Georgia Faith Leaders Zero In On Home Depot For Boycott Over New Voting Law
The Rev. Timothy McDonald is among the faith leaders in Georgia calling for a boycott of Home Depot over its response to the state’s new voting law.
Emil Moffatt / WABE
A group of Black religious leaders in Atlanta is calling for a boycott against Home Depot.
The faith leaders say the Georgia-based company hasn’t done enough to speak out against the state’s new voting law, which adds new restrictions for absentee voting and allows for a state takeover of local elections departments, among other measures.
Since the controversial law was signed March 25, the group of pastors has met with leaders of Delta, Coca-Cola and a dozen other Georgia-based brands.
But the Rev. Timothy McDonald with First Iconium Baptist Church in Atlanta says Home Depot has chosen not to participate in any of those meetings.
“You want to make some preachers mad? Act like we don’t exist, act like we are invisible, act like we are the spook who sat by the door,” said McDonald. “That’s why we are here, and we want to send a message loud and clear.”
Standing across the street from a DeKalb County Home Depot location, McDonald said encouraging people not to do business with the company represents “phase one” of the boycott.
He said efforts could be ramped up if they feel it’s necessary.
The coalition of religious leaders includes more than 1,000 churches in the state. The leader of the movement, Bishop Reginald Jackson, was in Macon and did not attend Tuesday’s press conference, but had a statement read on his behalf.
Jackson has continually called for Georgia-based companies to use their national clout to oppose the new Georgia voting law, support federal voting-rights legislation, lobby against other states passing similar laws and support legal efforts to strike down the new Georgia law.
Jamal Harrison Bryant, pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, echoed Jackson’s demands.
“When will we stop? We will not stop until these laws have been changed, until the John Lewis [voting rights] bill has been passed and every state that is in danger will say ‘if Georgia can do it, America can do it,’” said Bryant.
Gov. Brian Kemp has come to the company’s defense. He says Home Depot employs 30,000 Georgians and contributes to philanthropic causes.
“They did not ask to be in this political fight. It’s unfair to them, their families and their livelihoods,” said Kemp. “And for them to be targeted by this organization and these people is, quite honestly, hard to comprehend.”
Kemp insists the voting law expands voting access by adding an extra mandatory Saturday of early voting and permanently establishing absentee ballot drop boxes into law. But for big metro counties, it means the same amount of early voting and a dramatic reduction in the number and accessibility of the drop boxes.
In a statement, Home Depot referred back to a previous statement the company had issued on Georgia’s new voting legislation.
“We’ve decided that the most appropriate approach for us to take is to continue to underscore our statement that all elections should be accessible, fair and secure and support broad voter participation, and to continue to work to ensure our associates in Georgia and across the country have the information and resources to vote,” the statement read.
The group of faith leaders boycotting Home Depot says their invitation to meet still stands.
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