Indianapolis Bakery That Refused To Make Cake For Gay Couple Has Gone Out Of Business

[KamaAina]

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/03/01/indianapolis-bakery-that-refused-to-make-cake-for-gay-couple-has-gone-out-of-business/

Here’s a lesson for companies who may think discrimination is a valid business model: Bigotry doesn’t pay.

After an Indianapolis bakery refused to bake a cake for a gay couple, the establishment became a lightning rode for the controversy surrounding the right of businesses to discriminate against customers based on sexual orientation.

The 111 Cakery was owned by Randy McGath and his wife, Trish, both devote Baptists. Early last year, the pair refused to make a cake for a customer when they learned that it was going to be served at a gay wedding. According to McGath, they “just didn’t want to be party to a commitment ceremony” because it was “a commitment to sin.” Making matters more bizarre, however, was the fact that the 111 Cakery sat smackdab in the middle of a historically gay section of Indianapolis, with at least three gay bars just down the street....

It wasn’t to last. By the end of 2014, Trish McGath was “taking a break from working” because the business was “wearing her out” and just a few months later Randy announced that the shop was closing completely. The couple insists that they aren’t closing due to declining sales, although admit the conservative bump they had received had long worn off.

One, two, three, AWWWWWWW! I hope someone remembered to call them a

[randome]

1. Let's bake them a cake!

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Aspire to inspire.[/center][/font][hr]

[hobbit709]

2. Donna used to bake butt cakes for special people.

[Arugula Latte]

16. Here's one for them:

[KansDem]

20. Or this one...

[dixiegrrrrl]

27. Oh my, THAT puts the South's famous red velvet cake to shame.

Wonder if they would have baked one like that if a "straight" appearing couple wanted one?

[Cryptoad]

30. If I am sexual aroused by that cake am I gay?

[dixiegrrrrl]

34. Are you sure it was not the frosting?

[murielm99]

38. Reminds me of Cookie Monster singing:

"If me knew you were coming, me'd have baked a cake, baked a cake, baked a cake! How d'ye do? How d'ye do? How d'ye do!"

Now I have an ear worm. LOL.

[merrily]

57. Cookie Monster was my favorite Sesame Street resident. Him and the Count (RIP).

I expect he may become the Veggie Monster someday because of parent protests.

Not as far fetched as it might seem. My son loved carrot sticks, celery sticks, cucumber sticks green and red pepper strips, anything with a crunchy texture that could hold in one hand and munch on as he walked around the place.

[Journeyman]

3. Sorry to hear this. Plenty of valid reasons to go broke & lose a business. Bigotry & hatefulness ...

shouldn't be among them, especially for people who supposedly follow the teachings of the Nazarene.

May their fate prove a wakeup call for others set on the same path.

[Sherman A1]

13. Agreed

however, as the wise man once said to me... "most wounds are self-inflicted". I believe that is the case in this situation.


oh, well..... Me, thinks they did this one to themselves.

[Rex]

36. If your business plan is to be exclusive when it was not before and you lose profit

then you cannot expect others to be at fault. Supply and demand depends on customers. Your belief system doesn't.

I'm not sorry to hear this at all, there are people out there just struggling to get by and as many second and third shift jobs as they can find. These owners had made it and lost it all over their pride.

All this over simple hubris.

[BrotherIvan]

4. "The conservative bump they had received had long worn off"

This point cannot be made enough: there are a lot more non-fundies than fundies. We fight, we win.

[christx30]

39. "It takes all kinds", as the wise people say.

Turns out, it takes all kinds to stay in business. If you only cater to the fundies, you won't make enough. You'd better take business wherever you can get it, even the <gasp!> gays!

[progressoid]

5. The free market has spoken.

[nxylas]

43. The Libertarian/Paulbot wing of the GOP will probably feel vindicated

Their argument is that we don't need anti-discrimination laws because businesses that discriminate will suffer the consequences. I'd imagine they will use this case as ammunition.

[hifiguy]

6. Karma is, well, you know....

[MADem]

7. When will they ever learn? When will they eeeeeeeeeehhhhhhh-ver learn????

It wasn't "the gays" who put them out of business, either--it was the people who think their bigotry was unacceptable who did that.

Good enough for 'em.

