Sally Ann Munro Alvarez: Heart-breaking bigotry

Regarding the May 17 news article “Fallout from HB2 causing concerns in tourist industry”: Though I live in New York now, I was born in Greensboro, educated at Duke and the University of North Carolina and married in Durham. My two children were born in Greensboro.

For 35 years we’ve gone back every year with between 60 and 90 friends from across the United States to vacation at Topsail Beach. Collectively we’ve probably spent several million “tourist” dollars in the state.

But our family, like most families, has gay members, and they will not go with us this year. Sadly, we won’t be going back next year. Bigotry parading around as principle unravels the many progressive traditions of the state.

House Bill 2 isn’t just about bathrooms, as ridiculous as that is. HB2 also takes away the right to fight employment discrimination in state courts and the right of localities to set a minimum wage. It is an attack on democracy, just as the voter restrictions imposed by the reactionary state legislature and governor attack democracy.

My beloved state is in the grip of a terrible, hypocritical, mean-spirited fever. We’ll find another vacation spot, but North Carolina is breaking my heart.

This story was originally published May 18, 2016 at 5:14 PM with the headline "Sally Ann Munro Alvarez: Heart-breaking bigotry."