Memories Pizza in Walkerton, Indiana, has become the first business in the state to take advantage of the recently passed Religious Freedom Restoration Act and refuse to serve LGBT customers.
The O’Connor family, which has owned the small business for nine years,
told ABC 57 that they have a right to do business in a way that reflects their religious beliefs.
“If a gay couple came in and wanted us to provide pizzas for their wedding, we would have to say no,” Crystal O'Connor said. “We are a Christian establishment.”
The family said the backlash the state has been getting about the bill is unfair.
“That lifestyle is something they choose. I choose to be heterosexual. They choose to be homosexual. Why should I be beat over the head to go along with something they choose?” Kevin O'Connor, Crystal O’Connor’s father, told the news station.
Eater.com reported that another restaurant owner, identified only as Ryan, went on radio station RadioNOW 100.9 in Indiana to say that he already discriminated against gays.
If he saw LGBT customers, he would tell them his restaurant equipment was broken and he couldn’t serve them, even though others were already eating in the restaurant.
“I feel OK with it because it's my place of business, I pay the rent, I've built it with all my money and my doing. It's my place; I can do whatever I want with it," the man told 100.9. He said LGBT people could do whatever they wanted with “people who want to be with them."
Some people took action once they heard what Memories Pizza had to say, replacing the business’ name on Google with “Gay Memories Pizza” or icons that say “Boycott Indiana” and other things.
In addition, review websites like
Yelp have filled up with angry reviews against the pizza restaurant. “Regardless of the quality of your product or service, your blatant lack of understanding and self-righteous attitude towards LGBT community is an abomination to human basic human decency and your business should suffer for it,” wrote someone from Montreal, Canada.
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