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Florist refuses attorney general’s options to settle lawsuit over same-sex weddings
The Washington Times ^ | February 22, 2015 | Valerie Richardson

Posted on 02/23/2015 7:32:36 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson has offered florist Barronelle Stutzman a deal: She can cater to same-sex weddings or she can stop doing weddings altogether.

Of course, there’s always a third option: She can go out of business.

Ms. Stutzman, the 70-year-old owner of Arlene’s Flowers in Richland, Washington, is opting for none of the above.

“Your offer reveals that you don’t really understand me or what this conflict is all about,” Ms. Stutzman said in a letter to Mr. Ferguson. “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.”

Ms. Stutzman rejected Friday a settlement agreement offered by Mr. Ferguson that would have required her to pay $2,001 in damages and legal fees after a judge ruled last week that she violated state law by declining to provide services for a same-sex wedding.

“My primary goal has always been to bring about an end to the Defendants’ unlawful conduct and to make clear that I will not tolerate discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation,” Mr. Ferguson said in a statement.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: 1stamendment; arlenesflowers; attorneygeneral; barronellestutzman; christianity; gaymarriage; gaystapo; homosexualagenda; lawsuit; lgbt; persecution; religion; richland; ssm
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To: Army Air Corps

Indeed - and her way and beliefs are “nondiverse”, of course.


21 posted on 02/23/2015 9:07:08 PM PST by Republican Wildcat
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To: sten

The fed gov can and does have such a law, but it does not cover sexual orientation.

“All persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of any place of public accommodation, as defined in this section, without discrimination or segregation on the ground of race, color, religion, or national origin.”


22 posted on 02/23/2015 9:13:36 PM PST by Oliviaforever
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
“Your offer reveals that you don’t really understand me or what this conflict is all about,” Ms. Stutzman said in a letter to Mr. Ferguson. “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.”

This is something that foolish leftists like Bob Ferguson will NEVER understand. I must say that he seems as smart and misguided as John Kerry! The people of Washington are electing agents of Satan who are leading them to chaos.

God Bless Ms. Stutzman!

23 posted on 02/24/2015 3:12:12 AM PST by olezip (Time obliterates the fictions of opinion and confirms the decisions of nature. ~ Cicero)
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To: ClearCase_guy
Hate to say it but, you are exactly right.
24 posted on 02/24/2015 4:13:07 AM PST by SunTzuWu
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Yet another exhibit for those who claim that those who insisted gay rights activists were attacking religious freedom were just psychopaths. No we were not, and their demands of acceptance and now of respect and even admiration, as emboldened as they have gotten, WILL lead to more waves of attack on freedom of religion for our citizens.


25 posted on 02/24/2015 4:21:08 AM PST by youngphys01
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To: Republican Wildcat
Indeed - and her way and beliefs are “nondiverse”, of course.

Yes, we must destroy diversity of opinion in an effort to encourage diversity.
26 posted on 02/24/2015 5:16:08 AM PST by Army Air Corps (Four Fried Chickens and a Coke)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

I’m probably wrong about this but I see this as more of a matter that the various ‘governmental drones’ are pushing at as many ‘buttons’ as they can to get someone, ‘anyone’, to commit actions that they can bring the full armed might of the government down on.

This particular issue is one that has extremely high emotional content to it and could be brought to a boil by using the MSM and various government ‘edicts’ and statements to enflame people.

I also think that the Washington State Attorney General has figured out this is a lose/lose issue and case for that purpose. As evidence I see the ‘paltry’ offer of a minimal fine and paying court costs instead of the life wrecking court judgement against the Florist.

She’s holding firm, public sentiment is on her side. I mean the REAL public sentiment not what the MSM allows out through their ‘editorial and reporting filters’. And at the same time the expected ‘hotheads’ haven’t materialized, at least not on her side.

And if this goes to a Jury trial... All bets are off for the government, the possibility of Jury Nullification is just too darn high for their side. And frankly they can’t afford to lose any case like this. To use a metaphor... A single pebble can cause a avalanche of unbelievable power and destruction.

A single florist, much like a single black lady at a lunch counter in Selma Alabama has the power to change America once again.


27 posted on 02/24/2015 5:48:24 AM PST by The Working Man
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To: The Working Man

A correction!

My lovely and dear wife corrected me in that it was the Black lady refusing to sit at the back of the Bus, not the Lunch counter incident.

History... so many thing have happened and they can and do get jumbled up in my memory.


28 posted on 02/24/2015 6:11:44 AM PST by The Working Man
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

“My primary goal has always been to bring about an end to the Defendants’ unlawful conduct and to make clear that I will not tolerate discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation,” Mr. Ferguson said “

Sig Heil!


29 posted on 02/25/2015 9:08:05 AM PST by CSM
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To: Steve_Seattle

“Bob Ferguson is a stinking bully.”

All Tyrants are!


30 posted on 02/25/2015 9:10:50 AM PST by CSM
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To: Army Air Corps

“Yes, we must destroy diversity of opinion in an effort to encourage diversity.”

The Ministry of Propoganda has declared it to be doubleplusungood!


31 posted on 02/25/2015 9:17:50 AM PST by CSM
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