DAVID GREEN:
FOUNDER AND CEO OF HOBBY LOBBY STORES, INC
March
2013
When
my family & I started our company 40 yrs ago, we were
working out of a garage on a $600 bank loan, assembling miniature
picture frames. Our first retail store wasn't much bigger than
most people's living rooms, but we had faith that we would succeed if
we lived & worked according to God's word. From
there, Hobby Lobby has become one of the nation's largest arts &
crafts retailers, w/more than 500 locations in 41 states.
Our children grew up into fine business leaders, & today we
run Hobby Lobby together, as a family.
We're Christians, & we run our business on Christian principles. I've always said that the first 2 goals of our business are (1) to run our business in harmony w/God's laws, & (2) to focus on people more than money. And that's what we've tried to do. We close early so our employees can see their families at night. We keep our stores closed on Sundays, (one of the week's biggest shopping days), so that our workers & their families can enjoy a day of rest. We believe that it is by God's grace that Hobby Lobby has endured, and he has blessed us & our employees. We've not only added jobs in a weak economy, we've raised wages for the past 4 yrs in a row. Our full-time employees start at 80% above minimum wage.
But now, our government threatens to change all of that...A new government healthcare mandate says that our family business MUST provide what I believe are abortion-causing drugs, as part of our health insurance. Being Christians, we don't pay for drugs that might cause abortions (Ps.139:13-16; Prov.6:17), which means that we don't cover emergency contraception, the morning-after pill, or the week-after pill. We believe doing so might end a life, after the moment of conception, something that is contrary to our most important beliefs. It goes against the Biblical principles on which we have run this company since day one. If we refuse to comply, we could face $1.3 million PER DAY in government fines.
Our government threatens to fine job creators in a bad economy. Our government threatens to fine a company that's raised wages 4 yrs running. Our government threatens to fine a family for running its business according to its beliefs. It's not right! I know people will say we ought to follow the rules; that it's the same for everybody. But that's not true. The government has exempted thousands of companies from this mandate, for reasons of convenience or cost. But it won't exempt them for reasons of religious belief...
So, Hobby Lobby & my family are forced to make a choice. W/great reluctance, we filed a lawsuit today, represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, asking a federal court to stop this mandate before it hurts our business. We don't like to go running into court, but we no longer have a choice. We believe people are more important than the bottom line & that honoring God is more important than turning a profit.
My family has lived the American dream. We want to continue growing our company & providing great jobs for thousands of employees, but the government is going to make that much more difficult. The government is forcing us to choose between following our faith & following the law. I say, that's a choice no American & no American business should have to make.
The government cannot force you to follow laws that go against your fundamental religious belief. They have exempted thousands of companies but will not except Christian organizations including the Catholic church.
Since you will not see this in the liberal media, please pass this on to all your contacts.
We're Christians, & we run our business on Christian principles. I've always said that the first 2 goals of our business are (1) to run our business in harmony w/God's laws, & (2) to focus on people more than money. And that's what we've tried to do. We close early so our employees can see their families at night. We keep our stores closed on Sundays, (one of the week's biggest shopping days), so that our workers & their families can enjoy a day of rest. We believe that it is by God's grace that Hobby Lobby has endured, and he has blessed us & our employees. We've not only added jobs in a weak economy, we've raised wages for the past 4 yrs in a row. Our full-time employees start at 80% above minimum wage.
But now, our government threatens to change all of that...A new government healthcare mandate says that our family business MUST provide what I believe are abortion-causing drugs, as part of our health insurance. Being Christians, we don't pay for drugs that might cause abortions (Ps.139:13-16; Prov.6:17), which means that we don't cover emergency contraception, the morning-after pill, or the week-after pill. We believe doing so might end a life, after the moment of conception, something that is contrary to our most important beliefs. It goes against the Biblical principles on which we have run this company since day one. If we refuse to comply, we could face $1.3 million PER DAY in government fines.
Our government threatens to fine job creators in a bad economy. Our government threatens to fine a company that's raised wages 4 yrs running. Our government threatens to fine a family for running its business according to its beliefs. It's not right! I know people will say we ought to follow the rules; that it's the same for everybody. But that's not true. The government has exempted thousands of companies from this mandate, for reasons of convenience or cost. But it won't exempt them for reasons of religious belief...
So, Hobby Lobby & my family are forced to make a choice. W/great reluctance, we filed a lawsuit today, represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, asking a federal court to stop this mandate before it hurts our business. We don't like to go running into court, but we no longer have a choice. We believe people are more important than the bottom line & that honoring God is more important than turning a profit.
My family has lived the American dream. We want to continue growing our company & providing great jobs for thousands of employees, but the government is going to make that much more difficult. The government is forcing us to choose between following our faith & following the law. I say, that's a choice no American & no American business should have to make.
The government cannot force you to follow laws that go against your fundamental religious belief. They have exempted thousands of companies but will not except Christian organizations including the Catholic church.
Since you will not see this in the liberal media, please pass this on to all your contacts.
Sincerely,
David Green
CEO & Founder of
David Green
CEO & Founder of
Hobby
Lobby Stores, Inc.