Indiana state legislature passed the new Religious Freedom Restoration Act earlier this year amid a howl of controversy.
The bill has been opposed on many fronts, with Wilco yesterday (March 30th) cancelling a date in Indianapolis.
Now, a prominent group of Indiana based labels have signed a joint statement condemning the law. The imprints include Asthmatic Kitty, Secretly Group – Secretly Canadian, Dead Oceans, Jagjaguwar – and more, using the banner 'Music For Indiana'.
The statement reads:
We are deeply disappointed with the recent passage of the Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the message that it sends to those both in and out of our state. At the very least, this is a poorly written and unnecessary piece of legislation. At the worst, it provides a path to legal discrimination. We join the chorus of Indiana residents and businesses calling on Governor Mike Pence and the Indiana General Assembly to repeal the IRFRA.
Additionally, we appeal to our state government leaders to enact legislation clearly protecting the civil liberties of LGBT individuals to assure that none of our employees or neighbors may be discriminated against due to sexual orientation or gender identity.
Finishing, the labels state:
We will continue to proudly call Indiana home, and we call on others in the arts community to address this issue constructively. To musicians with events scheduled in Indiana—please follow through and perform. While canceling shows is one way to protest, a greater statement can be made by coming here and using your art to influence the policy debate that is occurring locally.
You can insist that the venue you play publicly states that they will not discriminate under any circumstances. If the venue won’t do that, rebook your show with another venue that will. Your performance can be a rally. We need your support locally.
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Read the full statement HERE.
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