Sunday letters: Pass bill opposing discrimination

I support the efforts of S.C. lawmakers to make it illegal for businesses to deny services to customers based on their sexual orientation.

This is a controversial matter, as it may involve the sincerely held religious beliefs of some business owners, perhaps especially of some “mom-and-pop” service providers such as florists and bakers, who may feel that providing their services for a same-sex wedding conflicts with their religious convictions.

I hope that lawmakers will be able to craft a law that addresses well this important and complex matter and the governor will sign it.

To that end, I urge business owners and executives, especially those at the largest companies with operations in South Carolina — such as BMW, Boeing and Walmart — to seriously consider moving to South Carolina to encourage lawmakers to work in good faith on this anti-discrimination legislation.

Columbia

This story was originally published April 11, 2015 at 7:30 PM with the headline "Sunday letters: Pass bill opposing discrimination."