I posted earlier today about how the National Organization for Marriage sent a letter to 50 of Minnesota’s largest companies warning them to remain neutral in the “culture war” by not taking a stance on the amendment in the fall.

This is a clear sign that marriage amendment supporters are fearful the impact  businesses in Minnesota would have on this vote. Considering the number of Fortune 500 companies based in Minnesota, and our state’s history of supporting equality and diversity, NOM has right to worry.

Take a minute to read through the letter below. You’ll see that NOM make an inaccurate statement when they say that the amendment has little to do with corporate missions to serve customers, earn profits and provide good jobs for people of Minnesota. The reality is, this amendment impacts all three. Companies compete for talent, and if we can’t attract the best, we will stumble at serving the customer (or, competitors will continue to excel and we’ll stall). The reality is, this has a very direct impact on those profits NOM mentions in their letter below.

The organization also uses scare tactics, including reference to a boycott on Starbucks and the fact that North Carolina just passed a marriage amendment with large margins. Make no doubt about it, the message NOM is attempting to send is clear: Take a stance, and there will be repercussions:

As a cultural matter that has little to do with your corporate mission to serve customers, earn profits, and provide good jobs for the people of Minnesota we would request that _____ adopt a neutral stance on the Minnesota marriage amendment. We do not request that you endorse our efforts to protect the age-old definition of what is a marriage, but only that you stay neutral and respect the conscience rights of your customers and employees who are on both sides of the issue.[…]

Wading into a culture war over an issue where _____ has no business interest is to invite public backlash, much like what Starbucks is experiencing in the DumpStarbucks.com campaign, with little upside. Polls have put support for the Minnesota marriage amendment at 56% – higher than polls in North Carolina had support for the marriage amendment there just prior to the 61-39% victory for marriage in that state.[…]

We are carefully watching what _____ will do on this important measure, with the expectation that you will not be engaged on one side or the other. Please let us know if this is not the case.

Source: Thanks to Thinkprogress.org for posting the content of the letter.