title:  Beatles Drummer Ringo Starr Will Not Perform In Bigoted State Of North Carolina
text: North Carolina Republicans who are fans of The Beatles will be disappointed to learn that Ringo Starr won t be performing in their state next month.Due to North Carolina s discriminatory anti-LGBT law which makes bigotry legal across the state, the legendary Beatles drummer released a statement through his management company Beautiful Day Media & Management that he has cancelled his upcoming June 18th concert at Cary s Koka Booth Amphitheatre. I m sorry to disappoint my fans in the area, but we need to take a stand against this hatred,  Starr said.  Spread peace and love. This law opens the door to discrimination everywhere by limiting anti-discrimination laws against people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Ringo adds,  How sad that they feel that this group of people cannot be defended.  He asks that we all support organizations that are fighting to overturn this law in whatever way we can. As Canned Heat sang,  Let s work together.  And The Beatles said,  All you need is love.' And Republicans only have themselves to blame. Ever since they jammed HB2 into law the state has suffered economic blows that are only getting worse. Ringo Starr is just the second major artist who has cancelled a concert rather than perform in a state that sanctions discrimination. Bruce Springsteen cancelled his own scheduled concert in a statement condemning the law earlier this month.Even corporations are hitting North Carolina hard over the new law, which bans transgender people from using the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity and gives employers the ability to hide behind their Bibles to justify firing an employee or refusing to serve a customer. It also bars cities and counties from adopting their own anti-discrimination laws or minimum wage increases.Paypal recently shut down a major expansion project that would have brought more jobs to North Carolinians and the NBA is considering taking the All-Star game out of the state. Deutsche Bank also put the brakes on a project that would have created 250 jobs.Despite this economic backlash, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory is digging in his heels in support of the discriminatory law, even going so far as to distract everyone by offering a token repeal of the part of the law that bans workers from bringing a discrimination lawsuit to the courts while ignoring the other parts of the bill that are just as or more bigoted.Apparently, Republicans won t get the message through their thick skulls until North Carolina s economy is razed to the ground and maybe that s what needs to happen for a more inclusive and liberal state to rise from the ashes.Featured image via Wikimedia