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Friday, April 14, 2023
Nashville florist refuses service to Republican event
The event has been scheduled for some time. In preparation for the event, event planners placed an order for flower with FLWR Shop in Belle Meade. The shop owners Alex Vaughan and Quinn Kiesow refused to provide service saying that while they "respect" the views of their conservative customers, the speakers featured at the RNC event go "beyond our comfort level."
"At this moment, I cannot ignore the work the RNC has done to create this tragedy and so many others like it," the FLWR Shop said referring to the March shooting at the Christian Covenant School. (1)
This is very similar to other cases where florist, bakers, or photographers refused to provide service for a gay wedding, or in one case where a person was having a trans transition celebration. Most people refusing service in these instances refused service on religious grounds.
In the state of Washington, florist Barronelle Stutzman was fined for refusing to make flower arrangements for a same-sex wedding because of her Christian beliefs. She appealed the fine to the Washington Supreme Court, but the Court refused to hear her case.
Probably, the most famous of these cases involved baker Jack Phillips of Colorado who refused to bake a wedding cake for a gay wedding. He was fined by the Colorado Civil Rights Commission. This case took years to finally resolve and cost many thousands of dollars before it was resolved. It was resolved in Phillips favor when the U. S. Supreme Court voted 7-2 that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission violated Phillips' rights under the First Amendment. (2) Like many Supreme Court rulings however, the decision was narrowly drawn and did not settle the issue of whether a business can invoke religious objections to refuse service to gay and lesbian people.
One has to wonder as did Jesse Williams who posted this on the FLWR Shop's Facebook page:
I wonder what side the florist was on with the baker's business when they didn't want to bake a cake for a gay wedding because it would go against their religion. Did they side with most Republicans when we said a business owner should be able to serve whomever they want, especially when it specifically goes against their religion or were they on board with most Dems to force the bakers to make the cake?
I am old enough to remember when there were principled arguments against open accommodation laws. Owners who did not want to serve Blacks often had signs in their businesses that said, "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone." They argued that as owner of the business they should have the right to serve or not serve whomever they wanted for whatever reason. Eventually this was mostly settled, and most people came to believe that if you are open for business, you must serve anyone. Of course, businesses can still have dress codes and refuse service to someone not properly attired. Cheaper prices for elderly people or making establishments adult-only may be legal, but an adult-only apartment building may violate fair housing laws.
I think the case of refusing service because of strongly held values is different than refusing service because of someone's race or other obvious prejudice. Of course, some may have a strongly held value that integration is wrong. It can get complicated. I generally don't feel one should be forced to violate one's conscience, however. I also think a non-religious person should have the same right to conscience as a religious person. The non-religious may have profound opinions of right or wrong just as strong as the religious person. Deciding when one may refuse service and when they may not is nuanced, however. As on many topics, there are many shades of gray and everything is not black and white.
Most of these type cases result in a business being fined for violating a policy or guideline based on a state law prohibiting discrimination or requiring open accommodation. I do not know the status of Tennessee's' law in this regard, so I don't know if the florist could be punished under State law. Whether they can be fined or not, what should happen if they can be?
Because liberals have generally sided with the aggrieved party when someone is denied services of a photographer, or baker or florist, part of me wants to say, "It is payback time; fine them!" However, my better angle says, "No, be consistent; allow them to refuse service."
What should Republican do about this denial of service? Go to the next florist on the list. This is not the only florist in town. I seldom order flowers, but if I was one who did and had been a customer of FLWR Shop of Belle Meade, I would take my business elsewhere.
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‘You hung us out to dry’: Leaked audio shows hot tempers inside GOP caucus after expulsion vote
by Vivian Jones, the Tennessean, April 14, 2023 - Tempers flared inside the House Republican caucus after a handful of members voted against the expulsion of Rep. Gloria Johnson last week, ... audio leaked from a House GOP caucus meeting on Monday — just days after Republicans voted to expel Reps. Justin Jones, D-Nashville and Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, but not Johnson, D-Knoxville — shattered the message of unity the House GOP has pushed as it seeks to move forward. (link)
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Thursday, April 13, 2023
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
On Demonizing those with a different point view.
by Rod Williams, April 11, 2023 - In the most recent issue of The Nashville Scene, Bill Freeman, local real estate mogul, major fund raiser for Democrat politicians, and owner of The Scene and a bunch of other local news outlets wrote an editorial on the recent tragic school shooting in Nashville. The main focus of his opinion piece was that guns are too easy to obtain, and we need more gun regulations.
While I would question some of his contentions, and while I support the Second Amendment, I would not have found Bill Freeman's article particularly offensive if he had not stooped to demagogic demonizing of people who disagree with him. Here are two examples from that editorial:
Sadly, many politicians, like U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, prioritize their relationships with the National Rifle Association over the right to life.
and,
As long as politicians prioritize their own careers over the safety of our children, we will continue to see these devastating tragedies.
