An Anti-Gay Co. Grows in Houston

By Andrew Belonsky October 19, 2006 at 10:10am · 53 comments

We received an email from a few people last night detailing how a gay couple tried to get some work done at their house through a company called Garden Guy, Inc. based in Houston.

Here’s the reply they received:

From: Garden Guy Inc
Date: October 18, 2006 9:08:36 AM CDT
To: [xxxxxx]@houston.rr.com
Subject: Cancel Appt -Garden Guy

Dear Mr. [X],

I am appreciative of your time on the phone today and glad you
contacted us. I need to tell you that we cannot meet with you because we choose not to
work for homosexuals.

Best of luck in finding someone else to fill your landscaping needs.

All my best,

Sabrina

Todd and Sabrina Farber
Owners, Garden Guy, Inc.

visit us at: Garden Guy, Inc

Member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers

Creating beautiful landscaping for Houston homeowners since 1991!

Phone 281-208-4400
Fax 1+801-365-9353
email: [email protected]
email: [email protected]

“All my best”? Pretty cheery for a discriminatory sign-off, don’t you think.? Anyway, do what you will with this information. Whatever it is, make sure it’s creative.

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53 Comments

MayMay

Thanks for leaving the web address unredacted.
http://www.garden-guy.com/

Let’s make sure they know how nice we can be.

October 19, 2006 at 12:10pm
anonymoose

Based on the Bible quote from their website…do they also discriminate against single people, divorced people, people who just shack up together (hetero of course) and women who are bossy to their husbands and refuse to submit: â€œHusbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. … For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh… each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”
Ephesians 5:25-33

October 19, 2006 at 12:10pm
Donald

I just talked to Bethany at APLD.com. Turns out that this company is not even a current member of the APLD.com. So they are looking at cease and desist order through their lawyers to the company in question. As well, they are having a board meeting later this month to find out what to do with companies that do things like this. They do not have a policy in place to handle situations like this and she said they never imagined something like this would happen. They will be releasing a statement soon to address this situation.

October 19, 2006 at 12:10pm
Dan-X !

I just visited their web site and the link to their “forum” is broken, so I think we’re already causing them a bit of a headache. Also, on their “Learn About…” page they have another bible quote in addition to the following: “The God-ordained institution of marriage is under attack in courts across the nation, and your help is needed.
Go to: http://www.nogaymarriage.com to take action.”

October 19, 2006 at 1:10pm
DRH

So…now what?

Do we send them a bunch of angry emails and phonecalls, and call them names, and try to run them out of business? Should we let our passion get the best of us?

Think about it. What these people are doing is wrong, but they’re probably not bad people; they’re just misled by churches who tell them we’re evil. Do we want to give credence to that lie by behaving vengefully? Or do we want to do something far more shocking and teach these people the lesson they never learned about Christ’s true message: love your enemies?

It would feel great to yell at these people, but aside from that brief satisfaction, it doesn’t get anyone anywhere. If you’re going to contact them, go ahead. But send some love- isn’t there enough hate already?

October 19, 2006 at 1:10pm
Cecelia

Being hateful and spiteful in response only lends credence to their wrongheadedness and gives them the martyrdom they crave. Instead, pity them. They’ve not got the foggiest idea what God’s love is all about and that’s more the worst for them .

October 19, 2006 at 2:10pm
Charro

Sabrina and Todd,

You people are vile. I hope you get lots of bad publicity.

Sabrina may you get a yeast infection.

Cheers

October 19, 2006 at 2:10pm
Joe

I think this company needs to clarify one matter: We know they won’t work with gay people, but what about those who are bi-curious? Straight-curious?

Until we get the answers to these questions, we won’t know just how big of a witch Sabrina is. She also may be a little worried about gay clients looking at her husband Todd’s weed wacker.

October 19, 2006 at 2:10pm
Martini-boy

What if a gay couple were to ask for their help, without offering ANY information about their relationship status? I’m pretty sure Sabrina et al. will show up at their door to get some work done anyway…

Maybe we should all ask them for an appointment / some yard work, and then spend some time with them – along with our significant other(s) – to talk up a storm.

October 19, 2006 at 3:10pm
Steven Leong

As a Christian Gay man, I know that I was created by God for a reason. Perhaps it was to help care for all those abandoned children, perhaps to slow the population down in an over-populated world. It was God’s decision.

