Posted on 02/19/2015 6:48:59 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
A Washington grandmother and florist of 40 years who refused to service gay weddings because of her faith will now be forced to arrange flowers for gay ceremonies, a judge ruled Wednesday. On top of that, the woman, Barronelle Stutzman, will have to pay the legal penalties imposed by the judge as well as attorney’s fees.
Benton County Superior Court Judge Alex Ekstrom ruled in a summary judgement that Stutzman violated anti-discrimination and consumer protection laws.
Ekstrom ruled that the gay couple could collect penalties not just from her business, but also from her personally, according to Alliance Defending Freedom, the legal group that represented Stutzman. That means she could lose her personal possessions and savings.
Stutzman refused to serve a gay couple in 2013 when they asked her to arrange flowers for their wedding ceremony. The ACLU represented the couple and took her to court.
“The message of these rulings is unmistakable: the government will bring about your personal and professional ruin if you don’t help celebrate same-sex marriage,” ADF Senior Counsel Kristen Waggoner, who argued before the court in December, said in a statement. “The two men had no problem getting the flowers they wanted. They received several offers for free flowers, and the marketplace gives them plenty of options. Laws that are supposed to prohibit discrimination might sound good, but the government has begun to use these laws to hurt people – to force them to conform and to silence and punish them if they don’t violate their religious beliefs on marriage.”
ADF will appeal.
“it’s time to start getting some as-wipes’ attention”
Yep. I’ve got some things in mind that are downright attention grabbers.
“Use dead flowers ... advertise them in your brochure ... Special arrangement for couples dead to propagation”
—
So if older people wed they should get dead flowers?
Terrific.
.
I suggest pulling out a large poster with Romans chapter number 1 or a contract with selected Bible verses they read before signing.
money paid to MLKing’s family for the use of his name —
Will King obama have to pay MLK’s family too?
God forbid a business owner ever tells any potential customer NO.
“We won't do what you request”, so just sue me, and let the government decide if you can force me to comply with your unreasonable request for personal service.
Nea Wood, I don't care if the baker, florist, photographer, caterer or venue hall coordinator is Christian or not.
They, the service providers, have the right to refuse service to anyone.
Nor do I believe Christians in particular should be singled out and forced to associate against their will, with customers they do not wish to do business with, nor should there be any need to provide any explanation or excuse for the refusal to contract custom services.
Want to buy a cake from a bakery store?
No indications that any bakery in the USA has ever refused to sell a cake to anyone who walks into the store, and also no indication any baker/clerk has asked what sexual orientation the customer prefers to practice, before they sell the cake, or asks or cares what they plan to do with it.
Want a custom cake, and the bakery to arrange for delivery and cake set up?
Expect a few questions, and a possible refusal of service, for whatever reason, or for no obvious reason at all.
This is where Christians should applaud secular laws.
You need not ever compromise your faith, or lie, in order to comply with your faith.
A STAR CHAMBER made up of people against judges is needed.
This is a targeted hit against a straight business, maybe even to take out competition for someone they know...
They're 'bullying' heterosexual, and especially Christian businesses.
My reaction? It's past time for us 'straights' to be boycotting openly gay businesses.
Sure
The ACLU represented the couple and took her to court.
wonder where the ACLU have been. They’ve been mighty silent as Obama tramples on Religious Freedom with his Contraceptive mandate.
huh, the ACLU is representing the wrong person as the State is denying the First amendment rights of a businessowner.
Two guys marryin' can't have kids right ?
So in our special "For Gays Only" section in the brochure, show beautiful color photo's of dead and or dry flowers
What ?
You want LIVE flowers ?
Sorry ... they're only for straight couples
Back to court ...
Your honor ... I DID give them flowers ... and at half price too !!!
You wonder ?
I find it hard to believe a couple of gays don't know a flower arranger or two...
Talk about violation of the First Amendment...*crickets!*
Oh, stop it! You KNOW what Knarf meant.
County judge, right? Seems like this can easily be overturned by a higher court, either state or federal.
lol....true.
I just don’t understand why anyone - gay or otherwise - would *want* to be serviced by someone who didn’t want to service them? Makes no sense. This is why we know it’s not about the service they get - it’s about an agenda. So - I say - give’m the worst service that you can.
They probably won’t care. They still “won” in their mind.
We do that. It comes into a dedicated account and is then moved offshore.
I don’t trust judges to follow those laws, especially when it is reported to the court that there is nothing else they can get to.
Our recent incident is continuing to evolve and the perps lawyer has finally spoken to ours and was incensed to find out that there not only is there nothing he can touch, there is no insurance to go after.
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