Wayne Kirkwood2 6 4 6 G l a d i o l - u s L n .

Daf l -as , Texas 152332 L 4 - 3 3 1 , - 5 0 4 8

A p r i l I 7 , 2 0 1 5

Mr. ,James M. DriesseS e n i o r S t a t e E x e c u t i v e , I B M5 3 5 3 E s s e n L a n eBaton Rougre , LA 70809

M r f ) r i o q q ou L - v v e v f

I n y o u r p u b l i s h e d A p r i l 1 5 , 2 0 7 5 l e t t e r t o G o v e r n o r J i n d a l y o u w r o t e :

" H o w e v e r a b i l l t h a t l e g a T T y p r o t e c t s d i s c r i n i n a t i o n b a s e d o n s a m e - s e x m a r r i a g es ta tus w i l - l - c rea te a hos t i fe env i ronment fo r our cur ren t and prospec t ive enp loyees ,a n d i s a n t i t h e t i c a L t o o u r c o m p a n v ' s v a l - u e s . "

Governor J inda l responded to you w i th the fo l low ing :

" ? h e L o u i s i a n a M a r r i a g e a n d C o n s c i e n c e A c t i s n o t s i n i f a r t o t h e b i L l s t h a t w e r ed e b a t e d i n I n d i a n a a n d A r k a n s a s i n r e c e n t w e e k s , a s o u r p r o p o s e d b i l l j s n o t aR e l i g i o u s F r e e d o m R e s t o r a t i o n A c t ( R F R A ) , L o u i s i a n a a c t u a l - l - v a L r e a d v h a s a R F R A L a w ,i f n : s s e r j u t i r h h i n e r f ; . q e n q l l n n n r r a n d m i n i m e l d e b a t e i n 2 0 L 0 , N j n e t e e n O t h e r S t A t e sh a v e s i m i f a r R F R A T a w s a s L o u i s i a n a t s , T h e s e L a w s c a u s e d l i t t l e d e b a t e a n d p u b J i co u t c r y b e f o r e l - a s t m o n t h , I a m c e r t a i n t h a t I B M c u r r e n t l y c o n d u c t s b u s i n e s s i n n a y i fno t a1 f o f these o ther s ta tes tha t have RFRA - laws on the books . I wou id be surpr isedto hear tha t these Laws c rea ted a "hos t i l -e work env i ronment fo r your empToyees. "(Enphas is added. )

I h a v e n o i n t e r e s l i n t h e o u t c o m e o f L o u i s i a n a H . B . ' 7 0 ' 7 o r t h e g r e a t e ri s s u e . I a m h o w e v e r v e r y k e e n a L s p o t t i n g B S . Y o u r l e t t e r t o G o v e r n o rJ i n d a l h o w e v e r r a i s e s m a n v q u e s t i o n s .

Can you prov ide anv spec i f i c examples o f a hos t i l -e work env i ronment tocur ren t IBM employees in the n ine teen s ta tes tha t a l - ready have RFRA. I -aws?

Y o u a l - s o w r o t e :

"We are deepLy concerned by reporcs thac you in tend to suppor t th is Jeg is la t ion . IBMh a s n a d e s i g n i f i c a n t i n v e s E m e n t s i n L o u i s i a n a i n c l u d i n g n o s t r e c e n t l y a t e c h n o l o g ys e r v i c e s d e l i v e r y c e n t e r i n B a t o n R o u q e t c r e a t i n q n e w j o b s f o r L o u i s i a n a w o r k e r s . "

With a 2070 RFRA law a l - ready on the books why wou ld IBM chose to cont inuet o e x p a n d i t s " i n v e s t m e n t s i n L o u i s i a n a " a f t e r 2 0 1 0 ?

Q a m o J - h i n n i q n n l - r i n h l - u r i l - h i h i e n i . f r r r aY r r r r v e ! + Y r I

O n t h e s u r f a c e y o u r a n d I B M ' s W h r t e H o u s e - f a b r i c a t e d " f l a v o r o f t h e m o n t h "o u t r a g e i s s i m p l y a l a m e a t t e m p t a t b e i n g t r e n d y . B e n e a t h t h e s u r f a c e o n eh a s t o a s k : A r e I B M ' s g o v e r n m e n t c o n t r a c t s n o w c o n t i n g e n t o n I B M p u s h i n gt h i s p o l i t i c a l a g e n d a ?

Given tha t peop le o f your mindset a re runn ing IBM I suspec t tha t any" h o s t . i l - e w o r k e n v i r o n m e n t " t h a t e x i s t s w i t h i n I B M a r e o f i t s o w n c r e a t i o n .

