When Irish hang up No Gays Need Apply signs
Posted on Thursday, October 25, 2012 at 09:13 AM
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| Jim and Mary O'Reilly say they were fined for failing to 'support' gay marriage |
After all we the Irish were discriminated against for centuries in religious, social, political and even philanthropic contexts, so we ought to have learned about the sting and the reach of it.
We really ought to know the harm and mischief it can do to our neighbors, too.
Not Jim and Mary O'Reilly from Vermont's Wildflower Inn, apparently. In August they settled a lawsuit taken by a gay couple from Brooklyn after their business refused to host their wedding reception as well the wedding reception of two other gay couples.
The O'Reillys agreed to pay a $10,000 civil penalty to the Vermont Human Rights Commission and put $20,000 in a charitable trust. They also agreed they would no longer hold weddings for heterosexual or homosexual couples at the inn.
But did they recognize that discriminating against the gay couple was wrong? Not exactly, if what they did next is any indication.
This week the Irish owners are campaigning on television against same-sex marriage in Maine, even though their previous discrimination cost them $30,000.
'A lesbian couple sued us for not supporting their gay wedding because of our Christian beliefs,' says Jim. 'We had to pay $30,000 and can no longer host any weddings at our inn.'
This is America, Jim and Mary, you are not running a Christian business, you are running a business. If you plan to provide the public with services and profit from the exchange there are good and longstanding laws to prevent you discriminating against who can and can not avail of them.
The people standing in your way are yourselves. In any case gay couples aren't trying to buy your approval, they are hoping to celebrate their union. It's not about you. Really it isn't. They didn't ask, as your TV ad erroneously claims, for you to 'support' their gay wedding, they simply wanted to pay you to host it at your venue, which is quite another thing.
Vermont was the first state to approve civil unions in July of 2000. Maybe the O'Reilly's should start looking for somewhere that's more accommodating to their own fundamentalist beliefs.
Possibly Afghanistan?
46 comments
ceceann | Oct 26, 2012, 01:08 PM EDT
I once tried to rent a room in a B and B in Key West and they told me they only catered to gays. Apparently, they did not approve of my lifestyle but I never saw them chastised in a newspaper article.
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lokionline | Oct 26, 2012, 12:54 PM EDT
Point nicely (applying the old fashion meaning of "nicely" here) made Cahir.
All us Irish should look over our shoulders at the history of discrimination associated with our own stories and apply those lessons in our own lives.
All us Irish should look over our shoulders at the history of discrimination associated with our own stories and apply those lessons in our own lives.
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hollabackgurl | Oct 26, 2012, 11:12 AM EDT
It's so repulsive to see the Irish reproduce the wrongs that were once directed at them.
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Frosty38 | Oct 26, 2012, 10:40 AM EDT
I have the "NO IRISH NEED APPLY"
it set in my kitchen so this another one of those
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eiriamach | Oct 26, 2012, 09:28 AM EDT
It's a great disappointment to see presumably adult people citing the catechism as their reason for opposing equal treatment under the law in public accommodations. The catechism is a child's way into religion, a completely didactic approach that will never teach anyone to think critically about moral issues. Both scripture and natural law set conscience and moral autonomy above all self-appointed human moral teachers and 'catechisms.' And both mandate critical thinking about moral questions: "By their fruits you shall know them." The fruits of discrimination are your self-serving, self-deluded comments that claim-- falsely-- that Christianity excludes gays and lesbians. Christianity doesn't exclude, but your intolerance does. Christians must never be slaves to human moral "authorities." They have a duty to exercise the freedom of the children of God to put narrow-minded teachings to natural law tests, such as "created equal," equally "endowed by their Creator" with inalienable rights, and just laws enacted by government "to preserve" equal treatment and to encourage tolerance.
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seamus60 | Oct 26, 2012, 08:15 AM EDT
Jetsnoone. With respect maybe the O Riellys should read their catichism again as there`s many worse things in there to complain about. It teach`s us that all the wealth in the world can never have the value of one single life, yet the church sits on vast amounts while children starve to death. In the all though, why give minorities rights if they`re not going to be upheld.
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Los Leandros | Oct 26, 2012, 07:22 AM EDT
I dont know about the US, but the Irish State ( in the guise of the Bloood Transfusion Service ) actively discriminates against active homosexuals, by refusing to accept blood donations from that source. Presumably Cahir O'Doherty will take on the Irish state ; or is that a campaign too far. Much easier to take in this couple. Also as far as I'm aware, every US state that has had a popular referendum on the issue, has voted against homosexual marriage. Presumably Mr. O'Doherty would label all these people as bigots ?. Very tolerant.
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IrelandNorth | Oct 26, 2012, 06:04 AM EDT
And postscript! Did the gay (sic) couple not see the universal disclaimer in the foyer of the said hostelry: "Management reserve the right to refuse admission!" No offence is intended, so don't take it personally.
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olovely | Oct 26, 2012, 12:59 AM EDT
Jetsnoone, the voice of African America, or just a divisive rabble rouser who hates liberals and gays? Hmm, it's hard to tell. Cough.
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jetsnoone | Oct 26, 2012, 12:48 AM EDT
Haven't any of you liberal jerks ever read the Catholic catechism? Homosexuality is a serious mortal sin. Rebelforce's sarcasm flys in the face of what most blacks believe == that homosexuality is seriously wrong. They are insulted to have sodomy compared to civil rights.
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Rebelforce | Oct 25, 2012, 08:38 PM EDT
If they force businesses to accept gay marriage the next thing is they'll be forcing businesses to accept weddings between whites and negroes. Where does it end?
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seamus60 | Oct 25, 2012, 07:18 PM EDT
Ironjustice. You`ve made me feel all paronoid. Me being a man and having these nipples can`t be normal.
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hollabackgurl | Oct 25, 2012, 06:41 PM EDT
Constitutional rights protect you from being discriminated against on religious grounds. You should have paid attention in school Seanmor.
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Woodman | Oct 25, 2012, 06:39 PM EDT
With this the kind of "discrimination" the gays are "suffering," it is complete and total nonsense to compare themselves to blacks and Irish people who fought off efforts of enslavement and slaughter. Soon the gays will be getting special treatment "affirmative action" when they apply for jobs. Already gays are in public sex education classes talking about their normal life style. And it will get worse and worse as they impose this abomination on the rest of us.
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