You'd think, if they're such "devout" religious types, that they'd note that Jesus was 33 and SINGLE (according to the people who wrote that Good Book they lean on so heavily) when he died. Unless he was, as some suspect, married to that Magdalene hussy (that's a joke, people) and they wrote that bit out of the book, it's entirely possible that he, too, was gay. You didn't get away with staying single back in those days--you had to marry and have kids so they'd care for you in old age...that was "Social Security" back then. Where are all the parables where his mother -- who was alive and kicking when he died -- said "So Jesus, I was talking to the fig vendor down at the market, and he's got a swell daughter, I invited them over for supper and I want you to meet her...." "Awwww, maaaa, you're always trying to fix me up!" Or did they cut those bits out, too?

I shed no tears for the 111 Cakery--they sound like a bunch of zeroes to me!!!

[F4lconF16]

50. I officially love this post!

Where are all the parables where his mother -- who was alive and kicking when he died -- said "So Jesus, I was talking to the fig vendor down at the market, and he's got a swell daughter, I invited them over for supper and I want you to meet her...." "Awwww, maaaa, you're always trying to fix me up!" Or did they cut those bits out, too?

[calimary]

52. So do I! GREAT post!

Frankly, this is a good point. If Jesus did indeed come into our midst to be born as one of us, and eat, drink, sleep, learn, play, work, hang out, have friends, get tired, grow up, and BE human, then it only stands to reason that He had most if not all of the experiences that His friends and neighbors had. Seems to me that was the whole point, in the first place. So why wouldn't there have been moments like this?

[F4lconF16]

53. Oh yeah, it was written as a joke

But it's a very good question! The type of question I hope we all ask ourselves. He would be a much more interesting character/person for it, too, if you ask me. Humanity is never a bad thing.

[MADem]

55. It's a question that has often crossed my mind.

After all, the "Historical Jesus" is supposed to have been a regular guy with a good message, who brought people to his cause by the simple force of his ideas. He didn't walk around with a halo over his head, he was "of the people." If he was "of the people" he had to have a mother who told him to do his chores when he was a little kid ("Son of God, my ass--that doesn't give you a dispensation from making your bed, young man!!&quot or having his mother fret about when she was gonna get a few grandchildren. The people who try to create this image of Jesus as some guy with blue eyes and blonde hair (when in actual fact he probably looked more like Yassir Arafat) stumbling around Palestine and environs, are ignoring the very "Good Book" stories that they purport to commit to heartfelt memory.

Frankly, I like my version of the guy better--he was either married to that woman they liked to call a prostitute, or he was gay. He wasn't single and looking, though--all his peers had a wife or four...or perhaps were otherwise partnered. And he had a helluva personality, and people were drawn to him, because he always had a positive message, tended to think the best of people, and exhorted people to be better than their best selves. He wasn't a "Thou shalt NOT" type--he was more of a "Take care of the old, the poor, the little kids, the sick, the hungry, the homeless" and "Don't be an asshole" type of guy. Now that guy, what's not to like? The creature that is the invention of the far right bears no resemblance to the guy who said "Love one another." Those wingnuts should grab a clue!

[calimary]

68. I can't help but believe this is EXACTLY how it went, MADem.

Lifelong Catholic here. I cannot help but believe that this was the whole point. This was the whole point. He was born into our world the way every other baby was and is, from a mortal mother who had a swollen belly and labor pains. He probably pooped on her plenty. And peed, and puked, and snotted up her sleeves with His runny-nose juice. Then He grew old enough to walk and she probably had to chase Him around and keep His fingers out of the hot pot where she was making the stew for dinner, wipe his nose, fix the stuff He dropped and broke, washed His dirty clothes after He was out playing in the mud all day, keep Him from eating the dog's food, keep Him in hand when she took Him to market with her so He wouldn't wander off (which at least once, as we know from the Scriptures, He did do, and worried his parents almost to panic-mode). All that stuff. He presented plenty of skinned knees and bloody elbows and stubbed toes and maybe a black eye or two that she had to kiss and make better. He probably had favorite foods she tried to stock up on. He probably had pets.

I mean - WHAT WOULD ANY OTHER CHILD DO? THAT WAS THE WHOLE POINT! At least, seems to me that was the whole point. That He would come down into our midst, live as one of us, and BE one of us. So what happens to that "us" through life? All those things. And seems to me He would have CERTAINLY shared ALL of those very human, very ordinary, very every-day, very happens-to-everybody-at-one-time-or-another experiences. THAT WAS THE WHOLE POINT.

So it wouldn't surprise me if, like all the other boys, He was interested in girls, maybe eventually was sexually active. Or what if he was gay? I'm tempted to believe that Mary Magdalene was actually more like His girlfriend. There are so many gospels that didn't make it into the Big Book, that talk about her and Him-and-her, by fellow apostles who resented how close the two of them were and how they thought He showed favoritism toward her. It just wouldn't surprise me AT ALL.

