Ask the Tennes family of Michigan:
The Tennes family has been farming in Michigan for generations.
They grow all sorts of crops at the Country Mill Farm– organic apples, blueberries, pumpkins, sweet corn.
And for the past seven years, Steve Tennes and his family have sold their produce at the farmer’s market owned by the city of East Lansing.
But this year – city officials told the devout Catholic family that their blueberries and sweet corn were not welcome at the farmer’s market – and neither were they.
Last year, someone posted a message on Country Mill’s Facebook page inquiring about whether they hosted same-sex weddings at the farm.
Tennes told the individual they did not permit same-sex marriages on the farm because of the family’s Catholic belief that marriage is a sacramental union between one man and one woman.
City officials later discovered the Facebook posting and began immediate action to remove Country Mill from the Farmer’s Market – alleging the family had violated the city’s discrimination ordinance.
"It was brought to our attention that The Country Mill's general business practices do not comply with East Lansing's Civil Rights ordinances and public policy against discrimination as set forth in Chapter 22 of the City Code and outlined in the 2017 Market Vendor Guidelines, as such, The Country Mill's presence as a vendor his prohibited by the City's Farmer's Market Vendor Guidelines," read a letter the city sent to the family.
It also did not seem to matter to city leaders that the farm is located 22 miles outside the city limits – and had absolutely nothing to do with the business of selling blueberries at the farmer’s market.
“We were surprised and we were shocked,” Steve told me. “My wife and I both volunteered to serve in the military – to protect freedom now we come home and the freedom that we worked to protect – we have to defend in our own backyard.”The family has enlisted the services of Alliance Defending Freedom, so they're not taking this lying down. I know the Left seems to have coopted the term "resistance," but this evil must really be resisted.
It's very late in the day in post-America, but the light has not completely flickered out.
Yes it must be resisted and it is being so. That's why legislators must be careful what they pass. It's a matter for the lawyers and judges now, as outrageous as that may seem.
ReplyDeleteNo, it's a matter for us all. This has to be called out every time there's an instance of it. Hence, this blog and many like it.
ReplyDeleteSure, blog away. But nothing will get done unless it is through legal channels. Even changing the law has to go through legal channels. I think you understand that. Meanwhile and always and forever, blog away!
ReplyDeleteAnd, in case you did not know, the law IS a matter for us all. Interpretations will always differ almost as much as the facts concerning any particular case. Let me ask you this: What if a black couple was turned away by these devout Catholics? What does the law generally have to say about that?
ReplyDelete"What if" is is a pointless exercise here. There is nothing in Catholic doctrine that addresses anything about one's race. This has to do with exercising one's right not to participate in sin.
ReplyDeleteI am a studied lifelong Catholic who keeps up with development in the church and have not heard of this alleged obligation to shun alleged sinners. I was taught to follow the laws of Mammon because they mean nothing to the Kingdom of Heaven. It's not like the Pope calls us to resist. He mostly calls for mercy. Tell it to the judge.
ReplyDeleteNone of these Christian service providers are "shunning" anybody. In a lot of cases, they had provided flowers or baked goods for the people who eventually approached them about "wedding" services, and were on good terms with them.
ReplyDeleteOK, well it will be decided whether the city of East Lansing is breaking the law banning alleged lawbreakers from their market. Sounds as if they are alleging a violation of vendor bylaws and an ordinance. Keep us posted on the outcome, please.
ReplyDeleteWhether they're violating some ordinance is hardly the point. They're engaging in God-hating totalitarianism.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you expect up in Sparty land? These peeps do not live there. Moderately intriquimg legal issues. Change the law (s) that were freely enacted, far from totalitarianism.
ReplyDeleteThey were told to work within the system and they did so now you call it totalitarianism.
ReplyDeleteThese sewer rats quite deliberately maneuvered the Tenneses into a social-media conversation about a hypothetical question - whenever they would host a homosexual "wedding" - and used it to pounce on them.
ReplyDelete