los Angeles because of their failure to enact a MLK holiday, and nearly lost Super Bowl XLIX  in 2014 over a 'license to discriminate' bill before then Gov. Jan Brewer (R) vetoed it.

The state of Georgia was warned that if they went ahead with passing a discriminatory 'religious freedom' law, they could kiss their chances of getting Super Bowls in Mercedes-Benz Stadium goodbye.
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Gov. Nathan  Deal (R) vetoed that unjust legislation, and Atlanta was subsequently rewarded by the NFL with Super Bowl LIII in 2019.  Super Bowls are also scheduled for Minneapolis, Miami and Los Angeles

Note to Greg Abbott, all those future Super Bowl host cities have non discrimination ordinances in place that prohibit anti-trans discrimination.

Gov. Deal when push came to shove wasn't going to be delusional enough to let political ideology cost his state the millions a Super Bowl brings to the state financial coffers  But I am worried about Gov. Abbott and my Texas GOP know nothings in Austin doing the stupid right wing thing with the unjust SB 6 just to curry favor with your Texas Teabagging voters.

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The Super Bowls have been awarded by the NFL through 2021, so the next opportunity Houston or Dallas would be able to host one wouldn't be until then.

But our chances of Dallas or Houston hosting them or San Antonio getting an NFL franchise die if SB 6 is passed.

I'm appalled that you're willing Gov. Abbott to cost the Lone Star State millions and pass a potentially unconstitutional law just to prove to your base how far you and your party are willing to go to dehumanize Texas trans people.
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