Donations top $100,000 for Washington florist who refused to serve gay wedding

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...y-wedding.html

Donations top £67,100 ($100,000) for Washington florist who refused to serve gay wedding

Barronelle Stutzman, owner of Arlene's Flowers, did not sell a gay couple flowers because of her religious beliefs

Barronelle Stutzman, owner of Arlene's Flowers

Supporters have raised more than $100,000 (£67,100) to pay the legal fees of a Washington state florist who was sued for refusing to sell a gay couple flowers for their wedding because of her religious beliefs, an online donation site said on Monday.


Friends of Barronelle Stutzman, owner of Arlene's Flowers in the southeastern city of Richland, launched the donation drive on the Gofundme.com site last month, saying the money would also be used to help protect her small business.

"The 70-year-old grandmother may lose her business, her home, and her savings - because she stood for her faith, she could lose everything she owns," the site said. Ms Stutzman refused to provide flowers for the 2013 wedding of her long-time customers, Robert Ingersoll and Curt Freed, saying the same-sex nuptials went against her Southern Baptist faith.

Ms Stutzman referred the couple to another florist who provided the arrangements for the ceremony.

Both the couple and Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson sued Ms Stutzman, saying her refusal to do business with the couple on the basis of their sexual orientation was illegal.

In March, a Benton County judge fined Ms Stutzman $1,000 plus $1 for court costs after ruling that she had violated state anti-discrimination and consumer protection laws. The couple is also seeking damages and fees, court records show.

Ms Stutzman in February declined a settlement offer from the attorney general that would have ended future litigation, saying she was protecting her right to free exercise of religion. The crowd-funding effort for Ms Stutzman comes as a similar online donation drive last week netted more than $840,000 for an Indiana pizza shop that came under intense criticism after one of its owners said she would not cater a gay wedding because of her religious beliefs.

Great news, tempted to donate myself.

The gay lobby are really pushing their luck in going after good standing citizens like this.

Thoughts?

[FlyingJesus]

omf I should open a shop and refuse to sell to people it seems to be a better business plan than actually selling stuff

[The Don]

Dan why on earth would you be tempted to donate money to a woman who would discriminate against you?

[Aiden]

Guess that's 100k worth of attention more to discrimination of LGBT people

[-:Undertaker:-]

Dan why on earth would you be tempted to donate money to a woman who would discriminate against you?

Defence of liberty. My wants and feelings don't triumph over the civil liberties of others.

The fund now stands at $112,000.

[FlyingJesus]

idgi can't people refuse business on any grounds anyway if you own the place

[The Don]

idgi can't people refuse business on any grounds anyway if you own the place

nope, not in her state anyway

Freedom from discrimination — Declaration of civil rights.

(1) The right to be free from discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability is recognized as and declared to be a civil right. This right shall include, but not be limited to:


(a ) The right to obtain and hold employment without discrimination;

(b) The right to the full enjoyment of any of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, or privileges of any place of public resort, accommodation, assemblage, or amusement;

(c) The right to engage in real estate transactions without discrimination, including discrimination against families with children;

(d) The right to engage in credit transactions without discrimination;

(e) The right to engage in insurance transactions or transactions with health maintenance organizations without discrimination: PROVIDED, That a practice which is not unlawful under RCW 48.30.300, 48.44.220, or 48.46.370 does not constitute an unfair practice for the purposes of this subparagraph;

(f) The right to engage in commerce free from any discriminatory boycotts or blacklists. Discriminatory boycotts or blacklists for purposes of this section shall be defined as the formation or execution of any express or implied agreement, understanding, policy or contractual arrangement for economic benefit between any persons which is not specifically authorized by the laws of the United States and which is required or imposed, either directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, by a foreign government or foreign person in order to restrict, condition, prohibit, or interfere with or in order to exclude any person or persons from any business relationship on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or national origin or lawful business relationship: PROVIDED HOWEVER, That nothing herein contained shall prohibit the use of boycotts as authorized by law pertaining to labor disputes and unfair labor practices; and

(g) The right of a mother to breastfeed her child in any place of public resort, accommodation, assemblage, or amusement.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=49.60.030

so she did actually break the law

[Chippiewill]

I guess she should be able to not make flowers for a black wedding too then..

[lRhyss]

Defence of liberty. My wants and feelings don't triumph over the civil liberties of others.

The fund now stands at $112,000.

You're ****** up in the head dude

[Becca]

i would've **** all over her shop floor then ripped all of her flowers up
idc if it's on a religious bias, it's 2015 she needs to get a grip