Disney May Pull Marvel Productions From Georgia Over Anti-Gay Law

[StewShearerOld]

Disney May Pull Marvel Productions From Georgia Over Anti-Gay Law

//cdn.themis-media.com/media/global/images/library/deriv/1302/1302056.png
Disney has threatened to take its business "elsewhere" if Georgia enacts new discrimination laws.

Generally speaking, when you're a state in a country that's still trying to struggling to recover from a tough economy, <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/161489-New-Star-Wars-Movie-Every-Year-Says-Disney>Disney is a company that you'd like to have working in your backyard. If recent statements from Disney are any indicator however, the state of Georgia could soon be waving good-bye to the Marvel and the house of mouse.

The statements in question were released by the company today in response to the <a href=http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/en-US/display/20152016/HB/757>Free Exercise Protection Act which was recently approved by the state's legislature and is currently waiting to be signed into law by Governor Nathan Deal. The bill would make it legal for businesses to refuse service to individuals based on religious beliefs. This, of course, would include the right to refuse customers who are gay. Disney affirmed that it would be willing to leave Georgia if the bill was signed. "Disney and Marvel are inclusive companies," said a representative from its Burbank office. "Although we have had great experiences filming in Georgia, we will plan to take our business elsewhere should any legislation allowing discriminatory practices be signed into state law." Walking Dead producers AMC would go on to follow Disney's example with their own, somewhat milder condemnation of the bill. Governor Deal must decide whether to veto or sign the law before May 3rd.

If Disney were to leave Georgia, the consequences wouldn't be insubstantial. Disney and Marvel have filmed several of their recent films there, including Ant-Man and Captain America: Civil War. <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/166472-Cast-List-Teaser-Image-for-Guardians-of-the-Galaxy-Vol-2#&gid=gallery_5730&pid=1>Guardians of the Galaxy 2 is currently also in production in the state. Ant-Man alone employed more than 3,500 people and injected 106 million dollars into the state's economy. And while it might not sound like a big deal on Disney's end to move its movies somewhere else, it should be noted that it too would take some hits if it chose to follow through on its threat. Georgia is home to some of the best film-based tax breaks in the country. Moving something as big as a Marvel production to another state could cost Disney some considerable change.

Source: <a href=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-disney-georgia-anti-gay-20160323-story.html>LA Times


Permalink

 

[Worgen]

Why does the link to the 'free exercise protection act' send us to a cast list teaser for guardians of the galaxy?

 

[Leg End]

Devil's Advocate chiming in to say that the law is all-encompassing regarding beliefs. You could refuse service to someone wearing orange because in your beliefs, orange is a sign of a devil trying to take your soul so you can deny them service.

Just, well, most people are going to use it to deny Homosexuals. Sometimes being a DA really sucks.

 

[StewShearerOld]

Why does the link to the 'free exercise protection act' send us to a cast list teaser for guardians of the galaxy?

Erp. Because I popped the wrong link the wrong place! Fixing now.

 

[Zontar]

This is unusual. I'm legitimately not buying it. Not because I don't think that Disney's execs don't feel strongly about the issue, but because this is from a corporation whose goals are the maximization of profits. If they're willing to do business in China to the point of modifying their work to have it released there, the massive financial incentives Georgia offers would be downright shocking to have a comparatively small issue be enough to drive them out.

Honestly until they're willing to do a complete 100% pull-out of the Chinese market I don't believe this for a second and am calling their bluff.

 

[Fappy]

My state is full of morons.

Thankfully Nathan Deal will almost certainly veto the bill based on some of the things he's said about it.

 

[Zontar]

Sometimes being a DA really sucks.

Isn't that the whole point of being a DA? I'm pretty sure the whole point is to try and rationalize a position you don't even agree with.

 

[Fappy]

This is unusual. I'm legitimately not buying it. Not because I don't think that Disney's execs don't feel strongly about the issue, but because this is from a corporation whose goals are the maximization of profits. If they're willing to do business in China to the point of modifying their work to have it released there, the massive financial incentives Georgia offers would be downright shocking to have a comparatively small issue be enough to drive them out.

Honestly until they're willing to do a complete 100% pull-out of the Chinese market I don't believe this for a second and am calling their bluff.

They're specifically threatening to stop filming in the state. Has nothing to do with the consumer market here.

The film industry has been growing rapidly in Georgia the last few years, and has brought a lot of revenue into the state. So much so, in fact, that GA has been actively incentivizing its growth. Simply put, if this bill passes there will be a whole lot less stuff filmed here, and thus, the state will lose a hell of a lot of money.

And believe me, if it were to pass (it likely won't) many of these guys will leave the state. Considering the bill will dimisnish the civil liberties of many of the local film industry's employees, it makes sense that they would take such a stance.

 

[Leg End]

Honestly until they're willing to do a complete 100% pull-out of the Chinese market I don't believe this for a second and am calling their bluff.

In this case, it's a guarantee the law isn't going in and Disney is just riding a sure thing for added publicity. No risk, all reward.

