How Apple Went to War Over Arizona Anti-Gay Bill

An Arizona bill passed last week that would allow business owners to deny service to gays and lesbians has made a lot of people angry. Now it looks like Apple’s CEO Tim Cook may be one of them. After the Arizona statehouse passed measure bill last Thursday, Apple urged Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer to veto it, reports CNN Money.

Lawmakers say the bill is meant to protect religious business owners who don’t want to serve gay and lesbian customers, but Gov. Brewer is facing increasing pressure to veto the measure, which opponents call “state-sanctioned discrimination.” American Airlines and Marriott have warned the bill could be bad for business.

Apple may be joining in because it has a dog in the fight: in November, Tim Cook announced that Apple is building sapphire glass plant in Mesa, Arizona that would bring 2,000 new jobs to the state. Apple also has six stores in Arizona, according to its website. “[Apple’s] decision to locate here speaks volumes about the friendly, pro-business climate we have been creating these past four years,” Brewer said when Apple announced its plant in November.

[CNN Money]