These statements in essence say that Marsha Blackman and other politicians who do not see things the same way Bill Freeman does, do not have real convictions of supporting the Second Amendment, but base their support for the Second Amendment on campaign contributions. It says they value campaign contributions more than the lives of children. In my view, that is a despicable thing to say. We should be able to disagree and make our case without attacking one's character or implying those who are is disagreement with our position are simply evil.
I had my own, but much more personal, experience with this mindset myself very recently. A sibling on mine wrote on Facebook to another party this statement.
Actually, this is very misleading of my positions. I was a global warming skeptic when the issue first appeared on my radar. And, following the "bend the curve" scandal I briefly again was a skeptic. But for almost all of the past 25 years I have accepted the predominant scientific consensus. To me however, I do not think it is the issue that trumps all other issues and I see a lot of greenwashing and approaches to the issue that are irrational, non-productive and counterproductive.
As regards to Trump, I did not vote for Trump in 2016. However, I thought he made a pretty good president, despite thinking he is a bully and a jerk, and I voted for him in 2022. I strongly condemn his attempt to illegally hold on the power and keep Congress from certifying the election. Anyone who reads my blog knows I am a Trump critic.
Despite that my sibling misrepresented my positions, even if he had properly represented them, could he not think we are both honorable people with a difference of option rather than saying I am no better than a Nazi?
I know this mindset is not only a mindset of the left. Conservatives are often ready to call liberals "communist," or attribute their policy positions to evil intent. Could we not engage people with whom we disagree as simply wrong, or uninformed, or misguided rather than thinking they are evil?
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Vote to send Justin Jones back to the House is unanimous in Metro Council
by Rod Williams, April 11, 2023 - I am not surprised that the Council appointed Justin Jones to fill the vacancy created by his ouster. I am surprised that it was unanimous. I thought there would be about five votes against it.
Retuning Jones is more poking the bear. The State has already taken action to cut the size of the Council, reduce the revenue stream of the the Music City Center, take over the Airport, the regulation of beer in parts of Nashville, and take over the Sports Authority. I felt it was unwise for the State House to oust the two Junstins but I think it is unwise for the Council to appoint him to fill the vacancy.
Read more about the topic here, and here.
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Saturday, April 08, 2023
Dakota Galban (he, him, his), chair of the Davidson County Democratic Party says Jones was "simply speaking up on behalf of victims of gun violence."
The actions taken today by the Republican supermajority in the House of Representatives sets a dangerous precedent.
This afternoon, Representative Justin Jones was expelled for simply speaking up on behalf of victims of gun violence. In an instant, the voices of over 70,000 Davidson County residents were silenced on a single party-line vote with no due process.
Democracy in Tennessee must be defended. The Davidson County Democratic Party stands firmly behind Representative Jones and will do all that we can to aid in his re-election to House District 52.
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Ouster of Tennessee Dems catapults lawmakers to national fame and left-wing heroes.
by Rod Williams, April 8, 2023 - The ouster of Justin Jones and Justin Pearson for disrupting floor proceedings and leading a demonstration from the floor of the House chamber has made national news and has even been reported by some foreign press. The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, CNN, BBC, the UK's Daily Mail, Vogue, TV networks and hundreds of other news media have covered the story. Almost any news show, newspaper, news magazine or political blog one can think of has covered the story.
The ouster of the three has turned them into martyrs of the left as I feared would happen. (link) Now, they are likely to be reappointed by the legislative body of the county they represented. I fully expect the Metro Council to return Justin Jones. I am unsure if the State House can refuse to seat him if he is appointed to the vacant seat by the Metro Council. While I would have voted with my fellow Republican for ouster were I serving in the House, I am not sure that that was the best course of action. A simple admonition, and censor may have been the best course of action and then if such action occurred again, oust them.
Their behavior was certainly unacceptable, but strategically it might have been preferable to take less drastic action. I tend to think the three house members, while true-believer radicals, exploited a tragedy to make a point and to raise their stature in the progressive community and unfortunately, the House Republicans played right into their hands.
Below is a sampling of news reportage of the event.
National Review, April 6: Tennessee House Votes to Expel Two of Three Democrats Involved in Gun-Control Protest.
“What they did is they hijacked the House floor which has never been done in our history,” Sexton told National Review of the three lawmakers. “They pulled out a bullhorn. They weren’t recognized. They were ruled out of order and they led a protest from the House floor with a bullhorn to those in the balcony. They shut down the proceedings of the House. We had to go into recess due to their actions.”
“They disregarded the Sergeant at Arms asking them to leave the well at multiple occasions and they really didn’t stop yelling in their bullhorn until I had to clear out the balcony because of behavior that was caused blatantly by those three members,” continued Sexton. “Those actions that they did on the House floor deserve expulsion.”
USA Today, Opinion by EJ Montini, Arizona Republic: Anti-‘cancel culture’ Republicans in hiding after expulsion of Tennessee lawmakers.
