Indiana recently passed a law protecting the religious rights of citizens, primarily allowing them to discriminate against LGBT people.

Amidst the controversy, some companies felt compelled to let everyone know how they felt. However, it felt much less like the companies were taking a firm stance on an important social issue and more like the companies were hoping to get some great free publicity and brownie points with the public.

For example, Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, spoke out against the law. While he is certainly entitled to an opinion and the right to speak up, it is hard to see this as anything but an attempt to appease the public. Apple isn’t exactly a company that I think of when I think of companies that can take the moral high ground on a social issue. This is a company that exploits cheap sweatshop labor in countries such as China, where employees are sometimes paid less than $2 an hour. In fact, one Apple factory in China had to put nets around the building since so many of the sweatshop workers were jumping off the roof to commit suicide.

The NCAA also spoke out against the Indiana law. Without going into too much detail, a company that is built on the exploitation of student athletes has no right telling anybody what is and isn’t moral.

In addition, saying that you are against discrimination shouldn’t impress anyone, because you should be against discrimination. Being against discrimination should be the expected norm for everyone, as being for discrimination in any capacity for any reason, makes you a bad person. If you are in the year 2015 and you are proudly waving your rebel flag and defending your right to discriminate against your fellow human beings, this may come as a surprise, but you are in the wrong.

With all of this being said, it came as a surprise to me when the North Dakota house of representatives voted down protection for LGBT people from discrimination in the state. What defense could possibly be made against a protection against discrimination? The correct answer would be none, however, some North Dakota legislators have managed to find a way to defend their votes against protection from discrimination.

It seems unbelievable that you could earn so much credit for simply saying that you are against discrimination, that it will overshadow the other bad practices that a company will practice. It is just a statement, Apple will never stop selling products in Indiana, and the NCAA will never leave their headquarters in Indianapolis.

But some companies are actually taking a stand and making a point. Angie’s List cancelled a $40 million expansion in Indiana in response to the religious freedom restoration act. Angie’s List took a stand that could be detrimental to their company, but they did it on principle.

You can say you hate discrimination all you want, but it is meaningless unless you back it up with action. If you want to be against discrimination that’s good, it’s expected, but if you want praise for it, step up and take action.

Alex Bertsch is the opinion editor for The Dakota Student. He can be reached at [email protected].