First Kim Davis issued a marriage license to a trans man, and now this:
For some background: Robin Trevino and his husband were recently in Indiana for an Indiana-themed show that his comedy troupe was performing. While the couple had their wedding ceremony in 2008 (before same-sex marriage was legal in their home state of Illinois) and got their marriage license in Iowa some time after, they had yet to celebrate their marriage as an officially-married couple. This being the case, they decided to renew their vows.
In Indiana. With pizza. From the most famously anti-gay pizzeria in America.
Crystal O’Connor of Memories Pizza, screenshot via YouTube
You’ll remember that the owners of Memories Pizza maintained that they had no problem serving pizza to gay people, so long as that pizza wasn’t used in conjunction with a gay wedding. Because sales imply endorsement, apparently.
While buying the pizza for a vow renewal was a bit of a stunt, especially since they didn’t tell Memories Pizza how the pizza was going to be used, that’s the point. Memories Pizza is in the business of selling pizza. That’s it. As a place of public accommodation, they don’t get to ask how that pizza is going to be used once it leaves their store. They can’t reserve the right to refuse service to someone just because gay stuff might be involved.
After all, what do you think would have happened if Trevino had told the woman behind the counter that the pizza he had just ordered was going to be used at his gay vow renewal? Do you think she would have handed his money back? Told him to leave?
I’m not sure. Charitably, I’d like to think that when the folks at Memories Pizza said they wouldn’t cater a gay wedding, they meant that they wouldn’t attend the wedding and serve the pizza. But they could easily have meant simply making a pizza for carryout that they knew would be eaten at a gay vow renewal.
But now that they’ve done it once — now that they’ve popped their gay wedding cherry, as it were — why not do it again?
Forget about catering…In the last few hours, the proprietor of Memories, said clearly, if she knew the take out pizza was going to be eaten at a gay wedding, she would have denied service to the person ordering the pizza, and would have asked him to leave her store…..you don’t think this is the definition of pure hatred?
Except all the “comedian” did was illustrate the pizzeria owners’ point. He didn’t tell them the pizzas were for a gay wedding/vow renewal. He just went in and ordered pizza, and was treated like any other customer. The pizzeria didn’t do any “catering” whatsoever.
Was the damn pizza any good?
Looks like that Memories Pizza lady needs to get laid.
Regardless of making a statement, why would they give this outfit money?
Who has pizza at their vow renewal? So, trashy.
I’ll add a layer of cynicism to this. The couple who enjoyed the pizza are in a comedy troupe. I’ve never heard of them. Good way to get themselves “on the map”, eh?
I doubt they ever did more than drop pizzas off. Not that putting slices on paper plates at a party is the same as endorsing anything.
My feelings on this are mixed. Yes, the gay couple had their little stunt…but the result was the bigoted owners of Memories Pizza made money and gave them more publicity.
Strikes me as a “Win…lose-lose-lose” outcome.
Money talks, bulls&5t walks. And, they’ll do it again…for the almighty dollar.
Burp!
Love it!