What I do know is that I speak the truth about my life when I say I was born Gay. I stand in those shoes. Those who otherwise speak against Gays are speaking from judgement. At the end, who do you think God will stand by?!

Steven Leong
Aiea, Hawaii

October 19, 2006 at 3:10pm
Joel

Do we even know that they actually sent this email? Could soumeone have faked it and posted it in some sort of gay-baiting revenge? Yes, the Bible quotes and everything on their website certainly makes it seem that they would be the type to do that, but before we get our collective panties in a twist, perhaps we should be sure that (1) they actually did what we think they did and (2) it is any more important an issue than protecting gay kids in public schools or employment rights.

October 19, 2006 at 4:10pm
Johnny

Hey now, it is their right to pass on the work. Just be glad it all came out before they got on your property and cootied it up!

October 19, 2006 at 4:10pm
erik

This is from their site. Best to read the fine print before calling in the bigots to do your re-sodding.

“The God-ordained institution of marriage is under attack in courts across the nation, and your help is needed.
Go to: http://www.nogaymarriage.com to take action.”

October 19, 2006 at 5:10pm
jack e. jett

just when i cant be any more ashamed of my state of texas, alongs comes something like this. the sad thing in texas is, that these people will become heros. the writer of our local “alternative” paper in dallas is a born again, use to be gay, pentecostal…..she writes praisefull articles of all that is right wing and slams “non christians” at every opportunity.
so this is the shit we have to deal with just to get free refills on our ice tea.

jackejett.com

October 19, 2006 at 8:10pm
Bailey

I recicved an email back from Bethany this morning from APLD also, in reply to my email yesterday.
I CC’d in Sabrina and Todd for the record.
They are consulting lawyers and have promised me a copy of an official reply.
Also passed email onto a few media consumer investigation shows in Australia for interest.
I hope GG gets the attention they deserve.

Bailey – Melbourne Australia

October 19, 2006 at 11:10pm
FizziekruntNT

Jack E. honey,

Stick it…the garden hose that is, straight up your ass and have yourself a nice hard douche. If you’re so damned ashamed of Texas, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT instead of hamming it up with the C-list (Q-list?) in LaLa. I personally would like to love these two darling enemies right through the floor in a size 12 stiletto…and then I’ll hire some independent Mexicans to do my yardwork properly!

It seems rather transparent that a gay couple, as suggested by this post, would attempt to hire such a overtly religious business to do their yardwork–IN HOUSTON, TEXAS NO LESS! It was either presumptuous of them to do so and to expect some sort of “it’s all just business” attitude or a rather pathetic attempt to score some publicity.

And Jack E., next time you’re in Dallas, let’s have lunch. My treat.

October 20, 2006 at 12:10am
[email protected]

I think I saw “Todd” loitering at a rest area in Beaumont. It looks like him, but who knows, maybe not. Or maybe . . .

October 20, 2006 at 3:10am
Greg

It was a disgusting thing to do by some backwards thinking folks.

Was this post by someone on the Garden Guy forum (with the ‘MayMay’ handle) any less bigoted and hateful?

[i]Originally posted by [b]MayMay[/b]:
Ummm, what do we expect from TX? Whadda dump. I wish we could pile all of these racist, homophobic cracker-tards in that state and then wall it off. Make them get exit-visas to leave. Worst state ever!!! [/i]

Stereotyping and hate is never acceptable.

October 20, 2006 at 10:10am
Adam

I sent an email to the President and Education Chair of APLD last night; I’ll report back if I hear anything. I did suggest to the APLD folks that the Farbers might need to be educated about the $600 billion buying power of the LGBT community; it’s always good to mention the bottom line…

It sounds like a few people were ahead of the curve with the Communications manager (Bethany), and I’m glad to hear the talk about a cease-and-desist and discussions about how to address issues like this in the future. I’m surprised nobody’s pointed out that the percentage of LGBT ownership is probably higher in landscaping than (for example) live bait shops…

The question about why a gay couple would contact Garden Guy–given the prominent biblical quote on the front page–is a good question, although perhaps they were recommended by a straight couple who hadn’t noticed the biblical thing. Considering that the names of the couple remain concealed, it doesn’t seem like a publicity stunt.

