This apple farmer will be the next 'religious freedom' posterboy

[DonViejo]

By Associated Press · Wednesday, May 31, 2017

An apple grower has filed a lawsuit, saying he’s been shut out of the East Lansing outdoor market after seven years because of his views on gay marriage.

East Lansing doesn’t deny the allegation. Steve Tennes says his rights to free speech and religion are being violated. He filed a lawsuit Wednesday.

Tennes grows apples 22 miles away at Country Mill farm in Eaton County. He says East Lansing has excluded him from the city market this year after officials saw a Facebook post last December. Tennes’ farm often is a site for weddings. He says he reserves the right to reject same-sex weddings.

East Lansing says Tennes is being excluded from the market because vendors must comply with the city’s civil rights ordinance.

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https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2017/05/apple-farmer-will-next-religious-freedom-posterboy/

[SHRED]

1. This won't end well for his business

Idiot.

[Kittycow]

7. Christianists will probably crowdfund..

Sweet Cakes by Melissa is still getting donations. GoFundMe shut down their page after $325k was raised but I don't know if they got the money. They found a new site but it doesn't show any dollar amounts.

[get the red out]

2. Church business?

It looks like Churches would be lining up for apple deliveries since he has the right hate?

[gratuitous]

3. Just the free market, operating in everyone's interests

Too bad for Mr. Tennes he doesn't quite grasp how the market works.

[Else You Are Mad]

4. The free market...

Is only allowed to be 'free ' when it makes someone money. When it starts to hurt businesses, then there needs to be laws to ensure they can make money.

[Warpy]

5. Dunno, this is icky in a few areas

A bigot is entitled to run a public access business as long as he serves the public, all of it. Unless they can prove harassment or discrimination like refusing to sell apples to anyone for any reason, they need to let him participate. Drunk (I hope) posts on social media shouldn't be an adequate reason to exclude anyone from making a living.

What they should be looking at is his wedding venue business. If he advertises and takes money for it, then he's got to be prevented from discriminating against any part of the public he thinks he doesn't like. Unless he's offering his apple groves to church members out of the goodness of his heart, that's what has to go.

They're going to have to come up with a much better reason than a Farcebook post to exclude this guy. They need witnesses of harassment or refusal to sell. Otherwise, I'm afraid they're the ones who are overreaching. Even bigots have rights.

[maxrandb]

6. Why is he growing the Devil's Fruit??

Didn't this entire ignorant shit start because Eve, with those "Red Delicious" treats, was just to tempting??

Stone Him!!!!