Tag Archives: public accommodations

TENNEESEE: Anti-Gay Bill Withdrawn

Tennessee’s bill to legalize anti-gay discrimination has been withdrawn after it drew national criticism. The measure sponsored by Republican Sen. Mike Bell of Riceville was withdrawn from the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. Under the measure, a person or group wouldn’t have to provide services for a domestic partnership or marriage not recognized by the state if doing so would …

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Freep This Tennessee Poll

On the lower right. (Tipped by JMG reader Joseph)

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KANSAS: House Passes Bill Legalizing Discrimination Against LGBT Citizens

By a vote of 72-49, this afternoon the Kansas House approved a bill which allows businesses to reject LGBT customers on the basis of “sincerely held religious beliefs.” The bill would bar government sanctions when individuals, groups and businesses cite religious beliefs in refusing to recognize a marriage or civil union, or to provide goods, services, accommodations or employment benefits …

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TENNESSEE: State GOP Senator Intro’s Bill To Legalize Anti-Gay Discrimination

Tennessee GOP state Sen. Brian Kelsey has introduced a bill that would legalize anti-gay discrimination on the basis of “sincere religious beliefs.” Similar bills have recently been filed in several other states. From the text of Kelsey’s bill: Religion and Religious Organizations – As introduced, permits persons and religious or denominational organizations, based on sincere religious belief, to refuse to …

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ARIZONA: House Committee Advances Bill To Legalize Anti-Gay Discrimination

Two weeks ago Arizona GOP state Rep. Steve Yarborough introduced a bill that would legalize discrimination against LGBT people on the grounds of religious beliefs. Today that bill was approved by an Arizona House committee. Critics told the committee that the bill’s primary purpose is to allow discrimination against gays. “It most decisively takes away reasonable protections people have from …

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About South Dakota’s Anti-Gay Bills

On Sunday I posted a petition from the South Dakota Democratic Party in opposition to a bill that would legalize anti-gay discrimination on the basis of “sincerely held religious beliefs.” Yesterday the Associated Press spoke with the bill’s author, who has introduced a second bill that outlaws forcing ministers to conduct same-sex marriages. (Which has never happened anywhere in the …

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Requiring Businesses To Serve Gays Is Like Forcing Gays To Go To Church

KKK-affiliated hate group leader Tony Perkins says that requiring businesses to follow the law and serve gay customers is like walking into a gay bar, rounding up all the patrons, and forcing them to go to church. It’s the SAME THING, people! (Via Good As You)

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ILLINOIS: Bed & Breakfast Owner Vows To Refuse To Host Same-Sex Weddings

In 2011 a gay couple filed a complaint against the owner of an Illinois bed & breakfast after he refused to host their civil union ceremony. The resolution of that complaint is still pending before the state Human Rights Commission, but with same-sex marriage becoming legal in Illinois this June, the venue’s owner has doubled-down on his vow to refuse …

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Headline Of The Day II

Via Oregon Live: State labor investigators have determined a Gresham bakery violated the civil rights of a same-sex couple when it refused to make a cake for the women’s wedding. The Bureau of Labor and Industries said Friday that it has wrapped up its investigation into Sweet Cakes by Melissa. Spokesman Charlie Burr said investigators found substantial evidence the bakery …

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Hate Group Tries Again In CO Baker Case

Last month a Colorado court ruled that a local baker broke the law when he refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple. The ruling spurred outraged cases of the sadz from many anti-gay groups. Yesterday the Alliance Defending Freedom, which lost the case the first time, filed an appeal. An ADF attorney claims that “forcing Americans to …

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PENNSYLVANIA: Governor Tom Corbett Backs LGBT Anti-Discrimination Bill

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett, who so far had been no friend to the gay community, has backed a bill that would protect LGBT residents from discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations. Corbett, who has previously staked out conservative positions on social issues, told The Inquirer that he was “coming out in support” of the bill after learning that federal …

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Brian Brown: Bakers Are Artists And Deserve The Freedom To Discriminate

“I challenge any same-sex marriage activist to take to their blog or to pen an op-ed doubling down on the opinion that what cake decorators and bakers do isn’t a form of artistry and doesn’t deserve protections as a form of expression! And I’d be willing to bet if this case had involved a portrait painter, or a photographer, or …

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Freep This Colorado Poll

On the same page as the editorial in my post below this one.

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Editorial Of The Day

From the Denver Post editorial board: If you’re going to sell wedding cakes in Colorado, you have to sell them to everyone who comes into your shop. You can’t pick and choose among customers based upon your belief that some weddings are immoral. That’s the principle that administrative law judge Robert N. Spencer reinforced with his recent ruling that the …

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Colorado Baker Tells Fox News: I’ll Go To Jail Before Making A Gay Wedding Cake

Right wing sites continue to claim that the baker faces up to a year in jail for refusing to make a gay wedding cake. In fact, there are no criminal sanctions in any state for violating public accommodation laws and the baker faces only a fine. If he refuses to pay, he could eventually lose his business license.

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Quote Of The Day – Erick Erickson

“A Christian baker in Colorado refused to bake a cake for a gay wedding. A judge is now ordering him to do so or face financial penalties. There will be no accommodation between gay rights activists and those seeking religious freedom to opt out of the gay rights movement. Gay rights activists demand tolerance for their lifestyle, but will not …

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Bryan Fischer Has The Bakery Sadz

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Christian Hate Group Has Bakery Sadz

“America was founded on the fundamental freedom of every citizen to live and work according to their beliefs. Forcing Americans to promote ideas against their will undermines our constitutionally protected freedom of expression and our right to live free. If the government can take away our First Amendment freedoms, there is nothing it can’t take away. We are considering our …

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COLORADO: Court Rules That Bakery Broke The Law By Refusing Gay Customers

Via press release from the ACLU: A Colorado judge today determined that the bakery unlawfully discriminated against the couple by refusing to sell them a wedding cake. David Mullins and Charlie Craig visited Masterpiece Cakeshop last year, with Craig’s mother, to order a cake for their upcoming wedding reception. Mullins and Craig planned to marry in Massachusetts and then celebrate …

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BRITAIN: Supreme Court Rules Against Anti-Gay Bed & Breakfast Owners

Britain’s Supreme Court has ruled against the owners of a bed & breakfast who were fined after refusing to rent a room to a gay couple. Hazelmary and Peter Bull refused to let civil partners Steven Preddy and Martyn Hall stay in a double room at Chymorvah House in Marazion in Cornwall in 2008. The couple, who had already lost …

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