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DC Restaurant Confirms It's Fine with Discriminating Against Pro-Lifers in Name of Creating A 'Safe Space'
Townhall.com ^ | 18 January A.D. 2022 | Rebecca Downs

Posted on 01/18/2022 7:40:41 PM PST by lightman

The 49th annual March for Life will take place later this week on Friday, January 21. The days before and after surrounding the event are often a time of fellowship for pro-lifers, from all circles. For Democrats for Life of America (DFLA), this was supposed to mean holding an event for their supporters at Busboys and Poets. The establishment, however, canceled their event when learning that their would-be paying customers hold pro-life views.

Kristen Day, the executive director of DFLA, emailed supporters on January 11 to let them know of the cancellation and request donations to help them find another establishment to patronize on Friday.

In case there was any confusion that Busboys and Poets was discriminating DFLA over its pro-life position, the establishment confirmed as much to Katie Yoder with Catholic News Agency.

From Yoder's reporting, with added emphasis:

“When our team learned the fundraising nature of the event in question, the decision was made to cancel it and refund all deposits to the event organizer,” a spokeswoman for Busboys and Poets told CNA.

The chain “stands firmly on the belief that women have the right to make their own reproductive health decisions,” she said.

“While we welcome conversations from individuals expressing different viewpoints and pride ourselves on being a venue for respectful conversations between diverse groups, we are also a safe space,” the spokeswoman continued. “As such, we cannot knowingly accept events designed to fund an agenda which our community members believe to be trampling on the rights of others.”

The event guidelines the chain lists on its website do not mention restrictions on events due to their nature or content.

What's particularly significant is that the spokesperson spoke of creating "a safe space," even after claiming that "we welcome conversations from individuals expressing different viewpoints and pride ourselves on being a venue for respectful conversations between diverse groups."

It would appear, then, that clearly the establishment does not "welcome conversations from individuals expressing different viewpoints" and should not "pride ourselves on being a venue for respectful conversations between diverse groups," considering it does no such thing. To such Busboys and Poets, it's evident that being "a safe space" for a pro-abortion position is mutually exclusive from pro-lifers holding an event there.

The establishment's website and social media platforms are full of promotions to do with social change.

Part of their "About" section reads, "Busboys and Poets is a community where racial and cultural connections are consciously uplifted... a place to take a deliberate pause and feed your mind, body and soul... a space for art, culture and politics to intentionally collide... we believe that by creating such a space we can inspire social change and begin to transform our community and the world."

The establishment, which has eight locations across D.C., Virginia, and in Maryland, was known for being a friendly place for students of the nearby Catholic University of America (CUA), which was founded by U.S. Catholic bishops, or at least it used to be.

As of Tuesday, though, there has been a happier update to the situation. DFLA has found an alternate venue, at Harriet's, for Friday.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: bidenvoters; busboysandpoets; moralabsolutes; prolife
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We have become BALKANIZED!
1 posted on 01/18/2022 7:40:41 PM PST by lightman
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To: Salvation; little jeremiah; wagglebee

Ping


2 posted on 01/18/2022 7:41:16 PM PST by lightman (I am a binary Trinitarian. Deal with it!)
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To: lightman

How does this not violate public accommodation laws?


3 posted on 01/18/2022 7:43:37 PM PST by Petrosius
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To: lightman

The FIRST decision a woman can make is to KEEP HER LEGS TOGETHER.....

The SECOND DECISION she can make is to take her birth control pills .


4 posted on 01/18/2022 7:43:57 PM PST by ridesthemiles
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To: lightman

“we believe that by creating such a space we can inspire social change and begin to transform our community and the world.”

Morons.


5 posted on 01/18/2022 7:44:43 PM PST by dsc (Their swords and every terrible implement of the soldier are the birthright of Americans.)
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To: lightman

“If there are no absolutes by which to judge society, then society is absolute.” Francis Schaeffer, How Shall We Then Live? (Old Tappan NJ: Fleming H Revell Company, 1976), p. 224.


6 posted on 01/18/2022 7:49:55 PM PST by Fungi
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To: lightman

Question: why would or should we even want fellowship with such persons? Better to be separated from them. All they are due is to be presented the Gospel, nothing less.


7 posted on 01/18/2022 7:51:07 PM PST by Rurudyne (Standup Philosopher)
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To: lightman

Do you ever hear of restaurants excluding leftists?


8 posted on 01/18/2022 7:51:19 PM PST by gitmo (If your theology doesn't become your biography, what good is it?)
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To: lightman

Too bad they don’t believe safe spaces for the baby, namely, the womb.


9 posted on 01/18/2022 7:52:01 PM PST by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith…)
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To: dsc
“we believe that by creating such a space we can inspire social change and begin to transform our community and the world.”

How is this different than what the cake baker in Colorado is being sued for ?

These people need a big fat lawsuit.

10 posted on 01/18/2022 7:52:36 PM PST by Newbomb Turk
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To: lightman

First of all . . .babies are God’s Creation on loan to parents to bring them up in the admonition of the Lord. They were created on purpose for His Purpose. This world is not our home and we are here but for a moment in time. . .our time. Aborted babies get a free ticket to Heaven to be with their Heavenly Father. . .the murderers. . . .well that’s a different story.


11 posted on 01/18/2022 7:52:56 PM PST by Maudeen (PSALM 91 - GOD'S ANTIDOTE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS & VACCINE)
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To: lightman

Safe from learning the truth.


12 posted on 01/18/2022 7:53:35 PM PST by skr (May God confound the enemy)
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To: lightman
"Busboys and Poets is a community where racial and cultural connections are consciously uplifted... a place to take a deliberate pause and feed your mind, body and soul... a space for art, culture and politics to intentionally collide... we believe that by creating such a space we can inspire social change and begin to transform our community and the world."

That description smells like body odor and patchouli.

13 posted on 01/18/2022 7:59:21 PM PST by Allegra
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To: lightman

It’s better that the restaurant cancelled the reservation rather than the group go there and get their food spit on.


14 posted on 01/18/2022 8:01:24 PM PST by moovova
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To: metmom

Exactly what I was going to say!


15 posted on 01/18/2022 8:04:44 PM PST by MayflowerMadam (When government fears the people, there is liberty.)
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To: ridesthemiles

“ The SECOND DECISION she can make is to take her birth control pills.”

This is not a pro life view. Birth control has been noted bumpy philosophers and theologians as the precursor to abortion. Much has been written on it


16 posted on 01/18/2022 8:04:51 PM PST by stanne
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To: Fungi

Good quote.


17 posted on 01/18/2022 8:15:33 PM PST by sauropod (Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad.)
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To: lightman

How is this any different than the Christian baker that refused to bake the gay wedding cake? Inquiring minds would like to know.


18 posted on 01/18/2022 8:15:51 PM PST by lgjhn23 (Pray for America....)
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To: Petrosius

Wait a min, isn’t the Catholic Church for right to life. Isn’t the freedom of religion a constitutional right.
Therefore they are violating their rights.
Sort of like a baker refusing to bake a cake.


19 posted on 01/18/2022 8:20:37 PM PST by midwest_hiker
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To: lgjhn23

Place of public accomodation vs. specific performance by an artisan.

The correct analogy/comparison would be to Christian venue that refuses to rent for gasbian “wedding” festivities.


20 posted on 01/18/2022 8:26:48 PM PST by lightman (I am a binary Trinitarian. Deal with it!)
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