Some of America’s largest corporations are asking are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to impose same-sex marriage on the county.
In an friend-of-the-court brief more than 300 companies, including Apple, Twitter, Pfizer, Pepsico, Nike, Miller, Microsoft, and AT&T, are telling the Court that the different marriage laws around the country make it harder for them to do business and are a challenge to their diversity programs. In fact, most of the companies arguments to the Court are based on the importance and business-value of “diversity.”
The brief asserts: “Some of the states in which amici do business make marriage equally available to all of our employees and colleagues; others prohibit marriages between couples of the same sex and refuse to recognize existing same-sex marriages. This dual regime burdens amici. It creates legal uncertainty and imposes unnecessary costs and administrative complexities on employers, and requires differential employer treatment of employees who are similarly situated save for the state where they reside.”
The companies claim that the different laws hamper economic growth and “impedes innovation by forcing businesses to work harder, and invest more to achieve the same return on our investments.” They say they must create “complex administrative systems” because gays can marry in some states and not in others.
They also claim, “Inclusive companies are more open to new ideas and opportunities, while less prone to overconfidence when approaching challenges” and are more profitable.
In an exclusive interview with Breitbart News, the president of the National Organization for Marriage says, “These corporations have sold out millions of their own consumers and employees that know the truth that marriage is the union of a man and a woman.”
Brian Brown is also worried about employees of these corporations who may not be supportive of same-sex marriage. He says they may be “punished and harassed by their own companies for standing for this truth.” For example, Brendan Eich was forced out as CEO of Mozilla Firefox for opposing same-sex marriage.
Brown challenges the notion that gay marriage is needed for economic growth. “The truth is that the best economic environments in the country are in states that have protected marriage. This brief is the latest example of the elites force feeding a false narrative on this country.”
Brown was not the only traditional marriage supporter angered by the amicus brief. A number of others spoke to Breitbart News.
Austin Nimocks of Alliance Defending Freedom said: “The free market works. With so many corporations free to make this choice, and so doing, why do we need SCOTUS to impose it on everyone? The states, like these corporations, should remain free to choose.”
Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council adds: “These companies are acting irrationally. They are pandering to the 1.6% of the population that is homosexual while alienating the 61% who say they do not want the court to impose a redefinition of marriage on all fifty states. Corporations should remain neutral in the culture wars.”
Author and activist Janice Shaw Crouse told Breitbart News: “Corporations should stick to selling products, not ideologies.”
The companies are asking the Supreme Court to overrule their customers in 34 states who’ve voted, in many cases overwhelmingly, to protect traditional marriage in their constitutions.
Only four states have seen their citizens vote in favor of same-sex marriage, while eight state legislatures have voted for it. Most of the 34 state laws protecting traditional marriage have been overturned by various courts and a showdown is coming at the Supreme Court this April.
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