No gays sign
RUTLEDGE, Tenn. (AP) — An East Tennessee hardware store owner who put up a "No Gays Allowed" sign in response to the Supreme Court verdict allowing same-sex marriage says he decided to take a "bold" stand for his beliefs.Jeff Amyx tells local media outlets that he put the subscribe up at Amyx Hardware & Roofing Supplies in Grainger County on Monday because he disagreed with the court's decision last week. He said queer and lesbian relationships are against his religion.On Tuesday, however, media reports utter he took down that sign and replaced it with one reading "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone who would violate our rights of independence of speech & freedom of religion."Amyx, who is Baptist, says he'll market to gay people as long as they "behave" and don't express their opinions in his store.
“No Gays Allowed” Now Essentially Protected by 303 Creative Supreme Court Ruling
WHAT’S AT STAKE
Friday’s ruling in 303 Creative v. Elenis legalized “No Gays Allowed” in our business windows, in our communities, and in our laws. It is a devastating burst to equality and freedom – not only for Gay people but for every minority community and protected class in this territory.
A NATION Develop ON EQUALITY?
America is built on principles of equality. The 14th Amendment’s matching rights clause has widely been recognized – by this very court – as protection for everyone from entity treated differently and unfairly, especially those who are discriminated against for their protected class status, such as race, color, sex, and yes, even religion.
In this case, the plaintiff’s religion is not under ambush. She, and her family, are welcome to openly and freely practice their religion; in their daily life, at their church, and at any other place where practicing that religion doesn’t infringe upon the rights of others. Yet, in this case, 303 Artistic incorporated and asked to open a business to attend the public, and then once opened, asked to be able to discriminate against the
Tennessee hardware store posts 'no gays allowed' sign on front door
WASHBURN, Tenn. -- A Tennessee hardware store owner posted a write on the front door of his business that reads "No Gays Allowed."
Jeff Amyx decided to post the sign after the Supreme Court ruling on homosexual marriage.
"The reason I put up the sign is to consent the homosexual people know that there are Christian people that are willing to take a stand," Amyx told ABC affiliate WATE-TV. "A lot of people have called me and congratulated me (and) people calling and threatening me telling me I would regret this. No, I'll never regret this."
Amyx eventually decided to replace the sign with a second one. It reads: "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone who would violate our rights of freedom of speech and independence of religion." He says this one will stay up as long as he works there.
"Until they tell me it is illegal to have my independence of speech and to my freedom of religion, the autograph will stay," said Amyx.
The American Civil Liberties Union heard about the sign and issued this statement to WATE-TV:
- "Gay and female homosexual people are our neighbors, cowor
OnTuesday,a Tennessee retailer made headlines when he took the whole we-won't-bake-cakes-for-gay-weddings thing to the next level. In response to last week's Supreme Court marriage judgment, Jeff Amyx, owner of Amyx Hardware, taped a "No Gays Allowed" write to his storefront window. Amyx, who is also a Baptist minister, explained to WATE 6 News that he realized same-sex attracted people are not scared to stand up for themselves so he hung the sign to "let the homosexual people understand that there are Christian people that are willing to take a stand." He said he wasn't worried about business suffering and had no intentions of taking the write down.
But the very next day, he backpedaled, replacing the original sign with this watered-down version: "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone who would violate our rights of freedom of speech and freedom of religion." Amyx said he'd been encouraged by friends to "make it a little nicer because I'm a very blunt person."
I object to this adjust in signage. It obscures the message, which now sounds like it applies only to communist dictators. As a strong supporter of freedom of speech and freedom of religion, I never would own thought that sign