As gay marriage extremists roam the country looking for pro-traditional-family Christian businesses to shake down in test cases designed to enforce absolute obeisance, it’s hard to miss the realization; there’s no possible way to fight them head-on. There’s not enough money to fight every test case, even if one could win.
But a Catholic clergyman, Father John Zuhlendorf, outlines a mode of passive resistance that is both ingenious and simple:
“Tell them that [providing] food and services will be just fine. And then inform them that all of the money that they pay for the services will be donated to a traditional pro-family lobby.”
“If it is something like catering, where your employees have to be there to provide services, tell them that all your people will smile, be professional, and everyone of them will be wearing crucifixes and have the Holy Family embroidered on their uniforms,” says Fr. Z.
“Then show them pictures of your uniforms,” he writes. “When the truck pulls up, speakers will be playing Immaculate Mary. Show them the truck and play the music.”
For Protestants, perhaps “Onward Christian Soldiers”. For traditional Presbyterians, perhaps William Wallace yelling “you can take my money, but you can’t take my freedom”.
I digress:
“Oh, you would be offended by that? I’m so sorry,” notes Fr. Z. “You approached us because we are Christians. Right? We are happy to provide services for you and we are grateful that you chose to come to our Christian catering business. We just want to be of help.”
I’m of a mind to volunteer to help any merchants who try this. Or contribute to a fund to match their donations.
the only way to deal with them effectively: say “yes” in a way that leaves them no choice but to say “no”
Put a signature cross on every piece of merchandise you sell and advertise it in your window. Oh, you don’t want a cross on your gay wedding cake? Sorry, we do it for EVERYONE.
I like it. One other thing–and this really for the musicians, DJs, and photographers out there–that would be helpful in all kinds of weddings is a written statement of what kind of music will and will not be played, and what kind of behavior will and will not be photographed–more or less a statement that if certain behavior is displayed, the photographer will document that and walk out with no refunds given.
This is too cute.
You are dealing with a totalitarian ideology. Resistance of any kind will not be tolerated, since it places limits upon the power of the state.
Sure, you can have your gay wedding cake. Sorry about the garlic that got accidentally spilled into the mix that we forgot to tell you about. Be sure to tell all your friends how delicious it is. Oh, no we don’t have a Yelp page. Sorry.
PM have you on your way to work been fighting your way through the anti-science (read dirt worshiping heathens) hoard led by Jason Momoa of late?
Kel, I know the person who is the force behind this and it is not Jason Momoa.
I can only say that this is an anti-democratic movement on the part of people who believe that a minority of citizens should be granted special privileges due to their race.
PM
race trumps science!
I agree Momoa falls into the pretty but dumb, useful idiot category.
What I gather from afar is that (community)organizer Lanakila Mangauil and (cultural practitioner?) Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu want to carve out about 10% of the TMT construction budget for themselves ( and of course their people)
Kel, You would not be entirely on the wrong track if you saw the protests as a struggle between the Hawaiian studies profs at Manoa and the astrophysics profs at Manoa.
Haleakala is a much more sacred mountain than Mauna Kea, and they do real military research on Haleakala, but Haleakala is under the control of the Feds while the summit of Mauna Kea is controlled by the state DLNR. Protesters have more influence on the state than they ever will with the Feds.
Years ago one of the chief protesters told me that she had finally gotten an appointment with someone high up at the dept. of the interior. This high-up person told her to come back when the Hawaiians were a federally recognized sovereign tribe (they aren’t).
Just FYI- One of the problems with making Hawaiians a federally recognized tribe & putting them under the BIA is that they’ve had special status within the state for over half a century. Since the Hawaiians have not had contiguous existence as a federally recognized sovereign tribe, everything is up in the air. Any attempt by Uncle Sam to determine who is and who is not a Hawaiian runs into road block. The state Department of Hawaiian Homelands requires 50% blood quanta of inhabitantss of the island chain before Captain Cook discovered the place in 1778. Other state agencies require less. Recent attempts at attaining sovereign status have required only one ancestor who was resident in Hawaii before 1778, called, without irony, the “one drop” rule. Do the math.
Still others insist that only the government of a sovereign Hawaiian nation can say who is and who is not Hawaiian, on whatever terms they choose.
Gambling is illegal here. There are no casinos, though the big resort companies keep trying to bring them in, and the state would love to set up a lottery. The land situation is very complicated, but it is easy to imagine a sovereign Hawaiian government — recognized by the State and the Feds, but with its constitution written by self-selected insiders — selling gambling leases and Hawaiian ‘citizenship’ to the highest bidder.
I won’t be retiring in Hawaii.
PM
ah intramural bloodletting, like hunting bear with dogs, good sport if you’re not the bear and don’t have a dog in the hunt.
I remember seeing some interesting lights in the night sky above Haleakala in ’92
Pingback: Another Approach | Shot in the Dark