Isn't that the whole point of being a DA? I'm pretty sure the whole point is to try and rationalize a position you don't even agree with.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

Oh man, if this law passed and I owned a business, I would have a field day. "Muslims, welcome. Gays, welcome. Atheists, welcome. Hindus, welcome. Pretty much everyone, welcome. Christians that understand what Jesus meant when he said, 'Love thy neighbor' and 'Judge not', welcome. Other 'Christians'--get the hell out."

People like this give my faith a bad name and it makes me sick. Good on Disney for putting this on the table. They are certainly not a perfect company, but sometimes when they step up to bat, they knock it out of the park.

 

[Something Amyss]

Well, Disney would be exercising their rights as a company to do so.

Surely this is a good thing, yes?

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

This is how you fight discrimination. Not with pointless Facebook sharing, and online petitions, but having a big company threatening to take its business elsewhere.

 

[Karadalis]

This is how you fight discrimination. Not with pointless Facebook sharing, and online petitions, but having a big company threatening to take its business elsewhere.

I know right? Thats exactly how companies buy politicians... capitalism is such a beautifull thing.

Remind yourselfe of what you said here next time comcast bullys a state/city/politicians into being their little *****.

This power these international corporations hold is a double edged sword that usually does NOT swing in favor of the consumer/general population but in favor of the company. most often to the detriment of the consumer. (See disney using its power to fuck up copyright law in its favor)

But hey! This time they did it for the "right" reasons yes? So they are the hero in this case right? I mean private corporations publicly trying to bully democratic elected people into doing their bidding is how the system should work right?

 

[Kajin]

This is how you fight discrimination. Not with pointless Facebook sharing, and online petitions, but having a big company threatening to take its business elsewhere.

I know right? Thats exactly how companies buy politicians... capitalism is such a beautifull thing.

Remind yourselfe of what you said here next time comcast bullys a state/city/politicians into being their little *****.

This power these international corporations hold is a double edged sword that usually does NOT swing in favor of the consumer/general population but in favor of the company. most often to the detriment of the consumer. (See disney using its power to fuck up copyright law in its favor)

But hey! This time they did it for the "right" reasons yes? So they are the hero in this case right? I mean private corporations publicly trying to bully democratic elected people into doing their bidding is how the system should work right?

The system is fundamentally broken and shall remain so until the death of human civilization or the heat death of the universe, whichever comes first. It's just a nice change of pace that it's broken in favor of the little guy for a change.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

...I am now rooting for Disney along with the NFL with this. What MADNESS is this???????

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

I am always torn on stuff like this. On the one hand, I abhor the idea of any sort of discrimination and I certainly don't support banning anyone from anything. On the other hand, I think private businesses have the right to run themselves how they see fit and it is up to the market to determine that some practices end up hurting business. So you refuse gays, and you suffer backlash and go out of business.

 

[wulfy42]

Why does it need to be a law? It's silly. Unless you make a law FORBIDDING people from refusing service, it's up to the people themselves to do so. If it's not illegal to refuse service for any reason, then anyone can do it who wants to. Making a law saying it's legal is just silly. Just don't make a law (or enforce one) that says you can't refuse service for whatever reason.

If someone wants to refuse service, then they will make less money, have less customers, and if they do it towards a whole group of people, they will have alot less customers. That's all that needs to be done. Stop making pointless laws.

 

[Buckets]

How this can even be considered a bill is completely horrible,If it passed there will be a flood of this shit going on all over the south not just in Georgia. Hope its nipped in the bud before it gains any traction.
We had a case in the UK a few years back where a fundamental Christian Bed and Breakfast refused a gay couple because of their 'beliefs', thankfully they got their arse handed to them in the court case, I don't think there has been any more cases like this since.

 

[Strazdas]

while i support the supposed motivations of standing agiants discrimination (this is assuming it isnt just a publicity stunt from Disney, and since its Disney, it most definitely is), i really thing its a horrible idea for companies to have any sway over politics.

Why does it need to be a law? It's silly. Unless you make a law FORBIDDING people from refusing service, it's up to the people themselves to do so. If it's not illegal to refuse service for any reason, then anyone can do it who wants to. Making a law saying it's legal is just silly. Just don't make a law (or enforce one) that says you can't refuse service for whatever reason.

thats not how it works. its legal to refuse service to individuals, but not groups. example:

A jew walks into a bar and bartender says "I dont want to serve you, go away" - thats legal.
A jew walks into a bar and bartender says "I dont serve jews, go away" - thats not legal.

 

[frizzlebyte]

Oh man, if this law passed and I owned a business, I would have a field day. "Muslims, welcome. Gays, welcome. Atheists, welcome. Hindus, welcome. Pretty much everyone, welcome. Christians that understand what Jesus meant when he said, 'Love thy neighbor' and 'Judge not', welcome. Other 'Christians'--get the hell out."

Ooorrrrrr, you could welcome them, too, so that 1) they'd not be able to complain that you were discriminating against them, and 2) the ones who showed up (and didn't show out) might mingle enough to realize that, hey, these "others" are people, too.

That's how I'd do it, in any case.