Should a gay Seattle coffee shop owner be prosecuted for refusing service?
Oct 10, 2017, 6:07 AM | Updated: 10:01 am
(File, Associated Press)
It happened at a coffee shop in Seattle. A group of abortion abolitionists – as they describe themselves – were outside the shop holding leaflets that parodied the gay pride flag, with one of those graphic anti-abortion pictures superimposed over the rainbow.
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The leaflets state that God does not celebrate gay pride and resents that particular use of His rainbow.
The abolitionists then put away their leaflets and went into the shop. As they’re drinking their coffee, the shop owner, who is proudly gay, shows up waving one of their leaflets and confronts them – as a customer presses “record.”
“This is offensive to me, I own the place.”
“So we’re not welcome here?”
“I do not want these people in this place.”
“So you’re not willing to tolerate our presence?”
“This is extremely offensive.”
The owner gets pretty angry.
“I don’t have to tolerate this,” he yells.
The Christians leave peacefully, although one advises him that Christ can save him from his lifestyle, and another warns him he will be “burned” for what he has said.
You can watch the video here.
So should this gay coffee shop owner in Seattle be prosecuted the way the Christian bakery that refused to bake a cake for a gay wedding in Colorado was prosecuted?
Well, it could happen. But I’d be surprised because if the Christians won – it would mean business owners can’t refuse customers based on their sincere beliefs. Which is what that bakery in Colorado is fighting for!
What happened in Seattle is exactly what some Christians want business owners to be able to do. Although it would be nice if people could pause their intolerance long enough so we could all just have some cake and coffee.