This past weekend, Springsteen canceled a concert in North Carolina, on 2 days notice, to protest the passage of law requiring people to use bathrooms based on the gender of birth. PayPal, similarly, canceled plans to expand operations in Charlotte.
I understand how tightly politics has become intertwined with business. Making a statement seems to be the most important thing anyone can do, these days. So I'll make a small one of my own. I don't agree with the North Carolina law, but I don't live there. I think it is over-the-top and excessive control of society by imposing a law where common sense should suffice to reign. The passage of law doesn't make an idea 'correct' or morally justified. Even so, I'm still planning to visit my family in North Carolina, spend money there, and enjoy the state's many natural wonders. I'm not going to boycott a state because I disagree with a law. If I did that, I'd have problems living in the state I currently reside.
Paypal and Bruce both have the right to make whatever statements they choose, just as I do. I'm not sure how what they are doing impacts the law, however. In fact, they both hurt many people in an attempt to 'show solidarity' with...some group or another (I can never tell which special interest groups are getting the attention these days).
Bruce, more specifically than Paypal, hurt many people who probably had nothing to do with the law's passage. It's not fair to say all fans share the views of artists they follow. After all, I love Pink Floyd, but think Roger Waters is a misguided fool when it comes to politics and economics. He makes great music, though. However, many fans do share the views of artists they love. If even 51% share Bruce's views, he basically sent them a message saying "I don't care if you like me. I'm depriving you of my music because some lame-ass politicians passed a stupid law, so you're the ones who get punished and it's up to you to fix this." Except Bruce's fans in North Carolina probably don't carry that much clout.
The other way he hurt his fans is on the ticket sales. Most people today can't buy a ticket direct from Ticketmaster or whichever coliseum a band is playing. Many sales are done through legal scalpers like StubHub or Craigslist (and many others are purchased illegally). While the face value can be redeemed, Bruce hurt all his fans willing to pay above and beyond face value. In addition, there's no doubt some of these people got hotel rooms and traveled to see this concert, costing even more money. Again, it's punishment so they can fix a law he doesn't like.
In addition, he hurt ordinary people looking for a paycheck. Policemen working the concert, parking lot attendants, people working refreshment stands all are hourly workers, and some probably felt this paycheck was going to be helpful for them. Bruce denied them their income, regardless of their view of the law, simply because he didn't like it.
Bruce is a proponent of political activism. He is a vocal leftist, and is proud of it. The problem with politics is that engaging it almost always requires winners and losers in the process. Bruce is fine with politics as long as his views win, but boy he gets mad when they don't.
Paypal, too, cost 400 (or more, depending on how successful their expansion was) people jobs. They cost ancillary businesses (food trucks & restaurants, cleaning services, dry cleaners and various retailers) money without asking to see if any of these people agreed with their view. The loss of this business hurts North Carolina, but it hits harder in Charlotte and to the people who may have had an opportunity to move up in life with a strong company.
Both Bruce and Paypal have the right to do what they did, and make morally superior statements about their high-minded motives. But they are ignoring the damage they have done, and also ignoring how they could have been more effective by not changing their plans.
Bruce could have given his concert, made his fans happy, and done his usual lecturing by stating that he opposed the law, and he hoped his fans would fight it. Then he could say that he would no longer plan concerts in North Carolina until the law was changed. Everybody gets something in this scenario, there is no immediate loss of income or purchase and while no more Bruce concerts hurts the arena and state, those impacted can plan ahead. His fans lose nothing, his message is out there, and he energizes his base of fans to actually do something.
Paypal could have moved forward with their plans, and then only done business or hired people who fit their diversity goals. This is standard procedure in business today, anyway. I see these idiotic diversity forms which attest to our corporate obligations in order to do business with many of our clients. In addition, the diversity conversation is part of every hire we make today. It's not like Paypal can influence policy outside of the state simply by pulling this expansion. Sure, it hurts the state, but other companies don't take this as seriously as Paypal does. Politicians don't really care what you think if you're not there and can't vote. They are far more malleable when you're an active business in their state.
Ultimately, I don't care one way or the other about what either one did. They made their choices. But it seems to me they made ridiculously short-sighted and idiotic choices to stand on a moral high ground and appear politically palatable and superior. I doubt their decisions will impact this law in any way.