October 20, 2006 at 10:10am
BD

The Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) is of aware and in receipt of the forwarded e-mail that was sent by a Houston-based landscape company. The company in question is not currently a member of APLD. It is important to the Board of Directors of APLD that the public understand that the organization of APLD does not support discrimination against clients based on sexual orientation. With that said, APLD’s official statement and position regarding this situation is below:

It is important to the Board of Directors of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) that the public understand that APLD does not support discriminating against clients based on sexual orientation. It is unfortunate that the actions of a former member were taken to represent the entire membership.

APLD is a nonprofit, tax exempt association that provides a forum for the advancement of the profession of landscape design and education of the public about landscape design.

APLD does not discriminate in any way regarding persons who seek to become members or in the provision of its services.

It has come to our attention that a former member has declined a professional engagement on the grounds of the prospective clientâ€™s sexual orientation. This conduct does not conform to the policy and practice of APLD. Furthermore, APLD will take steps to see that the former member ceases any representation that he or she continues to be a member of APLD.

Sincerely,
APLD Board of Directors

October 20, 2006 at 6:10pm
FizziekruntNT

BD and the APLD Board of Directors ROCK!

Hey, that’s kinda punny…okay, nevermind.

October 20, 2006 at 8:10pm
Bill Johnson

In case anyone wants to drop Mr Farber a nice note at his home address, I have taken the liberty of Googling it for you.

Todd Farber (281) 403-2756 1307 Musselburgh Ct, Missouri City, TX 77459

October 20, 2006 at 10:10pm
Philip in CT

By taking this action, Garden Guy has received national attention for this self-serving and hateful attack. It’s too bad they couldn’t have gotten attention for doing something loving. My suggestion for Garden Guy is to turn their energy towards fighting poverty, war, famine, and disease. This is Christ’s true bidding.

October 21, 2006 at 8:10am
Mac

I too, am a small business owner that chooses NOT to do work for queers. My choice. screw you if you have a problem with that…

November 10, 2006 at 11:11am
Sandy

Mac, have you patented a “queer detector” or is your statement based on the old adage “takes one to know one”? If you truly choose “not to work for queers”, I would suggest you rephrase “small busines”, to “small minded business”. In light of recent political events, I must remind you, sometimes you will never know who is “queer” and who is not. Can you say Mark Foley ?

I personally feel that although The Garden Guy’s business decisions are socially ignorant, and self-destructive, they are really only hurting themsevles. I just pray they do not have children, if so, God forbid one of the children turns out to be gay or lesbian and become another suicide statistic on the national charts.

November 10, 2006 at 1:11pm
shaun kelly

I will come and do this couples landscaping for free. I am a landscape contractor in Kansas. Just pay for the supplies. We must not let this continue.

November 10, 2006 at 1:11pm
RS

IT IS THEIR BUSINESS. IF THEY HAVE ENOUGH BUSINESS TO BE ABLE TO PICK AND CHOOSE THEIR CUSTOMERS THEN THEY MUST BE GOOD. NOW THAT YOU KNOW HOW THEY FEEL WHY DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BROW BEAT THEM FOR IT. LEAVE THEM ALONE AND BE EQUALLY CHOOSEY ABOUT YOU TRY TO DO BUSINESS WITH. THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO CLAIM THEY WERE BORN THAT WAY AS YOU DO. SO WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?

November 10, 2006 at 3:11pm
Jeri Bank

Of course, you are entitled to work for whomever you please. It’s always better to know who the evildoers are, instead of having to guess who are under the sheets. That this company hails from Texas is not only a surprise, but a confirmation of all my beliefs. I can only hope that you are repaid ten-fold for your stupidity.

November 10, 2006 at 4:11pm
Lee

To the owners of Garden Guy:

I do applaud you for taking a stand for your beliefs no matter how morallybackwards they may be. Doing this is so misguided and veri destructive to your livilyhood, money is money and with that I suggest that all gay people start marking their money with some sort of pink triangle in a show of unity over this issue as well as a show of protest over the current issue of gay discrimination in this so called leader of the world country. It is a shame when a third world country can recognize gay civil unions and this country can’t.

