Posted on 06/15/2015 3:36:45 AM PDT by markomalley
First there was the New Mexico wedding photographer. Then there was the Indiana pizza maker. Now there is the Maryland disc jockey.
The national debate about how to balance religious conscience protections and gay equality flared in the large, mostly liberal Washington, D.C., suburb of Montgomery County Friday, when Dani Tsakounis tried to help her brother hire Ultrasound Deejays for a party. An owner of the business told Tsakounis he would not provide the DJ because Tsakounis’s brother, a Silver Spring therapist, is married to another man and the birthday party they are hosting is for their 60-year-old roommate, who is also gay.
“I just said, ‘We won’t be able to do it, we’re a Christian organization and it would go against our faith, I’m sorry,’” Michael Lampiris, co-owner of Ultrasound Deejays, said Friday.
Tom Tsakounis, 46, was so upset when his sister told him that he posted the news on his neighborhood listserv, prompting calls of sympathy from neighbors. He also registered a complaint with the Montgomery County Human Rights Commission, which hears cases of alleged discrimination.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
It’s one thing to provide merchandise and goods to an event over the counter, and not attending an event.
It is something else entirely when your attendance is required.
Consider that a DJ was hired to do a pedophile orgy with numerous children in attendance. If it were busted by the cops wouldn’t he go along to jail with the rest of them?
We still have the right of freedom of association.
So...by working the party he would be giving his implied support to birthdays?
Which is why we’re using the wrong section of 1A to fight this stuff. Should be fought as freedom of speech, not freedom of religion.
There is nothing “Christian” about a birthday party. This business owner is just a bigot. Nevertheless I would disagree with the legal system being used to force him to serve anyone
Should just say, “Sorry, we are unable to provide services.”
Owner knew when he said that he was stirring up a barrel of rabid monkeys.
No reason to give anyone a reason why. Just say no. Simple as that. If they then asked why, then tell them the truth, that you are a Christian. But until then. I just say no, sorry.
The supposed customers went looking for trouble by declaring it a "gay" birthday party....with a stress on the "gay".
You would have to be there, celebrating a birthday party of a bunch of homosexuals. By being there, you are supporting them, no? Not like you can go there and start saying how wrong it is when they start making out, and grinding on each other.
So the DJ doesn't want to cater to homosexuals period? You have to give him credit for being honest about it.
There need to be exemptions for small businesses that can’t be expected to find an employee willing to attend these kinds of events. Especially in a metro area where There are be tons of DJs whose primary audience just happens to be gay.
Really?
From the article:
The company policy states that they are a “family friendly” firm and won’t play vulgar music, tolerate provocative dancing or be involved with strippers, “fortune tellers, psychics, or magicians.”
“We will always try to provide a bright, entertaining, wholesome and fun deejay style where no one is left out,” the site says. “Let us work together to keep America clean and good!”
(snip)
Lampiris sounded unconcerned about a possible legal challenge. Their firm, which has at times had a roster of 40 DJ-contractors, has turned down other events, he said, such as when a teacher wouldn’t promise to work to stop raunchy dancing among students, or when he found out a bridal party included several lesbians.
If he provided DJs for events with all manner of heterosexual debauchery and refused to provide services to a sodomite event, you'd have a point. But it appears that he refuses to provide DJs for any event that has non-Christian activity. Does that still qualify as bigotry (he's a bigot against who, exactly?)
Have you ever personally witnessed a gay party? Their behavior is utterly disgusting. Given the choice, I would avoid it like the plague.
Says who? According to the article, the fact that the guy was gay came up only in response to questions from the DJ.
So if I prefer not to be associated with homosexuals or work for them, I am a bigot? You are on the wrong forum! Homosexuality is not akin to race, it is a thought and sin disorder!
He us a bigot and so is anyone who assumes from the information given that a birthday party hosted by homosexual men for a friend will feature debauchery. Isn’t that an overreach here?
Yes many
No debauchery just folks eating food making jokes and having fun
Why are you even on this forum? You are using the leftist progressive notion of bigotry to describe this DJ! I think you are an anti-christian bigot!
The DJ in his business description flat out said he didn’t go for vulgar types of music or do parties where debauched dancing or activities would occur. The gays are looking for a pay day!
Friend, you may choose to disassociate with sinners as you choose
Though that excludes you from associating with a great many people
I don’t know which God you follow but many of them love even sinners
And I never knew of a Saint who refused to associate with sinners
Not that you are striving for sainthood...
It says specifically on their (Ultrasound DJs) website that they will not play events for gays. Yet the customers just happened to chose them to get to play for them. No shortage of DJs in Maryland but they chose them.
I stand by my statement, went looking for trouble.
You may wish to re-read my comment...I didn't state that the proposed event would feature debauchery.
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