First pizza, now flowers. <\/p>\n
A florist from Washington state, fined $1,000 in February for refusing to decorate a gay wedding in 2013 because she said doing so went against her Christian beliefs, has made more than $100,000 through an online crowdfunding site. <\/p>\n
The response echoes the more than$840,000 raised for an Indiana pizzeria whose owners said they would not, as a Christian business, provide their services for a same-sex wedding. <\/p>\n
Such donations highlight one way that supporters of the controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) are anonymously expressing their views in a discussion that has been dominated by opponents of the law. The recent passage of the RFRA in Indiana (and Arkansas) has drawn a stark line nationwide between advocates of religious freedoms and those of anti-discrimination leading some critics to say that those whose opinions are based on religious faith are now themselves facing intolerance. <\/p>\n
About a week ago, Memories Pizza in Walkerton, Ind., became the first business to publicly stand in support of the RFRA. Less than a day after their interview with WBND-TV aired, co-owners Kevin OConnor and his daughter Crystal found themselves facing social media outrage, a hacked website, and threats to their family and business. <\/p>\n
I dont know if we will re-open, or if we can, if its safe to re-open, Ms. OConnor told Dana Loesch on The Blaze TV soon after the incident. Were in hiding basically, staying in the house. <\/p>\n
In response to the outrage against Memories Pizza, Ms. Loesch and The Blaze contributor Lawrence B. Jones III set up a GoFundMe page for the OConnors, where they criticized the reaction against the pizzeria owners. <\/p>\n
Rather than allowing this family to simply have their opinion, which they were asked to give, outraged people grabbed the torches and began a campaign to destroy this small business in small town Indiana, they wrote. <\/p>\n
More than $200,000 from more than 7,000 donors poured in within 24 hours of the page going live. Later that week, another GoFundMe page, set up in February for Washington florist Baronnelle Stutzman,received a similar show of support, The Seattle Times reported. <\/p>\n
The amounts that each initiative received reflect a quiet push back by supporters of the RFRA, some of whomsee the issue not as one of discrimination, but of freedom of choice or freedom of speech. <\/p>\n
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Original post: First pizza, now flowers. A florist from Washington state, fined $1,000 in February for refusing to decorate a gay wedding in 2013 because she said doing so went against her Christian beliefs, has made more than $100,000 through an online crowdfunding site. The response echoes the more than$840,000 raised for an Indiana pizzeria whose owners said they would not, as a Christian business, provide their services for a same-sex wedding Continue reading
\nWhy opponents of same-sex marriage are turning to GoFundMe (+video)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"