November 10, 2006 at 4:11pm
Virginiap

i am a Christian. i believe the Garden Guy landscapers are forgetting a verse that Jesus said in the Bible “Ye who hath not sinned, cast the first stone.” i would never in my life have discriminated against someone the way these people discriminated against the gay couple.. I live west of dallas Texas where there are laws against this type of idiotic discrimination. i cant believe that Houston, the fifth largest city in our nation, lacks laws that cover this type of discrimination. i have lived in Texas for 11 years, and i never cease to be amazed at the archaic, insipid laws that exist, or the good ones that should exist but dont in this state. Laws against sexual discrimination exist in abundance elsewhere in this nation. including in Dallas and Austin, texas. Though the Bible condemns homosexuality, Jesus also mixed with sinners and tried to help them. Though i am not saying someone should mix with someone with whom they are uncomfortable, this was a business deal, a service, for Lords sake. At least the garden Guy people apologized for their mistreatment of this gay couple. i dont wish them to lose their business, or their poor children to be harmed,.i just hope they learn tolerance toward people who are different than themselves. My other suggestion is the Garden Guy people and others who think like them selves start refusing business to all sinners. They will quickly find they will have no customers, and and they will be among those refused . not a damned one of us on this earth is faultless. . -Thanks-Virginia in Texas

November 10, 2006 at 8:11pm
Merrick

To Jeri Bank I am proud to be from Texas..we have no more nor no less discrimination here than in your backward state…your hatred for others not like yourself is not only petty and meanspirited but of no surprise to me or others not from your state..wherever the hell it is you
bigoted neanderthal’s are from.

November 10, 2006 at 10:11pm
rogerm

Why do you care that they choose not to serve someone on religous and personal grounds? Every business in America can refuse service to anyone for any reason. Read the signs when you go in the stores, bars, clubs, stations, everywhere.
Why can’t you respect their beliefs and just go to someone else? Why try to cause trouble for them just because they don’t have the same beliefs as you? You do the same as the Islamics: “if you don’t agree with us then we must destroy you”. That’s what your mindset is.
They aren’t doing anything to destroy your “relationship”, so why try to destroy them?
Hypocrites.

November 10, 2006 at 11:11pm
ME

Garden Guy has an American Express logo on it’sweb page. Perhaps everyone should contact AmEx and ask why they want to be associated with bigots.

November 11, 2006 at 10:11am
BubbaGump

This is simply a case of America at work…two groups espousing their own views and sticking to it, while a thrifty entreprenuer will start a company called “Gay Garden Guys” to pick up business.

November 11, 2006 at 10:11am
Tony

Garden Guys has unintentionally become exhibit A in the case in favor of adding sexual orientation to our federal anti-discrimination laws. They will pass in 2007. And Bush will sign them. THEN the Faber’s actions would be just as illegal as if the “chose” not to do business with black people or women or veterans or christians.

November 11, 2006 at 11:11am
J R Brown

I just can not understand why people are people are so upset about this. So they choose to not knowingly work for gays…so what? If they chose to not knowing ly work for child molester or drug dealers, would everyone be so mad?

Being gay is not protected from discrimination…it is not a race or religion or any other quality protected by law. And who really thinks that businesses don’t discriminate on with whom they do business…discrimination is essential to most businesses…think credit reports, etc. People who think businesses who don’t discriminate are clueless.

Homosexuality is an activity…not a trait…and those who engage in that activity risk consequences they might not like…but it’s their choice.

I am not a religious person, but I really aggravated by the “militant” gay mentality. The idea that I must accept homosexual activity into my personal beliefs of what is right and wrong is offensive. There are two basic arguments that gay people use to justify their state of existence…”Nature” and “Nurture”. To address the “Nurture” arguement first, I only wish to say that if you “discovered” that homosexual activity is what you prefer, then you have to admit that homosexual activity is outside the scope of normal behavior for our human species and choosing to accomodate your preferences inherently puts you at odds with normal heterosexual people. You cannot be abnormal and claim to be normal, just alternative…it’s a farce and simply an ignorant thing to say. As for the “nature” argument (that gay people are born that way and have not choice in the matter), let me be clear in this….heterosexual orientation is the norm for the human species. It is commonly understood that Evolution (natural selection) weeds out inferior species or genetically deficient species over time. Homosexuality as a genetic trait (“born this way…”) would ensure that species would die out in a natural state (without heterosexual activity) and is not a step up in Evolution for humans but rather a step backward. Homosexuality, in this context, is a genetic deficiency…NOT, an equal but alternative trait to the normal trait of heterosexuality in the human species.

