and so it begins, even after the homosexuals swore up and down that they ‘just wanted to get married’ and that they would ‘never go after religious groups or churches’- We see once again that was just another bald-faced LIE
Most flowers are bisexual. I don’t see why they’d object to being at a gay wedding.
But if I’m this lady, I would pay the $1,000 fine then file a harassment suit against the couple for making public a private business negotiation which led to significant emotional and monetary damages.
I mean, that's the modus operandi of the Left.
Do the religious freedom laws like the one Indiana just passed (and 19 other states have almost verbatim) prevent lawsuits like this?
Dang! They went from demanding tolerance to demanding acceptance to demanding celebration to demanding servicing in short order.
She is standing her ground and said she wouldn’t succumb to unGodly pressure.
Here is her letter:
Attorney General Bob Ferguson
1125 Washington St. SE
P.O. Box 40100
Olympia, WA 98504
Re: State of Washington v. Arlene’s Flowers and Barronelle Stutzman
Dear Mr. Ferguson,
Thank you for reaching out and making an offer to settle your case against me.
As you may imagine, it has been mentally and emotionally exhausting to be at the center of this controversy for nearly two years. I never imagined that using my God-given talents and abilities, and doing what I love to do for over three decades, would become illegal. Our state would be a better place if we respected each other’s differences, and our leaders protected the freedom to have those differences. Since 2012, same-sex couples all over the state have been free to act on their beliefs about marriage, but because I follow the Bible’s teaching that marriage is the union of one man and one woman, I am no longer free to act on my beliefs.
Your offer reveals that you don’t really understand me or what this conflict is all about. It’s about freedom, not money. I certainly don’t relish the idea of losing my business, my home, and everything else that your lawsuit threatens to take from my family, but my freedom to honor God in doing what I do best is more important. Washington’s constitution guarantees us “freedom of conscience in all matters of religious sentiment.” I cannot sell that precious freedom. You are asking me to walk in the way of a well-known betrayer, one who sold something of infinite worth for 30 pieces of silver. That is something I will not do.
I pray that you reconsider your position. I kindly served Rob for nearly a decade and would gladly continue to do so. I truly want the best for my friend. I’ve also employed and served many members of the LGBT community, and I will continue to do so regardless of what happens with this case. You chose to attack my faith and pursue this not simply as a matter of law, but to threaten my very means of working, eating, and having a home. If you are serious about clarifying the law, then I urge you to drop your claims against my home, business, and other assets and pursue the legal claims through the appeal process. Thanks again for writing and I hope you will consider my offer.
Sincerely,
Barronelle Stutzman
Available here: http://www.adfmedia.org/files/ArlenesFlowersSettlementOfferResponse.pdf
Can the state sue if my dog bites a gay?.
Somebody or organization needs to come to the defense of these folks and file a lawsuit against the state (the US Constitution does take precedent over state laws, right?) to overturn this discriminatory law and restore the rights we all enjoy in this country.
But, in the meantime, if I was a business in Washington, I'd be packing up and moving to friendlier climes than this Marxist state in the northwest.
By what authority? The judge is an outlaw.