When I saw Scorsese's movie "The Last Temptation of Christ", I was so moved by that! The bible-thumpers outside were yelling and screaming and whining and shouting and gnashing their teeth and rending their garments about sacrilege. And I did NOT understand why. That movie just made me love Jesus all the more - because it imagined "WHAT IF?" Indeed, What If Jesus decided crucifixion really was more than He could bear and so He accepted rescue from off the Cross, and was allowed to heal and go live His life. So He married Mary Magdalene and they built a home and a family together, and He lived the rest of His life as a loving husband and father. Seemed to me the point of that movie was - LOOK WHAT HE COULD HAVE HAD, AND WHAT HE GAVE UP, TO GO THROUGH ALL THAT AGONY FOR US, to save our souls? And truly it made me love Him and appreciate that HUGE sacrifice He made - all the more. It made His sacrifice ALL THE MORE powerful and significant. I did not understand why the yahoos (and Future Teabaggers of America out there) were vomiting and protesting and screaming and flipping out and acting up - all over everything. I just didn't understand what their problem was. Couldn't! They just didn't get it. That movie just underscored THE WHOLE POINT for me. I mumbled "thank you" to myself all the way home.

How could He understand the whole human condition so deeply and intimately if He were not to be born among us and live among us and know life as we mortals know it. How could He have the common touch unless He personally, actually, physically made His way among us? Just my opinion, but I've spent a lifetime thinking about this, ever since I first learned about Him in Catholic school. And this is what I keep coming up with, and back to.

[merrily]

58. Middle Eastern men traditionally did marry later in life and to much younger women.

I cannot say if that was the case 2000 years ago, but it was the case in modern times until maybe 50 years ago or so.

It was nothing for a 35-40 year old man to marry a fifteen or sixteen year old. A 19 year old female could be considered over the hill and probably doomed to live in the home of a married sister as a semi-servant after her father died.

Joseph is typically portrayed by artists as much older than Mary, though, in that case, he is thought to have married an already pregnant woman as an act of kindness. So, maybe he was traditional marrying age, even a widower.

But, as you know, the official story is that Jesus was celibate and therefore free from original sin--the sin of Adam and Eve that gets transmitted to us all, like some STD, because we are born of fornication. "In Adam's fall, we sinneth all."

To be sure that Jesus was absolutely free of original sin, Mary had to have been conceived without sex as well. Many assume that The Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrates the immaculate conception of Jesus, but it celebrates hers.

Amazing how much men enjoyed sex then and how much they declared it undesirable then.

Hard for me to imagine the minds that came up with all this.

[MADem]

59. Not according to this emeritus religion professor--marrying age was 14 for young Jewish lads.

http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2012/10/02/whats-so-scary-about-jesus-being-married/

Veracity of the fragment aside, this wasn’t news to those of us who think about sexuality and the church. More than forty years ago, William E. Phipps wrote a book entitled The Sexuality of Jesus, in which he postulated that Jesus would have been betrothed by his parents during his teen years as was the custom for Jewish men based on the mores of the time. With an average age of marriage of 14, Phipps argued, Jesus was in all probability married. By the time we meet Jesus again at age thirty, when the Gospel story introduces him as an adult, he was likely a widower. (Women on average died in the first century at the age of 25, most often in childbirth.)

The Jesus of the Gospels enjoys weddings, drinks wine, spends time with women in their houses, ministers to prostitutes, and refuses to censure a woman caught in adultery or a woman with a history of many partners. He allows a woman to bathe his feet at a dinner party and he invites women into his ministry. He is surely a charismatic man, and it is not difficult to imagine that people fell in love with him. There is no way to know for sure if the historical Jesus was married or had sex, but surely we know he was a sexual person.

[merrily]

60. Doesn't contradict what I said. As you know, I said I could only speak to more modern times.

I specified that I did not know what the case was 2000 years ago.

But, thanks for the info.

[LanternWaste]

69. What objective sources are you using for your premise?

What objective sources are you using for your premise? The classical, ancient, post-classical and modern histories I've read of the East, the Near East and the Med, point towards much younger marrying ages that you posit.

(Peter Mansfield's 'A History of the Middle East',
'A History of the Modern Middle East' by William Cleveland
& 'The Old Social Classes & The Revolutionary Movement In Iraq' by Hanna Batatu)

[rjsquirrel]

61. Right?

The whole thing reads like a fairy tale because that's what it mostly is.

