by RANDY DESOTO
The owners of “Memories Pizza” in rural Walkerton, Indiana, are having the last laugh after being targeted for their stand for religious liberty. Over 7000 people have contributed a total of over $200,000 to a fund set up only a day ago to help Crystal and Kevin O’Connor after the pizza shop owners had to close their restaurant’s doors due to harassment–including death threats.
The O’Connors probably did not see in advance the firestorm that would be created when they responded to a local news reporter’s questions about Indiana’s new Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFFA). ABC57 reporter Alyssa Marino asked Crystal whether their pizza shop, hypothetically, would cater a gay wedding. She said, “If a gay couple came in and wanted us to provide pizzas for their wedding, we would have to say no.”
O’Connor went on to explain, “We’re not discriminating against anyone, that’s just our belief and anyone has the right to believe in anything.” The owners added that if a gay couple came into their restaurant, they would never deny them service; but as Christians, they would not want to participate in a gay wedding.
Crystal’s father, Kevin, told the reporter, “That lifestyle is something they choose. I choose to be heterosexual. They choose to be homosexual. Why should I be beat over the head to go along with something they choose?”
As to whether she supported the RFRA law, Crystal said, “I do not think it’s targeting gays. I don’t think it’s discrimination. It’s supposed to help people that have a religious belief.”
The O’Connors seek to honor God in their business and have Christian mementos throughout, including Bible verses.
The reaction against the O’Connors for voicing their Christian beliefs was so vitriolic, they were forced to close their restaurant doors earlier this week. Harassment techniques included flooding the business with phone calls (threats, false orders among them), and writing hate-filled messages on the restaurant’s Facebook page and thousands of negative reviews (some with lewd pictures) on Yelp.
Crystal told radio talk show host Dana Loesch that the media has been parked outside of the restaurant; and due to threats the restaurant has received, she was not sure when or if they will re-open. Crystal was also suspended from another job, due to the controversy. She added that the family is more-or-less in hiding.
The Daily Caller reports that Lawrence Billy Jones III, an investigative reporter for Loesch, set up a GoFundMe account “to relieve the financial loss endured by the proprietors’ stand for faith.”
The owners of “Memories Pizza” in rural Walkerton, Indiana, are having the last laugh after being targeted for their stand for religious liberty. Over 7000 people have contributed a total of over $200,000 to a fund set up only a day ago to help Crystal and Kevin O’Connor after the pizza shop owners had to close their restaurant’s doors due to harassment–including death threats.
O’Connor went on to explain, “We’re not discriminating against anyone, that’s just our belief and anyone has the right to believe in anything.” The owners added that if a gay couple came into their restaurant, they would never deny them service; but as Christians, they would not want to participate in a gay wedding.
Crystal’s father, Kevin, told the reporter, “That lifestyle is something they choose. I choose to be heterosexual. They choose to be homosexual. Why should I be beat over the head to go along with something they choose?”
As to whether she supported the RFRA law, Crystal said, “I do not think it’s targeting gays. I don’t think it’s discrimination. It’s supposed to help people that have a religious belief.”
The O’Connors seek to honor God in their business and have Christian mementos throughout, including Bible verses.
The reaction against the O’Connors for voicing their Christian beliefs was so vitriolic, they were forced to close their restaurant doors earlier this week. Harassment techniques included flooding the business with phone calls (threats, false orders among them), and writing hate-filled messages on the restaurant’s Facebook page and thousands of negative reviews (some with lewd pictures) on Yelp.
Crystal told radio talk show host Dana Loesch that the media has been parked outside of the restaurant; and due to threats the restaurant has received, she was not sure when or if they will re-open. Crystal was also suspended from another job, due to the controversy. She added that the family is more-or-less in hiding.
The Daily Caller reports that Lawrence Billy Jones III, an investigative reporter for Loesch, set up a GoFundMe account “to relieve the financial loss endured by the proprietors’ stand for faith.”
Jones set up the page Wednesday with an initial fundraising goal of $45,000 and urged followers to make liberals “really mad” by raising $50,000 by midnight. Within three hours, donors forked over $30,000 and the contributions continue.
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