Washington state poised to legalize gay marriage; pastor calls for Starbucks boycott
Will Washington state become the seventh American state to permit gay and lesbian nuptials?
We'll have to wait and see. But the Pacific Northwest state, which is home to the Georgia Straight's Savage Love columnist Dan Savage (who recently freaked out at Prime Minister Stephen Harper for Canada not recognizing his same-sex marriage), is one step closer.
The Washington state Senate passed legislation to legalize same-sex marriage with a 28-21 vote in favour of the measure on Wednesday (Feburary 1), according to reports.
The measure will head to the House of Representatives. Governor Chris Gregoire has said she would support and sign the bill. However, it could still be challenged by a referendum.
Opponents would need to collect 120,577 signatures of registered voters by July 6.
Six U.S. states recognize same-sex marriage: New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Iowa, and Vermont, as well as the District of Columbia. Moves are also underway to debate legalizing it in Maryland, New Jersey, and Maine.
But one opponent is taking aim at your daily dose of caffeine. (That's particularly for those of you south of the border who don't have Tim Hortons, Blenz, or Second Cup.)
One day prior to the passage of the bill, pastor Steven Andrew of USA Christian Ministries called for a boycott of Seattle-based Starbucks, which supports same-sex marriage in Washington. Starbucks is one of more than 100 companies that support gay marriage in Washington state, including Google, Microsoft, and Nike.
In an online post called "Christians Boycott Starbucks—Because Romans 1 Explains Starbucks Hates God", Andrew says “This boycott is important because God blesses those who obey Him and judges those who don’t obey Him (2 Chronicles 19:2).”
Andrew estimates Starbucks could lose 80 percent of its customers if Christians boycotted the coffee giant. (It also means Christians are narrowing down their shopping options since they can't patronize either Starbucks or JC Penney without going to hell.)
“Starbucks can follow Satan if they want to," he said in the post. "However, pastors are to help Christians. Are you on the Lord’s side? Will you help the USA be blessed by God?”
Its caffeine notwithstanding, could a cup of joe truly be that evil?
You can follow Craig Takeuchi on Twitter at twitter.com/cinecraig. You can also follow the Straight's LGBT coverage on Twitter at twitter.com/StraightLGBT.
Comments
10 Comments
Bradley
Feb 2, 2012 at 1:55pm
The rationalizations that bigots come up with to oppose gay marriage are funny, because all it really boils down to is "I hate gay people and think they're gross".
Arthur Vandelay
Feb 2, 2012 at 4:00pm
Good on all the companies that stood up for what's right. The rest of us should go out of our way to patronize these companies to make up for the loss of business that they will no doubt suffer from their less tolerant patrons.
Lee D.
Feb 2, 2012 at 4:44pm
Let him call for a boycott. Those of us who support gay marriage will just help Starbucks out by buying more. Take a look at what Susan G. Komen for a Cure just did. Shot themselves in the foot. I won't give money to them but I sure will support Planned Parenthood.
As for being Christian, the pastor says, "God blesses those who obey Him". The last time I checked the bible said, "Love thy neighbor, judge not lest you be judged, as you have done it unto the least of these you have done it unto me. I really don't think God is pleased with these "Christians".
Morty
Feb 2, 2012 at 6:32pm
He's quoting Romans? At least it's the New Testament—nothing against the Old Testament; it's just funny to see self-proclaimed "Christians" leaning on it rather than the New—but Saul-who-converted-to-become-Paul was the first of the born-again evangelicals. His letters to Rome are those of a crank and completely at odds with the live-and-let-live ideals espoused by the other apostles, ideals which can be taken, given those apostles' relative closeness to Jesus, to more accurately reflect his teachings.
The Bible's a heck of a book, but as a self-consistent guide to better living through strong morals it could use some work.
R U Kiddingme
Feb 3, 2012 at 9:29am
I haven't been going to Starbucks much -- tis fattening -- but this is as good an excuse as any!
RonS
Feb 3, 2012 at 10:10am
Well it's all a crock because there isn't a god. Get over it. It's a manufactured image designed to control people so they will shell out cash to support the elites. Ahhh, it's so nice to be an athiest! No guilt, no fear, no baggage.
R U Kiddingme
Feb 3, 2012 at 11:07am
No holidays...
John Walsh
Feb 4, 2012 at 9:20am
Hi !
For health and safety reasons regardless if it's legal or not:
Can I hate smoking without hating the addicted smoker?
Can I hate speeding in the streets without hating that need for speed addict?
Can I hate Inbreeding without hating the two consenting adults that love each other?
Can I hate homosexuality without hating the two consenting adults that love each other?
Can I hate non monogamous relationship, prostitution and so on.....
It may be a low risk to get cancer from second hand smoke,
run over, contract aids, hepatitis.....
But do I have the right to frown on anything that poses a risk and threat to society
or do I have to drink the powerful Gay agenda kool aid and put a flower in my hair and
chant like all these shallow pro gay people that "all is good and all is love"?
R U Kiddingme
Feb 4, 2012 at 10:49am
@John Walsh
Of course you have the right to think what you want, and to say what you want within such limitations as are necessarily to maintain peace, order and good government (e.g. publishing plans for working nuclear device, issuing speeches that incite genocide, etc).
So, frown away, John Walsh! Eschew flowers, scowl with annoyance and fear, and resist chanting all you want. Your right to irrational hate and fear is constitutionally protected.
M. Bizon
Feb 9, 2012 at 10:45pm
Pretty hilarious watching the so-called “enlightened” and “progressive” crowd rally to the support of an evil corporate giant like Starbucks! Such groupthink never ceases to amaze me.
Tune in next week folks for the hipster protest of the moment…