Printer Refuses Service to New Seattle Gay Bar

[Newsjock]

Source: The Stranger

Citing the owner's moral objections, a local print shop is refusing to print flyers advertising the debut of a Capitol Hill bar on the grounds that it caters to a gay clientele.

Last Monday, Mike Reis and his partner, Mark Hurst, placed a 2,500-flier order with Kent-based company Access Printed Media, which advertises "business and promotional printing you can rely on." The flyers would announce the grand opening of Diesel, a new bear bar slated to open later this summer on 14th Avenue. The couple planned on handing out the flyers—which depict the silhouette of a man leaning against a '50s-style gas pump—during Gay Pride weekend. "We chose Access Printed Media because we wanted to support another local business and we knew a woman who worked there," says Reis.

But on Tuesday, they received an email from the printer. "I have some bad news. :/," wrote Sarah Wheeler, an employee with Access Printed Media. "Not that we're against homosexuals at all, but because knowing that our printed products will be advertising and promoting the kind of lifestyle that goes against our morals is something that (the owner) can't bring himself to do... :/"

... But the ACLU of WA says the printer can't legally turn down the job. "The print shop's refusal to provide services violated state law," states ACLU spokesman Doug Honig. "The Washington Law Against Discrimination... bars discrimination based on sexual orientation and require(s) businesses open to the general public to serve all customers equally. The bar owner can file a complaint with the WA Human Rights Commission. The ACLU would be glad to hear from the bar owner and provide assistance if he wishes to pursue the matter."

Read more: http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2011/06/20/local-printer-refuses-service-for-new-capitol-hill-gay-bar

[tridim]

1. It's Ron Paul's Utopian dream.

And our nightmare.

[ergot]

2. There are many DUers who support the right of "private business" owners to refuse service

to people who are exercising their 2nd Amendment rights.

[The Doctor.]

19. Are there?

DUers who agree with this particular business owner?

I've been here a little while, and I haven't seen any legitimate DUers who would. Do you have examples?

[Tesha]

20. And happily, gun toters are not yet a "protected class" 'though I'm sure the NRA is working on that

as we speak.

Tesha

[redwitch]

3. I would take my business elsewhere.

And I am sure other gay owned businesses will too. They should be encouraged to do that. The bus boycott in Montgomery during phase I of the civil rights movement hurt businesses big time. Money talks...

[xchrom]

10. Is that what the lunch counter protestors should have done? Nt

[redwitch]

14. No, of course not. Good point.

That was a powerful protest too. But the Montgomery bus boycott was also extremely effective. The print shop owners seem to think that gay people "choose" a lifestyle and they don't want to encourage it. (makes me want to slam my head against the wall repeatedly). I was just thinking that by not spending hard earned dollars with them the hatred they "choose" will not be encouraged. Especially if other GLBT businesses say they will no longer spend with them. I am certain they currently have gay customers and don't know it.

Edited to add that I wouldn't take my business to them either and many other straight people would do the same. I would most definitely let them know why I wasn't using their print service.

[xchrom]

21. In either the lunch counter cases OR the bus service -

You have to make them serve the persons targeted.

[redwitch]

22. The point of the bus boycott

was to show that Americans being discriminated against had the power of their purses. In any case, whatever works to stop the discrimination. I find the attitude of the print shop owners to be reprehensible. So will lots of Seattle residents.

[LiberalAndProud]

4. "Not that we're against homosexuals at all"

but

[Kerrytravelers]

8. It's ok. Some of their best friends are gay.

:eyes:

[Orrex]

5. In other words:

"We have nothing against gays. We simply don't like them."


I hope that the ACLU gets some traction with this. If not, I'm sure that we could all chip in to get those 2500 fliers produced and shipped by a non-bigoted printer, right?

[Curmudgeoness]

6. Although I find this repulsive, and it most likely is illegal,

I would be glad to know that this printer was homophobic. That way, I know that I would never want to do business with them. They did everyone a favor.

[marmar]

7. ""Not that we're against homosexuals at all"

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

[TriMera]

9. It just so happens that I live in Kent.

I will be spreading the word. They are already getting trashed on sites like MerchantCircle, so it's just a matter of time.

[LiberalAndProud]

11. Good.

I hope this bites them hard.

[TriMera]

13. Oh, it will. I'm also going to talk to one of the Merchants'

Associations here in town. Most folks here don't like bigots.

[sendero]

12. While the legal route..

.. is an option, the real damage will come from businesses that stop using these guys because they are stupid assholes.

Cut 20% of their volume and they will fold.

[bbernardini]

15. Looks like their website is down.

Whether they're in hiding, or it's a DOS attack, I don't know.

[bluestate10]

16. There are other printers in Seattle. The bar owners should take

the print business to one of those shops, publicize why they did so and the name of the anti gay print shop owner and have other businesses that abhor discrimination boycott the anti gay printer out of business.

[Journeyman]

17. My guess is, Sarah Wheeler wanted her employer to catch flack for their decision. . .

There are plenty of reasons you could give for being unable to do a job -- "I'm sorry, but when we took the job, I had no idea how swamped we are with work. There's just no way we could get your job finished by your deadline. Let me give you another printer's contact info. I've already talked with him and he can get you on press right away."-- but when you lead with "Not that we're against you or anything…" you're guaranteed to catch hell for anything else you say the rest of that conversation.

I can remember only turning away one client in all the year's I've worked in graphics. Some neo-Nazis wanted us to print their book catalog. The job was accepted without my knowledge. I found out the next morning, as I made the rounds through prepress and saw the titles in the catalog. The whole thing was bundled up and rejected within moments. We made no excuses with them. Just called and told 'em to get it out of our shop immediately.

[Initech]

18. Hey - if I'm buying your product, you don't get to preach to me.

Seriously, I'm tired of these self-righteous businesses who feel the need to preach to their customers, they are all over where I live (Orange County, California - home of asshole Rick Warren) and if I see that, I will not frequent that business. :grr:

[sweetnss]

23. Printing for Diesel

I work for a Tukwila based printer and would be happy to assist Diesel's owner in getting his printing and promo needs taken care off. Please contact me via email and I will guarantee you the service a paying customer deserves.