As the New York state legislature debates authorizing same-sex marriage, some Republican legislators want to ensure that Empire State business owners in the hospitality industry, such as caterers and florists, could refuse to lend their services to a same-sex couple hoping to hire them without being wrung out to dry in court for discrimination.
In response to this development, USA Today's religion blogger Cathy Lynn Grossman yesterday snarked that it reminded her of the "Soup Nazi" episode of Seinfeld.
"[S]ome [state] senators think once a gay couple has gotten family, friends and stodgy Aunt Petunia on board and found a venue, they should have to pass a values test with the vendors, too," Grossman groused.
"No cake for you! No tiger lilies!" she quipped, adding "Somehow I can't see it."
Grossman failed to find a Christian caterer or photographer or wedding planner who might explain his/her objections and defend the desire to be protected from discrimination lawsuits on religious conviction grounds. She also closed her June 19 post with the following loaded question to her readers:
DO YOU THINK ... traditionalist believers should have legal protection to discriminate? Or is business just business to you?
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