Governor J inda l wr i tes in h is fe t te r to you about " t rue d isc r im ina t ion . " Inm a n y A r a b c o u n t r i e s t h e r e a r e r e p o r t s o f h o m o s e x u a . l - s b e i n g t h r o w n o f f o fh r l i l r l i n n e R n f \ C h r i S t i a n S a n d " L G B T - O r i e n t e d " p e r s o n S t h r o u g h O U t t h e w O r f da r e b e i n g m u r d e r e d f o r t h e i r b e l i e f s .

I am cer ta in tha t . fBM conducts bus j -ness in many o f those na t ions too . Someof the peop le murdered may have been IBM employees and undoubted ly somew e r e I B M c u s t o m e r s .

IBM remains s i l -en t on the sub jec t . Those murdered fo r the i r be l - ie fs o ro r i e n t a t i o n w e r e c l e a r l y i n a h o s t i l - e e n v i r o n m e n t - a n e n v i r o n m e n t f a r m o r ehos t i l -e than someone hav ing a bakerv dec ide no t , to make a cake fo r them.

I p e r s o n a l l y f i n d t h e l a c k o f p r o p o r t i o n a f i t y i n y o u r a n d I B M f s s t a t e m e n t si n t h e c o n t e x t o f t h e r e a l d i s c r i m i n a t i o n t h a t i s o c c u r r i n g t o b es i c k e n i n g . U s i n g y o u r l o g i c , I B M ' s s i l - e n c e o n t h e g e n o c i d e o f C h r i s t i a n s o rL G B T i n d i v i d u a l s w o r l d - w i d e i s a p p a r e n t J - y n o t a n t i t h e t i c a l t o i t s v a l - u e s .

v n , r r r a l . r a i n n a b u ] l y O n b e h a l f o f y O u r e m p l O y e r M r . D r i e s s e . f t m C a l l i n gy o u o u t o n 1 8 .

I n t h e b r o a d e r c o n t e x t , y o u r a n d I B M ' s s t a t e m e n t s a p p e a r p s y c h o p a t h i c a l l yiso l -a ted f rom the rea l - wor l -d . In the rea l wor l -d there is rea l - , no t "g innedt 1 ? , " f i i s r : r i m i n a J - i n n Y n r r - M r . F \ r i a c c a : n r i l r r n r r r a m n l v a r ? 1 . e S i ] _ e n t . I f e e lr v q , v L L v e e v ,

n i f v t h a f f h e c n r n o r a f e w o r l c l h a s f a k e n v o r r r s o u l .t s * " J

I w i l l b e p o s t i n g t h i s o p e n l - e t t e r o n l i n e s o t h a t p e o p l e o f a l l b e l - i e f s a n do r i e n t a t i o n s c a n j u d g e y o u r a n d y o u r c o m p a n y ' s c h a r a c t e r ( o r l - a c k t h e r e o f )f o r t h e m s e f v e s .

We have a F i rs t Ammendment tha t g rves you the r igh t Lo run your mouth o f fo n j u s t a b o u t a n y s u b j e c t . T h o u g h t h e r e i s n o t h i n g i n t h e B i l l o f R i g h t st h a t s p e c i f i c a l l y g r a n t s y o u t h e f r e e d o m t o b e a h y p o c r i t e y o u c a n s t i l - l - b eo n e i n A m e r i c a . A t t h a t , y o u e x c e l . B u t y o u s t a n d o n a v e r y s l i p p e r y s l o p ec la i -ming mora l h igh ground when your company, IBM remains s i l -en t on thegenoc ide aga j -ns t a l - l - wes tern cu l - tu res and be l ie f s occur r ing wor ld -w ide .I n s t e a d , y o u , t h e c o w a r d , a r e g o i n g a f L e r b a k e r s . I t ' s t r u l y p a t h e t i c w h a tv o u r v e b e c o m e

Respectfully,'

,D)ZfuWafme Kirkwood

5353 Essen LaneI3aton Rouge, Louisiana 70809

Apr i l 15 ,2015

I'he Honorable Bobby JindalGovernor, State of LouisianaPO Box 94004Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70804-9004

Dear Covernor Jindal,

I am writing to express IBM's strong opposition to H.B. 707, the Marriage and Conscience Acl. We are deeply concernedby reports that you intend to support this legislation.

IBM has made signil icant investments in Louisiana including most recently a technology services delivery center in IlatonRouge, creating new jobs for Louisiana workers. We located the center in Ilaton li.ouge because we believe Louisiana hasgreat ta lentandwouldcont inuetobear ichsource ofsuchta lent . I - loweverabi l l that legal lyprotectsdiscr iminat ionbasedon same-sex marriage status will creatc a hostile environment for our current and prospective en:ployees, and is antitheticalto our company's values. IBM will find'it much harder to attract talent to Louisiana if this bill is passed and enacted intolarv.

