Umm Right to do business with you you like .....

Freedom of Association ....... or not to associate or do business with ........

like not selling rainbow cupcakes if you do not wish to take someones money .....

Atheists to File Civil Rights Complaint After Florists Refuse to Deliver to Teen Behind Prayer Mural Ban



Wherever there’s a case in the U.S. involving atheist activism, the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) is bound to get involved. While it was the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that defended teen atheist Jessica Ahlquist in her successful quest to have a prayer mural removed from her Rhode Island public high school, the FFRF is also rushing to the young girl’s defense. Citing discrimination, the organization is filing a civil rights complaint after numerous florists refused to deliver flowers to the girl.

[follow link for video]

(Related: Victory Vid: Teen Atheist Behind Prayer Mural Ban Instructs Fellow Students How to Do the Same)

The FFRF reportedly tried to have a dozen roses delivered to Ahlquist with the message, ”Congratulations, and hang in there, with admiration from FFRF.” After being denied by three florists in the Cranston, Rhode Island, area, the group was eventually able to secure an order from a business located in Connecticut.

According to FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor, Twins Florist, one of the businesses that refused to deliver, violated the Civil Rights Act when the business discriminated based on Ahlquist’s atheism. Gaylor released the receipt order from the florist, which reads, “I will not deliver to this person.”

See the image of the receipt, below:

Atheists File Civil Rights Complaint Against Florist | Jessica Ahlquist & FFRF

“We have basic civil rights standards in our society. A business can‘t shun you because you’re an atheist,” the atheist leader said. “You do not have the right to refuse to do business with someone based on categories and that includes religion. It‘s as if they said ’I will not deliver to a black person.’”

The florists, though, disagree with Gaylor’s stance on the matter. Turnto10.com reports that Raymond Santilli of Flowers by Santilli, one of the companies the FFRF attempted to order from, explains that a foundation representative told him that the person delivering the flowers might need police protection. Additionally, he was apparently told that the person would potentially need identification to enter the home.

hmm somebody quoted this;

vg0va3
Posted on January 21, 2012 at 8:09am

Could this be Heart of Atlanta Motel circa 2012? Perhaps the FFRF wants to try to equate discrimination of atheist with that of blacks in the 1960′s?

“Heart of Atlanta Motel Inc. v. United States, 379 U.S. 241 (1964),[1] [2] was a landmark United States Supreme Court case holding that the U.S. Congress could use the Constitution’s Commerce Clause power to force private businesses to abide by the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”

[ItalianScallion (Premo)]

All they have to say is their GPS app told them it was an area with a high idiot concentration and was considered dangerous...

[bcp (Premo)]

Originally Posted by ItalianScallion

All they have to say is their GPS app told them it was an area with a high idiot concentration and was considered dangerous...

If there was a GPS app that avoided high idiot concentrated areas,,, would Maryland just disappear from the map?

[ItalianScallion (Premo)]

Originally Posted by bcp

If there was a GPS app that avoided high idiot concentrated areas,,, would Maryland just disappear from the map?

Half of the USA would...

both coasts ............. nothing left but farm county in the fly over states

[2ndAmendment]

Could this be Heart of Atlanta Motel circa 2012? Perhaps the FFRF wants to try to equate discrimination of atheist with that of blacks in the 1960′s?

“Heart of Atlanta Motel Inc. v. United States, 379 U.S. 241 (1964),[1] [2] was a landmark United States Supreme Court case holding that the U.S. Congress could use the Constitution’s Commerce Clause power to force private businesses to abide by the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”

Yet another instance of lawyers and judges that cannot read. The commerce clause grants no such power to Congress. We the people have been far too stupid in allowing this to happen over the years. I hope the genie can be but back in the bottle, but I fear the only way this gets fixed is by doing a ctl-alt-del on the United States.

Of course, being a Christian, I know that will not work either. The entire world economy will collapse leading to anarchy and then the rise of a one world government followed by Christ's return. Then and only then will this be fixed.

[GURPS (Premo)]

Atheists Sue R.I. Florist for Refusing to Deliver Flowers to Teen Atheist Behind Prayer Mural Ban


But the FFRF doesn’t agree with this assessment and the organization is taking to the courts to ensure that the Plowman hears atheists’ angst regarding the matter. As The Christian Post reports, the lawsuit it seeking “reasonable court costs and damages.” Additionally, the organization is advocating for an injunction that would prevent Plowman from similar acts of discrimination in the future.

“This is outright discrimination. It was ugly and it is a violation of the Civil Rights Act,” FFRF co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor told the Post this week. “This is very fundamental to civil liberties in this country. All we are asking for is the delivery of our flowers.”

In a separate interview, Plowman did not offer much information, but she did tell the outlet that her decision not to send the flowers had nothing to do with religion and that she had no idea who Ahlquist was at the time.

Is Plowman right to assume that she has the right, as a business owner, to decline service or is the FFRF’s discrimination case stronger? Let us know what you think in the comments section.