The mayor of San Francisco has taken a stance against recently approved controversial legislation in Mississippi that permits the discrimination of homosexual people.
Ed Lee released a statement Wednesday, banning city employees from traveling to the southern state unless public health and safety are at risk. A similar restriction is in place for city-funded travel to North Carolina, he said.
In response to Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signing the Religious Freedom Law, Lee said, "Enough is enough. I believe strongly that we should add more protections to prevent discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities in the United States, not diminish them and deny people their constitutional rights."
Lee said he refuses to allow taxpayers in San Francisco to "subsidize legally-sanctioned hate and bigotry against any person or group."
The statement also noted that Lee has reached out to other mayors around the United States to explore ways in which they can use economic and political pressure to put an end to discriminatory laws.
Bryant "undermines all of our civil liberties," Lee said, stressing, "We must stand up."