Ourpe rspec t i ve i sg rounded in lBM 's 104 -yea rh i s to ryandou rdecp legacyo f ' d i ve rs i t yand inc lus ion -a legacy towh ic l twe remain strongly committed today. IBM is opposed to discrimination against anyone on the grouncls of race, religion,gender, sexual orientation, or other protscted categories.

We urge you to work with the Legislature to ensure this legislation is not discriminatory.

' l 'hank you for considering our views,

'Ihe l-lon. Charles E. Checkley

Speaker, Louisiana House of RepresentativesState Capitol BuildingPO llox 94062Baton itouge, Louisiana 70804

,40,"-e

CC:'l 'he

Hon. John A. Alario, JrPresident, Louisiana State SenateState Capitol BuildingPO Box 94183lJaton Rouae. l"ouisiana 70804

Sincerely,

Jdnr€s M. DriesseSenior State Executive

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Bosrv JrxnnlGOvl lRNctt t

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L{:rtcxr R<lrge, I-A 708(}4-901}4

()l ' t i lcri t. lF THE, GovnRrucln

Apr i l 16 , 20 l5

Mr. James M. DriesseSenior State Executive, IBM5-153 Essen LaneBaton Rouge, Ln 70809

I)ear Mr. Driesse.

I received your letter regarrding IBM's concerns about H.B. 707,the Louisiana Marriageand Conscience Act, and my support ibr the bill. I appreciate the letter, but {'ear that you areconfuseci about what the bill wor,rld accomplish in practice, and I hope I can clear up somemisconceptions. I believe aller understanding what the bill actually does. yitur l'ear <lver the billwill be allcrriated.

The LoLrisiana Marriage and Conscience Act "vill

absolutely not "protect discrintination"or legalize disoritnination in any way. All the bill seelts to clo is ensltre the S'I'A'f[l carutoldiscrirninate against an inciividr.ial or entity on thc basis of lhat persons sincerely held religiousview about tr:ac{itional marriage. IL.B,7A7 sirnply seeks to ensure the state does not 1al<e adverseaction against a person beci,ruse of a religious belief in traclitional marriage, I'he bill absoh"rtelydoes not provide a right for an individual or business owner to discriminate against gays orlesbians, It does rrot give businesses or individuals the right to refuse service to gays or lesbians.

The Louisiana Marriage and Conscience Act is not similar to the bills that were debatedin Indiana and Arkansas in rcccnt weeks, as our proposed bill is not a Religioris FreedomRestoration Act (RflRA). Louisiana actually alreacly has a l{f'I{A law, it passecl with hipar:tisansupport ancl minimal dehate in 2010. Nineteen other states have similar ITFRA laws asLouisiana's. These laws caused little debate ancl public outcry before last month. I am certainthat IBM cunently conducts business in many ii'not all of these other states that have [t['RAlaws on thc books. I would bc surprised to hear that these laws have created a "hostile workenvironment" for your employees,

ln Louisiana, we do not support discrimination. and we do $uppofi religious liberty, andive believe that we czur r.rphold both of those values simultaneously. Our country was founded onthe principle of religious liberty, We support the Bill eif Rights and simply don't believe tliegovernment should ever force someone to participate iu a marriage ceremony against his or herwiil. People, oharities and small businesses should not be penalized becarse they believe in thetraditional definition ol merriage. Regardless o1'atryone 's beliefi; abottt tlie definition ofmarriage, we shoulcl all respcct tl"le right ol'cur neighbr:rs to hold n differerrt view. i am surellllr.{ ngrees rvith tiresc tiasic principles.

I liope you and your colieagr-res .,vill cut through the smcars and rnisconceptions beingspread about this bill and learn about what it nctually seeks [o acceirnplish. In the lJnitecl States. astate should not be ahle 1o take adverse action against an indiviclual fbr holding a sincerely helclreligious view regarding niauiage. That would be lrue cliscrirnination.

I thank you again l'crr choosing Louisiana as a place tei expand trnd thrive. I hope youreconsicler your position cln H.B, 707.

}trJ,V(".,nJl nou[iv.rindat

State of Louisiana

cc: The Honorable .lohn Alario,.lr.Presidenl, Louisiana State SenateState Capitol BuildingP.O. Box 94183Baton Rouge, LA 70804

'l'Iie l{onoratrle Clharles Kleckley

Speaker, Louisiana House of l{epreseutativesstate capitol BuildingP.O. Bo,x 94062Baton l(ouge, LA 70804

Sincerely,