Posted on 11/07/2013 12:20:33 PM PST by massmike
A lesbian couple urged the New York State Division of Human Rights Wednesday to rule that an upstate wedding venue broke the law when it refused to book their wedding last year.
Melisa and Jennie McCarthy, formerly of Albany, filed the complaint against Liberty Ridge Farm outside Albany in October 2012. They’re asking for unspecified damages and an order telling the farm not to reject customers based on sexual orientation.
Attorneys from the New York Civil Liberties Union argued Wednesday before the Division of Human Rights that the 100-acre farm is a business open to the public and subject to the state’s anti-discrimination laws.
A spokesman for farm owners Robert and Cynthia Gifford said the farm is a private business on private property. Their First Amendment freedom of religion trumps state law and allows them to “conscientiously object” to something they don’t believe is appropriate, said Stephen Hayford of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms. He declined to say Wednesday whether they would pursue an appeal if the ruling didn’t go their way.
The farm owners’ attorney, James Trainor, argued that only part of the family farm is open to the public, that the wedding ceremonies and receptions are done occasionally under contract in fenced-off areas at their home and that the civil rights provisions don’t apply.
The Giffords, who testified they were each raised as Christians, one Baptist and one Catholic, acknowledged similar religious beliefs about marriage. “It’s one man and one woman as in the Bible,” Robert Gifford said.
(Excerpt) Read more at newyork.cbslocal.com ...
To rile up liberal lurkers further - what if there are tax advantages to marrying a sibling? What would prevent someone from marrying their brother to save on taxes?
WHO ARE YOU TO QUESTION WHO I LOVE AND WANT TO MARRY?
Hehehe
Amendment 1
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
GROSS!
I wish people in general learned to live and let live, this lawsuit victim-hood culture is killing the republic. Why not just find some other place to go to? Organize a boycott? Stay outside the business with a sign? Why does everything have to involve lawyers.
The point is to kill the republic (and get rich doing it) then rebuild it in their image.
But now THEY'RE the ones that are making an issue of what they are,(after years of saying what they were was no one else's business....and they didn't need our approval),and forcing you,me,and everyone else -through threats of fines,hate crime charges,and threats of loss of employment-to CELEBRATE their lifestyle and give it that approval they said they "didn't need from us"...or else!
I guess "just leaving them alone" wasn't enough for them after all! Surprise,surprise!
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggaaaggggg
They will never leave normal people alone
Because they have an agenda. The agenda is to never allow anyone to disagree with their lifestyle.
They have to destroy anything and anyone that reminds them that they’re not normal!
bump
Won’t work. I brought that up to a liberal recently, and she said she had no problem with a dad ‘marrying’ his son. Welcome to crazytown.
The hook on marrying my brother is doing it for "Tax Advantages". As soon as they hear that, you're going to see libs recoil like Dracula from a bottle of garlic juice.
Gays LOOK for controversy.
They cannot be quiet and mind their own business. When they live quietly and are forced to face their lifestyle they are convicted about their raunchy behavior.
So they have to constantly spoil for a fight with others to keep from facing their demons.
I don’t have the time or the energy to deal with evil women like Melisa and Jennie McCarthy. Note: I am not calling them evil for being lesbians; I am calling them evil for being bullies who are using thuggish tactics to punish ordinary, decent people. I hope they will be shunned by every normal person in their lives (in the unlikely event that they know any healthy people).
I hope the victims in this lawsuit know what they are getting into and are willing to put the effort into taking a stand for freedom. I’d more likely deflect, avoid conflict, and then cancel at the last minute with superficially sincere apologies (and no penalty clause in the contract). The gay mafia long ago lost any right to an expectation of fair and honest treatment. If we aren’t allowed to refuse service, they aren’t entitled to advanced warning that decent people will refuse service.
This will included biblical churches, very very soon. Much sooner than we even could conceive would happen.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.