Yeah there was probably a minor figure who caused a bit of ruckus named Jesus. He was probably one of many "prophets" of the era who made his living pitching stories of salvation to sick and hungry people. Maybe he was super nice too. Or had some good luck with random coincidences people interpreted as miracles, as they still do today.

But born of a virgin, rose from the dead, the singular savior of mankind and messenger and son of the one and only gawd almighty and the best he can do is show up in the Levant for 30 years 2000 years ago and slightly modify the local faith doctrines?

Cut me a break. It's a historical accident we worship this mythological figure rather than Ibn Al Jabra or whomever.

And by "we" I don't include myself.

[merrily]

62. Cinderella has lasted a long time, too. Both stories gave hope to people who did not have much hope

Hope sells to people who are unhappy and see no realistic chance of improvement on its way.

It was also a way of coping with death, both one's own and that of loved ones.

I am not surprised it's lasted.

It's unfortunate and puzzling, though, that sex, even between married couples, was made collateral damage.

[TheCowsCameHome]

8. Well, there's always Memories Pizza to fill your order

oh, wait, better check first.........

[DMay]

25. give them a call

[phone]

[Agschmid]

31. Seems busy...

[ismnotwasm]

9. Good. Nt

[davepc]

10. A triumph of the free market.

Funny how that works.

[Calista241]

11. This is most likely to protect themselves from being sued.

Still, I dont feel that bad about it.

[tammywammy]

12. Has anyone heard about the bakery that was getting sued for not doing an anti-gay cake?

I can't remember where the bakery is at. The story was someone wanted a hateful cake, they said they wouldn't write hateful things but would bake a cake and sell them the frosting needed to decorate it themselves. And the guy was going to sue them for discrimination.

Does anyone know if anything else has happened with that?

(Since the bakery offered to sell him the items needed, and was still baking them a cake it is clearly not a discrimination case)

[Brother Buzz]

17. Denver bakery

I don't know the present disposition, but it sounds like the asshole customer lifted a page out of James O'Keefe's demented playbook.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/USA-Update/2015/0122/Denver-baker-sued-for-refusing-to-write-anti-gay-slogans-on-cake

[tammywammy]

18. Oh yeah, it's total bullshit. n/t

[starroute]

32. Going by their Facebook page, it looks like they're doing just fine

No word on the court case yet, but they're getting excellent reviews and lots of support. (Scroll down a bit and see the left sidebar.) Integrity works.

https://www.facebook.com/AzucarBakery

[Brother Buzz]

40. No doubt about it, they're good people

Still, in my perfect world a judge would toss the case and go after the plaintiff for court costs....and more.

[Brother Buzz]

70. Colorado Finds In Favor Of Bakery That Wouldn't Decorate Anti-Gay Cake

Huzzah!

Colorado Finds In Favor Of Bakery That Wouldn't Decorate Anti-Gay Cake

April 6, 2015

The Colorado Civil Rights Division on Friday ruled that the Denver bakery that refused to decorate cake with anti-gay slurs did not discriminate against the customer's religion, according to the Associated Press.

Colorado resident Bill Jack filed a discrimination complaint in January against Azucar Bakery after the owner, Marjorie Silva (pictured above), refused to write anti-gay messages, such as "God hates gays," on a cake. She offered to bake Jack a cake with a Bible on it and provide the materials for him to write the phrases himself, but would not write the messages herself.

In his complaint, Jack claimed Silva discriminated against him "based on my creed."

Colorado Civil Rights Division argued in its Friday ruling that Silva did not discriminate against Jack because she offered to bake the cake, and only refused to write the messages by which she was offended.

Jack is the founder of the Worldview Academy, a camp that teaches "Christians to think and live in accord with a biblical worldview."

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/colorady-bakery-did-not-discriminate-anti-gay

[tammywammy]

71. Awesome! Thanks for the update! n/t

[Pacifist Patriot]

14. I'm guessing Memories Pizzaria will be next. Have you seen their Facebook page?

It's a scream. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Memories-Pizza/289745361236608?fref=ts

[KamaAina]

15. Thanks for the Memories

[dixiegrrrrl]

33. "Content unavailable" says Facebook. n/t

[SomethingFishy]

35. The page is down...

LMAO...
Morons.

