FW:  Dec. 14, 2012

When my family and I started our company 40 years 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

and worked according to God's word. From there, Hobby Lobby has become

one of the nation's largest arts and crafts retailers, with more than

500 locations in 41 states. Our children grew up into fine

business leaders, and today we run Hobby Lobby together, as a family.

 

We're Christians, and we run our business on Christian principles. I've

always said that the first two goals of our business are (1) to run our

business in harmony with God's laws, and (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

and 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 and our

employees. We've not only added jobs in a weak economy, we've raised

wages for the past four years 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, 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 four

years 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 and my family are forced to make a choice.

With 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 and that honoring God is more

important than turning a profit.

 

My family has lived the American dream. We want to continue growing our

company and 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

and following the law. I say that's a choice no American and 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 covered in any of the liberal media,

pass this on to all your contacts.

 

Sincerely,

David Green, CEO and Founder of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.

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