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a pizza shop in Chattanooga, TennesseeSaid that not providing catering services for same-sex weddings was a choice of “personal conviction” after critics criticized the policy.
Wood-fired pizza restaurant Pizzeria Cortile posted a statement its facebook account It confirmed its policy on Tuesday after a left-leaning media company first drew attention to it a day earlier.
“Recently we made the difficult decision not to hold a wedding Our personal beliefs,” Pizzeria Cortille wrote. “This belief comes from a place of personal conviction, which we know not everyone shares, and it is one we hold without judgment toward others. This decision was not intended to harm or hurt anyone and we are sorry for the pain it has caused to those who have been a part of our community.
“We recognize and listen to the response of every person we contact today. We hope that over time we can have the opportunity to extend grace and listen to each other, and to remember that even though we Even if we don’t agree, we can still treat each other with dignity and love.”
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A wood-fired pizza shop in Tennessee has faced criticism after it revealed it would not officiate gay weddings. (Getty Images/Fox News)
The statement thanked the community and asked to “continue to show you love when you come through our doors.”
Pizzeria Cortille restricted comments under that specific post. However, its Facebook page was flooded with hundreds of negative comments criticizing the decision under other unrelated posts.
An earlier post on Sunday containing pictures of one of its dishes received more than 1,500 comments in the last 24 hours reacting to the controversy.
“There are no two fair sides here. No one asked you to be gay or promote any kind of messageHe asked for pizza. And the fundamentalists refused. This is the whole story. It’s not any deeper. This is black and white discrimination,” read one Facebook comment with more than 200 likes.
A small business in Chattanooga, Tennessee was attacked online because it refused to provide catering services for same-sex weddings. (Getty Images)
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“Will you start asking your patrons about their sexual orientation as soon as they enter the vicinity?” Another top post was mocked. “Being bisexual, am I welcome?… You can go ahead and put it on your website that you don’t even cater to gays.”
Another top comment suggested someone alert the IRS to audit the business.
Online commentators also criticized the owners as “bigots” and wished that the news would harm their business.
One commentator defended the business, quoting Supreme Court precedent,
“The Supreme Court has ruled on this, and it’s not actually discrimination. You’re free to make your own choices, but they’re also free. Who are you to force someone else to share your beliefs?” Do it but then expect them not to do it,” the comment read.
People walk past the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC on November 13, 2023. ((Photo by Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)/Getty Images)
The flood of negative attention appears to have been driven by posts on Reddit and readers of the progressive news website The Chattanooga Holler, which first drew attention to the company’s policy on Monday.
“Inbox: Apparently, Pizzeria Cortile will not cater gay weddings. Just don’t let people waste your time (or money),” Chattanooga Holler posted on its social media account along with a screenshot response from the pizzeria.
“All I hear is ‘By the grace of God we’re allowed to be homophobic,'” one person joked under Haller’s Facebook post.
Another person said, “Calling bigotry a ‘personal conviction’ is a huge turn off.”
A social media post titled, “Big L for Pizzeria Cortile,” on Chattanooga Reddit also had more than 900 comments Monday, the majority of which appeared to be bashing the business.
Pizzeria Cortille did not respond to a request for comment.