Politico, April 7: Ouster of Tennessee Dems catapults lawmakers to national political fame. "By kicking out two Black lawmakers from the state legislature, Tennessee Republicans unwittingly made them national heroes of the left while handing Democrats a major fundraising and organizing opportunity."
NPR, April 7: Tennessee House votes to expel 2 of 3 Democratic members over gun protest
The Guardian, April 7: Two Democrats expelled from Tennessee house over gun control protest
Joe Biden and Barack Obama condemn expulsion of Justin Jones and Justin Pearson from Republican-controlled state house ...Joe Biden called the move “shocking, undemocratic and without precedent” in a statement. “Three kids and three officials gunned down in yet another mass shooting. And what are GOP officials focused on? Punishing lawmakers who joined thousands of peaceful protesters calling for action'”
Former president Barack Obama joined in the condemnation, tweeting: “This nation was built on peaceful protest. No elected official should lose their job simply for raising their voice – especially when they’re doing it on behalf of our children.”
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Councilman Freddie O'Connell says Rep. Justin Johnson, Rep. Justin Jones, and Rep. Gloria Johnson are, "house members who sought to elevate the urgency of the potential for state action."
by Rod Williams, April 8, 2023- Councilman Freddie O'Connell, a candidate for mayor, in his recent newsletter calls the disruptive actions of Rep. Justin Johnson, Rep. Justin Jones, and Rep. Gloria Johnson, "house members who sought to elevate the urgency of the potential for state action." Here it is in context:
This was Nashville's first mass shooting at a school. May we never have another.
What has been extraordinary for me to witness has been the response of young people and their parents demanding stronger protections from gun violence from the state legislature. For my part, I hope that the governor and General Assembly can produce a bipartisan red flag law before this session adjourns.What has been extraordinary for me to witness has been the response of young people and their parents demanding stronger protections from gun violence from the state legislature. For my part, I hope that the governor and General Assembly can produce a bipartisan red flag law before this session adjourns.
So far, the state's reaction has included seeking to expel three state house members who sought to elevate the urgency of the potential for state action.
Below is the video of the House member-led protest: Go to timestamp 47:17 and skip the ad to see the floor-led demonstration. Justin Jones used a bullhorn to lead protestors in chants of "no peace; no justice," "power to the people," and other chants. It seems he is doing his best to incite a riot.
A democratic legislative body cannot function if protestors interrupt the proceedings and do not allow the body to calmly deliberate. If every member of the body used the chamber to "elevate the urgency of the potential for state action," nothing would get accomplished. We must have rules of procedure in order to have democratic governance.
Even if you think the vote to oust the House members was strategically unwise or too punitive, to say the three did nothing wrong and were simply "house members who sought to elevate the urgency of the potential for state action," is a mind-blowing defense of anarchy.
One who has no more respect for the democratic process than O'Connell, certainly does not deserve to be elected mayor.
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Thursday, April 06, 2023
The state House expel three Democratic lawmakers over their actions interrupting a floor session and using a bullhorn to lead chants for gun control. Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, was expelled by a vote of 72 to 25 after 90 minutes of debate. Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, was not expelled after the resolution to oust her failed by one vote. Rep. Justin J. Pearson, D-Memphis, was expelled by a vote of 69 to 26.
by Rod Williams, April 6, 2023 - Above is the full debate on the House resolution to expel Rep. Justin Johnson, Rep. Justin Jones, and Rep. Gloria Johnson. Skip the ad and start at timestamp 28:25.
For the full Tennessean coverage of today's events with more video of action off the floor, including video and pictures follow this link.
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Where is Andy Ogles?
by Rod Williams, April 5, 2023- Ever since controversy erupted over Congressman Andy Ogles inability to account for funds he raised to develop children's burial garden Congressman Ogles has been keeping a low profile.
Ogles missed Columbia's Mule Day this year. With roots going back to 1840, Mule day is a really big event in Maury County. It draws upwards of 200,000 people from twenty states and has an economic impact estimated at about $3 million. It is a festival with parades and mule races, and arts and crafts, and beauty contest, and concerts. It is actually a multi-day event and took place this year March 27 thru April 2.
Columbia is the county seat of Maury County and Andy Ogles was mayor of Maury County from 2018 to 2022. Maury County is in Ogles 5th Congressional District. One would have expected Ogles to be there. Not only did Ogles skip Mule Day, but he also cancelled a recent speaking engagement with Mom's for Liberty.
The recent tragedy of the school shooting in Nashville has knocked almost everything else off the news recently, but Andy Ogles troubles are not going away. Keeping out of sight is not going to make the story of the missing funds for a memorial burial garden go away.
The sad story of missing funds raised to develop a memorial burial garden is not Ogles only problem. Ogles has been caught misrepresenting his credentials, his major in college, his employment resume and other questionable things. Some of this can be found here, here, and here.
Ogles needs to not hide but needs to address the issues. If he cannot, it may be time to resign.
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