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

41. Facebook: "This content is currently unavailable..." Either getting slammed or taken down. n/t

[n2doc]

67. They are grifting just fine

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026449976

[Martin Eden]

19. Bigoted people are misled by those they trust ...

... their parents and their pastor. Their bigotry is the product of ignorance and the culture in which they were raised.

If their refusal to bake a cake for a gay customer cost them their business, I do not applaud that result. A better outcome would have been for the McGaths to learn from this episode and gain a better understanding of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

[libdem4life]

47. I think, perhaps, they did. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Also, many exceed the cultural intelligence of their parents. For me, a liberal arts college did the trick.

[Martin Eden]

48. If I understand you correctly, they learned a lesson the hard way

But did they learn anything beyond do unto others?

Some people are exposed to a diversity of experiences that helps them overcome the bigotry of their upbringing, and some are extraordinary enough to overcome without any help.

But many are not.

Narrow minded teaparty types have been manipulated into voting against their own interests, and are among the victims of the ruling oligarchy.

[libdem4life]

49. Don't know whether they learned anything or not, but The Golden Rule is the basis of Christianity.

Another one is "Judge not lest ye be judged". They judged gays, and the publicity/market judged them...seems to me. It's sad to lose a business. Perhaps that one was not wasted on them.

[workinclasszero]

21. The invisible hand of the market has spoken

Isn't that what all these Randian rethugluians worship?

Well looks like your god/market has found you obsolete haters!

[Jack Rabbit]

22. God has given a sign to homophobic bigots

Repent!

[bvf]

23. Is there no end

to this heinous persecution of christians??

[brooklynite]

24. Given the number of of divorces the devout appear to engage in...

I'd think there'd be enough remarriages to keep them in business.

[turbinetree]

26. Don't let the

proverbial door hit you in your proverbial butt----
I think they deserve






get it

[City Lights]

28. I have no pity for them. nt

[AtomicKitten]

29. Instant karma's gonna get ya, gonna knock you right in the head.

[Lex]

37. Turning away paying customers who have caused you no harm

turns out to be a poor business model evidently.

[ProfessorGAC]

65. Yes, How Could Anybody Have Thought Of That In Advance?

Wait; anybody could have thought of that in advance. Idiots. It's a cake shop, not a vital industry. Act like fools toward the customers and end up fools with no business.

[Chakaconcarne]

42. Seen it in Oregon as well...

Good Riddance fuckheads.

[SoCalDem]

44. CAKES ARE NOT GAY OR STRAIGHT.. they are just cakes

if someone wants to give you money to bake a cake, you should just bake the cake and take the money

Perhaps their next bakery could be named Darwin Cakes.

[CincyDem]

46. Just bake the f'ing cake...

...if someone wants to put a plastic boy and girl on top, good for them. A plastic boy and boy? Good for them too. Girl and girl - what the heck, it's all the same cake.

Golden Retriever and Siamese Cat...who the hell cares? Just sell the damn cake.

God these people waste so much of their lives trying to control the lives of others.

Move on.

[lpbk2713]

45. It was silly of them to expect RWers to back them up.

They obviously have no idea what to expect from conservatives. Talk
is cheap but when it comes down to action RWers are bankrupt.

[merrily]

63. I hope it's a sign that there are more people who are sane when it comes to homophobia, than there

are people who are insane about it. And that is encouraging.

Just heard on TV this am that Boston actually had someone in Indiana on official business when this hit the fan and called him back before his task was complete, much like nations call back their ambassadors when something really heinous happens. Gotta love Boston sometimes.

[ND-Dem]

51. nice article but jeez, could somebody pay a proofreader?

became a lightning rode

both devote Baptists

aren’t closing due to declining sales, although admit the conservative bump they had received had long worn off.


a major error per paragraph = the new normal

[Cha]

54. Can't be too many OPs on this.. Mahalo KamaAina

[merrily]

56. They may operate under a new name, like many RW companies whose stench has hit the public mind.

[IronLionZion]

64. There's a space open for an enterprising gay-friendly baker

"the 111 Cakery sat smackdab in the middle of a historically gay section of Indianapolis, with at least three gay bars just down the street"


So they don't like their local neighborhood customers and were hoping for conservative people to come to a gay neighborhood to buy their cakes? The gay couple probably just saw a cakery in their neighborhood and wanted a cake and didn't expect this to be an issue. Bizarre

In most liberal states that legalized marriage equality, we saw a noticeable boost to the local economy because of pent up demand for wedding-related expenses that couples had been saving up for.

[n2doc]

66. They blew it, should have started a GoFundMe account

And raked in the bucks from the idiosphere..
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026449976