Florist being sued for refusing to do gay wedding flowers

I have mixed emotions on this. Should a prejudiced florist be forced to serve a customer they don't like?

I remember seeing signs at businesses that state "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone." Can they do that anymore?

Another part of me remembers the discrimination against blacks and certain ethnic groups... something I believe to be very wrong.

My guess is that the florist is going to lose this case.

Quote :

SEATTLE (Reuters) - A Washington state florist who refused to sell flowers to a gay couple for their wedding has been sued by the American Civil Liberties Union, in the second legal action accusing the vendor of discrimination.
Florist Barronelle Stutzman already faced a consumer protection lawsuit over the incident filed against her last week by state Attorney General Bob Ferguson. She maintained her Christian beliefs prevented her from selling the flowers for the same-sex wedding, according to court papers.
The plaintiffs in the latest lawsuit filed on Thursday are Robert Ingersoll and Curt Freed, who are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington state.
The couple were longtime customers of Stutzman's southeast Washington state business, Arlene's Flowers, in Richland, their lawsuit said.
The legal battle follows a move by Washington state voters in November to allow gay marriage, but the ACLU's lawsuit is not based on the legality of same-sex marriage in the state.
Instead, it centers on the state's law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, said Doug Honig, spokesman for the ACLU of Washington state.
"Everybody is entitled to their own private religious beliefs and the ACLU respects that strongly," Honig said.
"But a business open to the public cannot use religion as a reason to justify discriminating," he said.
When Ingersoll entered Stutzman's store in March to buy flowers for his upcoming wedding to Freed, Stutzman told him she could not serve him "because of (her) relationship with Jesus Christ," according to the lawsuit filed last week by the attorney general.
Stutzman's attorney, Justin Bristol, said forcing his client to sell flowers for a gay wedding violated her constitutional rights of freedom of speech, association and religious exercise.
"She is one of the few people left today willing to stand by her convictions rather than compromise her beliefs," Bristol said. "She's a very nice lady and doesn't have a discriminatory bone in her body, but she doesn't want to be forced to participate in an event that she doesn't believe in."
The ACLU lawsuit, unlike the legal action from the attorney general's office, lists Freed and Ingersoll as plaintiffs and seeks damages on their behalf. The attorney general's office seeks fines against the business, but no damages for the two men.
Washington is one of nine states along with the District of Columbia that allow same-sex marriage.

I'm not so sure about that Eric. Despite the anti-discrimination protections in place across the country, some patrons of specific businesses are finding themselves being refused service due to the moral or religious convictions of the business owner or employee. For example, some pharmacists refuse to dispense birth control pills to unmarried women or emergency contraception (the morning after pill) to rape victims because of their religious teachings. These pharmacists are protected under refusal clauses that allow a person’s conscience, moral conflict or moral values to dictate their business practices.

As abhorrent as this person's beliefs are to me, I believe that they do -- or should still -- have the right to refuse service to anyone. That's part of owning your own business... if you want to cut your own profits by being a homophobic (or racist, &c) dick, then the world is your oyster.

riceme wrote:

As abhorrent as this person's beliefs are to me, I believe that they do -- or should still -- have the right to refuse service to anyone. That's part of owning your own business... if you want to cut your own profits by being a homophobic (or racist, &c) dick, then the world is your oyster.

Rice, I whole-heartedly agree, but The Federal Civil Rights Act guarantees all people the right to "full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of any place of public accommodation, without discrimination or segregation on the ground of race, color, religion, or national origin." However business owners are protected under refusal clauses that allow a person’s conscience, moral conflict or moral values to dictate their business practices.

Is this discrimination, I believe so but that is a subject for another debate.

Ghost_Rider1949 wrote:

riceme wrote:

As abhorrent as this person's beliefs are to me, I believe that they do -- or should still -- have the right to refuse service to anyone. That's part of owning your own business... if you want to cut your own profits by being a homophobic (or racist, &c) dick, then the world is your oyster.

Rice, I whole-heartedly agree, but The Federal Civil Rights Act guarantees all people the right to "full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of any place of public accommodation, without discrimination or segregation on the ground of race, color, religion, or national origin." However business owners are protected under refusal clauses that allow a person’s conscience, moral conflict or moral values to dictate their business practices.

Is this discrimination, I believe so but that is a subject for another debate.

Yes, and sadly, sexual orientation is protected by virtually (literally? Not sure. I'd have to do quite a bit of research to make that broad statement) nothing. The key is in your text I highlighted in red.

Again I will state that I abhor this business owner's beliefs, but he is free to have them. There is no doubt in my mind that after the media attention she's received by refusing her services to a gay couple, the business will suffer due backlash from the community.