Emmis Throwing Weight Against Indiana Same-Sex Marriage Ban

Getting Political

EMMIS COMMUNICATIONS, which is based in INDIANAPOLIS, has announced its support of FREEDOM INDIANA, a group dedicated to stop INDIANA’s House Joint Resolution 6 (HJR-6), which if passed and signed into law, would ban same sex marriage as well as same-sex civil unions. EMMIS-owned INDIANAPOLIS MONTHLY reported that CEO JEFF SMULYAN sent an internal memo to EMMIS employees, explaining the decision.

SMULYAN asserted that the language of HJR-6 is "overreaching and unnecessary," as well as "detrimental" to existing and future business in INDIANA by preventing the great benefit of recruiting and retaining high-quality employees who would balk at living and working in a state where such a law were in place.

“INDIANA has traditionally had a friendly business environment that is the backbone of the HOOSIER economy,” he wrote.  "This is two steps backward and runs counter to what businesses are demanding. Regardless of age, gender or sexual orientation, INDIANA needs to send a positive, welcoming message. We will oppose this kind of exclusionary approach any time, in any form it appears.”

INDIANA's marriage amendment, previously introduced in 2011, will appear early in the 2014 legislative session, where it will be tabled, voted down, or sent to INDIANA's constituents to be voted on in a referendum next NOVEMBER.

EMMIS joins the INDIANAPOLIS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, INDIANA UNIVERSITY, INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY and DEPAUW UNIVERSITY, among others, in opposing the ban.

« see more Net News