Posted on 04/23/2013 2:52:31 AM PDT by markomalley
A florist in Washington is being sued for a second time after choosing not to provide flower arrangements for a gay customer's upcoming wedding.
Barronelle Stutzman of Arlene's Flowers in Richland now faces two lawsuits, one from the Washington state Attorney General and another from the American Civil Liberties Union, for turning away business for a same-sex couples wedding.
When frequent customer Curt Freed approached Barronelle Stutzman of Arlene's Flowers last month to provide arrangements for his September wedding ceremony to Rob Ingersoll, the florist said she could not provide services due to her religious beliefs.
On the company's Facebook page, Stutzman described the incident after many receiving comments, saying she explained her position to the customer who said he respected her opinion.
She said that because of my relationship with Jesus Christ, she could not comply with his request to do floral arrangements for his wedding. It is her deeply-held conviction that marriage is between a man and a woman, she wrote in the post.
Stutzman recalled that the two hugged and Freed left the store.
It was not until after the couple relayed the story to their friends who were livid with the florists decision and posted about it on Facebook, according to a Seattle Times story, that they began to receive attention from the local media, and eventually the state Attorney General Bob Ferguson.
After he learned of the incident Ferguson sent a letter to Stutzman requesting she reconsider her position and sign an agreement indicating her intention to comply with Washington laws.
When Stutzmans attorneys responded saying that she would challenge any action to enforce the states anti-discrimination law, the Attorney General filed a consumer protection lawsuit against the florist who has been serving the area for the past 37 years.
In it, the state seeks a fine of $2,000 and has issued a court-order requiring Stutzman to comply with state law.
Under the Consumer Protection Act, it is unlawful to discriminate against customers on the basis of sexual orientation, Ferguson said in a statement on April 9.
If a business provides a product or service to opposite-sex couples for their weddings, then it must provide same-sex couples the same product or service.
Now Stutzman faces a second lawsuit as the American Civil Liberty Union filed one April 18 on behalf of Freed and Ingersoll.
When a business serves the general public, the business owners religious beliefs may not be used to justify discrimination, ACLU of Washington legal director Sarah Dunne said in a statement.
The ACLU lawsuit seeks a court order barring the florist from discriminating against customers on the basis of sexual orientation as well as damages for the violation of the couples rights.
Attorney Justin Bristol, who is representing the florist, argues that these cases are violating his clients constitutional rights to freedom of speech, expression and religion.
Although Stutzman holds religious beliefs that do not validate same-sex marriage, enforcement of this law would force her to express assent for the issue.
Can the state require a painter to paint a portrait of a gay couple? Could the state require a musician to write a song? Bristol asked, according to the Associated Press. Can the government compel them to say something they don't want to say? It violates the First Amendment.
It's not a public accommodation case, he said. She simply doesn't believe in gay marriage. She believes marriage should be between a man and a woman.
I find it odd that people even mention what they need flowers for. Just order flowers and tell them where to deliver. This is another reason why we don’t need Gay Marriage....they will yell it from the roof tops. There is absolutely ZERO need to tell the florist what the flowers are for. Hope the florist wins just for the gays being stupid.
A lawyer will use the same tactic that they use for blacks. Denny’s awhile ago was not serving blacks at their locations. A lawyer had to get in the way to allow Black customers to eat at Denny’s. Lawyers can be good and bad. Why in 2000’s, blacks were not served at Denny’s is beyond me.
mix a little stink weed in for added aroma, maybe add a bit of raw manure to it as well...really get an ambiance in a butt-pluggers ceremony...
It is the driving purpose of the State. It can't have an organization calling evil 'evil'. It has to shut it down; silence it.
Where I live in Maryland they have had a bunch of laws outlawing discrimination based on ‘orientation’ like that for a while.
If she loses these lawsuits or decides they cost to much a simple legal action she can take is to post posters in her store windows that call homosexuality perversion.
Maybe gays will boycott her business.
Why not just buy the flowers elsewhere?”
...because then they couldn’t sue this guy and let the world know loudly and proudly exactly what it is they do in their bedroom!!!
Since gay people have a shorter average lifespan than normal people, the florist should say that they will be happy to provide flowers for the funeral.
then it must provide same-sex couples the same product or service.
We used to call this Involuntary Servitude
Real men don’t need flowers at their wedding anyhow. Oh, wait...
Sounds to me like a good way for the florist to get rid of all of her old stock she was getting ready to toss in the dumpster.
Actually that wasn't true, even though the parasitic lawyers won as they too often do. Denny's gave whites who were not regular customers bad service too, with those regulars who tipped well getting preference. The blacks who got the usual Denny's service, the same I had experienced with some customers seated before me even in the same size group, sued and won.
Looks like the biggest mistake is again airing the issue on social media!
The queer customer was fine with her decision!
The other queers found out from FB and got them riled and called in the protectors of queer mandate!
A queer situation!
“freedom of association....cant allow that I guess”
Freedom of association was eliminated with the smoking bans. Many a FReeper celebrated such actions and now they can enjoy the fruits of their joy.
And I’m sure there are plenty of florists that would gladly accept their business. They are purposely targeting this woman.
Keep pushing us and pushing us to the win you seek for yourselves at our expense until our tolerance and patience are exhausted and then we go Old Testament on you.
You had better hope you lose in court, otherwise that time is coming and all your deepest fears will come to pass.
I must say, I’m getting so tired of these activist lawsuits targeting small businesses.
I don’t care what people do in their homes, but I do believe marriage is a sacrament. And it seems the gay activists often go after easy prey.
They have Hollywood sewn up; why trash people who are just trying to make a living?
(btw, I’m in a bit of a crabby mood this a.m. Sorry! :) )
“Sorry. The flowers didn’t arrive in time for the ceremony.”
Oops.
I’d say okay and give them a bunch of weeds.
I’m sure you know it isn’t about the flowers.
I can tell you what I have heard from waitresses. Generally, blacks don’t tip well. Simple economics.
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