Bruce Springsteen Cancels Concert in Protest of Controversial North Carolina Law
Bruce Springsteen has joined the chorus of those in the entertainment industry protesting North Carolina’s controversial “bathroom” law.
HB2, or the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act, bars transgender people from using public bathrooms that do not match their birth sex.
The measure has drawn opposition from many in the business and entertainment community, including Apple, Citibank, Facebook, PayPal, Lionsgate, and A&E. The legendary rocker added his name to the list when he cancelled a River Tour with the E Street Band show that was scheduled for the Greensboro Coliseum this coming Sunday.
In a statement on his website, Springsteen explained his decision to cancel the show:
As you, my fans, know I’m scheduled to play in Greensboro, North Carolina this Sunday. As we also know, North Carolina has just passed HB2, which the media are referring to as the “bathroom” law. HB2 — known officially as the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act — dictates which bathrooms transgender people are permitted to use. Just as important, the law also attacks the rights of LGBT citizens to sue when their human rights are violated in the workplace. No other group of North Carolinians faces such a burden. To my mind, it’s an attempt by people who cannot stand the progress our country has made in recognizing the human rights of all of our citizens to overturn that progress. Right now, there are many groups, businesses, and individuals in North Carolina working to oppose and overcome these negative developments. Taking all of this into account, I feel that this is a time for me and the band to show solidarity for those freedom fighters. As a result, and with deepest apologies to our dedicated fans in Greensboro, we have canceled our show scheduled for Sunday, April 10th. Some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry — which is happening as I write — is one of them. It is the strongest means I have for raising my voice in opposition to those who continue to push us backwards instead of forwards.
The site goes on to clarify that all tickets will be refunded at their point of purchase. A similar situation occurred over a controversial “religious liberty” bill in Georgia earlier this month. That bill was eventually vetoed by the state’s governor.
Along with Springsteen, NBA legend Charles Barkley called on the league this week to move the All-Star game from Charlotte. Should the league decide to do so, it would be the second economic hit the state’s largest city has taken this week directly related to HB2.
Online money transfer service, Paypal, announced on Tuesday it is scrapping plans to hire 400 people for an office in Charlotte due to the discriminatory intent of the law.
