Posted on 10/18/2014 4:09:39 PM PDT by EternalVigilance
Two Christian ministers who own an Idaho wedding chapel were told they had to either perform same-sex weddings or face jail time and up to $1,000 in daily fines, according to a lawsuit filed Friday in federal court.
Alliance Defending Freedom is representing Donald and Evelyn Knapp, two ordained ministers who own the Hitching Post Wedding Chapel in Coeur d’Alene.
“Right now they are at risk of being prosecuted,” attorney Jeremy Tedesco told me. “The threat of enforcement is more than just credible.”
The wedding chapel is registered as a “religious corporation” limited to performing “one-man-one-woman marriages as defined by the Holy Bible.”
However, the chapel is also a for-profit business and city officials said that means the owners must comply with the local nondiscrimination ordinance.
That ordinance, passed in 2013, prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and it applies to housing, employment and public accommodation.
City Attorney Warren Wilson told The Spokesman-Review in May that the Hitching Post Wedding Chapel likely would be required to follow the ordinance.
“I would think that the Hitching Post would probably be considered a place of public accommodation that would be subject to the ordinance,” he said.
He also told television station KXLY that any wedding chapel that turns away a gay couple would in theory be a violation of the law “and you’re looking at a potential misdemeanor citation.”
Wilson confirmed to Knapp in a telephone conversation that even ordained ministers would be required to perform same-sex weddings, the lawsuit alleges.
(Excerpt) Read more at radio.foxnews.com ...
Yep.
I think the Patriot Guard Riders should station themselves around the chapel for the hour before the wedding appointment. Then, when the groom and groom arrive, or the bride and bride, they can run their motors.
Folks are going to have to get bold ... and creative.
I've honestly never seen a vigorous challenge to smoking bans. I have seen vigorous challenges to religious freedoms; Hobby Lobby and Citizens United are pretty clear indications that your constitutional rights do not end when you purchase a business license.
For the moment, let's just get practical:
City of Coeur d'Alene
710 E. Mullan Ave
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814
Phone: (208) 769-2300
Mayor:
Steve Widmyer... mayor@cdaid.org ...(208) 666-5754
City Council members:
Councilman Amy Evans ...aevans@cdaid.org
Councilman Dan Gookin ... dgookin@cdaid.org
Councilman Kiki Miller ...kmiller@cdaid.org
Councilman Ron Edinger ...redinger@cdaid.org
Councilman Steve Adams ...sadams@cdaid.org ...(208) 659-0346
Councilman Woody McEvers ...wmcevers@cdaid.org ...(208) 691-5303
Coeur d'Alene Convention & Visitor Bureau
105 N. 1st St. Ste. 100
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814
Toll Free: (877) 782-9232
Phone: (208) 664-3194
Fax: (208) 667-9338
Email: info@cdachamber.com
“I’ve honestly never seen a vigorous challenge to smoking bans.”
Private property is private property. Period. Many of us on FR vigourously defended it, even many that hate the smell of tobacco smoke. However, the convenient conservative righteous right partnered with the nanny state leftists and private property was demolished.
That eliminated the ability of the property owner to cater to his chosen customer, in that case it was smoker vs non-smoker. The state forced a business owner to cater to the government preferred class of non-smokers. In this case it is gay vs straight, now the state is forcing a business to cater to their now preferred gay market.
Many of the rightous celebrated the removal of private property rights then, now they can’t shed tears when it is being used against them.
Either we have private property rights or we don’t. Don’t worry tho, it will get much worse before many see the light.
I called the three numbers that have direct people attached.
Steve Widmyer... mayor@cdaid.org ...(208) 666-5754
It went to voicemail, I left message.
Councilman Steve Adams ...sadams@cdaid.org ...(208) 659-0346
It went to voicemail, I left message.
Councilman Woody McEvers ...wmcevers@cdaid.org ...(208) 691-5303
He answered the phone. Had an interesting conversation. He said that the city was handed the papers last minute on Friday. The city has not had any time to respond or anything. Over the weekend, this has taken on a life of its own. He suggested to give it time to work through. He seems to think this will work out. He said it seems a lot of people are upset over this. I said ya there is! And we are ready to help you. Just let us know what you need. He said thanks.
I encourage everyone to give them a call.
“try 7M”
That’s 7mil too many.
But here we are, chapels being sued to force them to comply, just a few months later! First of all, who would want a “wedding” at a place that doesn't want you? The minister should just ramble, make rude jokes, take frequent breaks to go make himself a sandwich - whatever it takes for the word to get out that the Hitching Post isn't a good place for (gay) weddings. It should only take one. Imagine that old guy wearing cutoff jean shorts, an Iron Maiden T-shirt, eating beef jerky, scratching his balls, and watching a game on his cell phone DURING the “ceremony”? Put that on U Youtube and you'd have a million views in a week.
BTW, we just had gay marriage “judged” upon us last Friday. WHEN the first lawsuit like this happens and a small business is threatened by angry hordes, you can bet that the whole argument from the summer will play itself out here again.
Awesome. Well done.
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