IBM Cancels Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony With Jindal Over Anti-Gay Executive Order

Via the New Orleans Fox affiliate:

IBM has cancelled Monday’s ribbon-cutting for its new National Service Center in Baton Rouge because of Governor Bobby Jindal’s executive order. The event on June 22 had been reserved for months, according to several city leaders, including Davis Rhorer, executive director of the Downtown Development District.The technology giant IBM voiced “strong opposition” to Louisiana’s so-called religious freedom legislation as far back as mid-April.

In a letter to the governor, IBM executives said the legislation cut at the very heart of what their company stands for, equal rights and opportunity for everyone, discrimination for no one. The letter implored Jindal not to support any agenda that protected discrimination against LGBT people. Other companies followed suit, triggering a number of similar statements, but IBM, the major player local and state leaders fought so desperately to bring to Baton Rouge, was not amused by Jindal’s handling of any of the matter or his response by letter to them.

Good for Big Blue.