Does only the American LGBT community matter to protesters?

The backlash against North Carolina continues in the wake of the state's newly enacted law that requires individuals to use bathrooms that correspond to the gender on their birth certificate. The law is drawing fierce criticism because it supposedly "excludes legal protections for homosexual and transgender people." 

In response, Bruce Springsteen has just announced he has cancelled his upcoming concert in Greensboro, NC in "solidarity" with those protesting the measure, and PayPal has cancelled expansion plans in the state that would have created 400 jobs.

I wish these offended groups would actually read the bill in question. If they did, they would realize  the measure does not prohibit any private organization from deciding their own restroom arrangements. There is nothing, for example, that prohibits private companies from establishing "gender neutral" facilities at their establishments. So what is the fuss really about? 

The bill was not signed by Governor Pat McCrory because of hatred toward transgenders. The bill was signed for the common sense purpose of essentially protecting little girls from having to share a restroom with a man abusing open restroom policies by pretending to "feel like a woman" on any given day. No one can be so naive as to assume that many a ne'er-do-well would not exploit the opportunity to visit an "opposite gender" restroom with evil intent. So, the law simply attempts to prevent such occasions. 

Still, in its decision to cancel expansion plans in NC, PayPal said, "This decision reflects PayPal's deepest values and our strong belief that every person has the right to be treated equally, and with dignity and respect." But what part of their stance affords dignity, respect and equality to the women and children being subjected to the possibility of some pervert claiming to be what he isn't and invading the privacy of others in restroom and locker rooms being used by the correct gender? 

The representatives of the people of NC, their state legislature and Governor, have deemed this a worthy effort and support the passing of the new law. The arguments against allowing just "anyone" access to any restroom should be too obvious to require mention. But just think of the mischief possible. Think of the potential for real disaster. Is it really worth endangering ourselves, family members, neighbors and friends to satisfy the whims of a tiny minority of the population? Really? What has become of common sense? 

While the NC legislation is not a religious freedom bill, those who protest this or religious freedom bills in other states wish to flex some corporate muscle or, at least, make a show of how "progressive" they are in the face of what common sense itself would readily reject. What PayPal is really putting on exhibit is how they would prefer to pander to a small, special-interest group than support,the notion that it is "better to be safe than sorry". This is indicative of the immature and intolerant nature of the current generation of corporate executives. 

The thing that irks me the most is the hypocrisy of these supposed "compassionate do-gooders" who would boycott states, cost people their jobs, and generally hurt economies so they can feel good about themselves. In Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansas and Indiana – religious liberty bills have come under attack from a number of Fortune 500 companies – from Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines to UPS and Marriott Hotels. Please join me in reminding PayPal and these other companies that they are all too happy to continue doing business in countries like Saudi Arabia where homosexuals, bisexuals  and transgenders are fined, imprisoned and even killed for their lifestyle. 

Ellen Degeneres recently called for a boycott of Mississippi, but last year she "partied hardy" in Dubai – a city where homosexuals can be thrown in jail for simply kissing in public. Instead of calling for a boycott of Dubai, why does Degeneres spend her money there?

Why did Disney threaten to pull its movie production out of Georgia if the governor signed a religious freedom bill that would protect clergy from being forced to perform same-sex so-called weddings, but happily staged a performance of "Beauty & the Beast" in Dubai? Is it only homosexuals in America that Disney and Degeneres and others care about? Where are the calls for boycotts of cities and countries that murder people just for being homosexual?

What's going on here is nothing more than corporate public relations bullying in the name of political correctness. If a seriously watered-down version of this type of legislation can't fly, then nobody's service business or restroom is safe. 

Such laws are always described by detractors as "restricting LGBT protections" but that's not really what they do. They merely either provide protections to those who do not, for legitimate moral holdings, wish to be forced by a heavy (enslaving) hand to participate in activity that violates those holdings, or the laws protect individuals from being subjected to danger by legislation that recklessly abandons common sense.

When companies and celebrities start boycotting countries that actually and really mistreat homosexual people, I may pay attention to them. Until then, they are just feigning moral outrage so they can look good. Worse, when their "moral outrage" is in support of something that can endanger someone's safety, that is simply not right.