NBA caves, goes right back to North Carolina with 2019 All-Star Game

The NBA has caved.

After putting up a good fight for the repeal of HB2 — the law that legalizes and mandates discrimination against LGBT people — the NBA is returning its All-Star Game to North Carolina without an effective repeal.

LGBT discrimination is still legal in the state of North Carolina, and cities and municipalities cannot protect their LGBT citizens for at least the next four years.

The NBA doesn’t care.

While Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Hornets and the back-stabbing governor, Roy Cooper, are all celebrating the NBA All-Star Game’s return to the state, THE MOVE IS OPPOSED BY EVERY SINGLE LGBT-RIGHTS GROUP THAT HAS SAID ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

Even Athlete Ally, which has a long history of working with the NBA, called the NBA’s return of the All Star Game to Charlotte “troubling.”

It would be one thing if there was some nuance in the LGBT community’s collective outrage at the NBA’s move. There isn’t. But if the governor who turned his back on the LGBT community and Michael Jordan are happy, the NBA is clearly willing to go with the flow.

While Cooper will surely create some executive order trying to offer the LGBT community some small nugget, discrimination will remain legal in the state.

Following the NCAA’s return to North Carolina, it’s again business as usual.

The NBA has just opened the door wide for other states interested in legalizing discrimination against LGBT people.