While we can be empathic to the homosexual condition, much like being empathetic to people with genetic diseases or malformations, normal heterosexual humans do no have to accept homosexuality as normal or even equal, but alternative. And we should not be ashamed of being normal either.

For those who think that these people are bigots and intolerant, you really are a joke. They are practicing their religious beliefs, as protected by law in our country, and you folks seem to fail to understand that your venemous allegations are just as blatant an example of bigotry and discrimination as you are decrying.

Homosexuality is condemned in the Bible. Religions today tolerate it and accept it for one simple reason… they are businesses too. And homosexuals have money as much as anyone else. There are comments that Jesus would do landscaping for gays, etc. and those things are so laughable one can hardly keep from wondering if the person who wrote it has a clue at all? In the Christian religion, God will be the Judge of every person and all will be held accountable for the acts which are in violation of God’s laws. The Bible says that homosexuality is an abomination…I don’t think God is going to just look the other way and take the money and worry about not offending some gay people. God would judge them and punish them for violating His laws of conduct. If Christians really believed the Bible (that there really is a God and He is going to hold every person accountable for his or her actions during their life), there would be so many things different in our society it would be astounding.

Sorry if this offends you, but sometimes the truth hurts.

November 11, 2006 at 11:11am
J R Brown

As this appears to be a site devoted to furthering the gay “agenda”, let me say this….

If people ever figure out that gay marriage should not be allowed because of the “Nature vs. Nurture” topic in my previous post and leave religion out of the equation completely, gay marriage will not be allowed. The human species has specific qualities that define it. One is heterosexuality and heterosexal reproduction. If people figure out that marriage is a social institution designed to protect our species from diseases and maladies while ensuring the perpetuation of our species, then the idea that gay marriages are acceptable will lose all its appeal. Marriage, as a social convention, is the very definition of a normal and productive heterosexual union. Homosexuality is the polar opposite. It should never be recognized as equal but alternative. There is no alternative to normal…anything else is a deviance from normal and should not be afforded the recognition of being equal or normal. While marriage may be a failing social institution in our society, to say that gay marriage should be allowed just shows how dumb we really are as a society.

November 11, 2006 at 11:11am
George W. Bush

Hi ya’ll,

I don’t see why all the fuss here. These damned queers were pretending to get their lawns done with God-fearing God-loving Texan Christians.

No way Jose! Go find yourselves a couple of gay landscapers or look for them damned illegal Mexicanos to do your work for half the price.

G.W.

November 11, 2006 at 1:11pm
MJ

Who cares! This is supposed to be a free country!!!

SO….they can choose who they want to do work for –
perhaps they should not have said why but at least they were honest!

Suck it up – Batenders can refuse service should we go after then too?

Stop this nonsense just – – Suck it Up!

November 11, 2006 at 2:11pm
Tom Kirchhausen

Hi,

I was born and raised in Peru, son of Swiss and Hungarian Jews, obtained a Ph.D. degree in Venezuela, and then moved to the U.S. some 25 years ago.

I hold Peruvian, Swiss, Israeli, and U.S. passports. I am on the faculty at Harvard and even though in liberal Massachusetts gays are supposed to be “in”, I feel discrimination all over me. Nevertheless, I’d never dare to have my lawn landscaped with straight Southern Christians.

Oh, I forgot to tell, I’m also gay.

Tom

November 11, 2006 at 2:11pm
Terry

Ok, I went to the company’s website at question. I looked at the before/after photos. One word, pathetic. Proud christain and proud landscaper……but no good at either!

November 11, 2006 at 4:11pm
HB

To J R Brown – you defend the right of businesses to “chose(sic) to not knowingly work for child molester or drug dealers.” Sorry, that’s the exact quote here. Since when is homosexuality illegal? You say, “being gay is not protected from discrimination.” I guess that would depend upon where you are. The Calif. State Government’s own website’s job posting states, “equal opportunity to all regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, or sexual orientation”. It doesn’t make reference to bigotry, but maybe that’s covered under “disability”. So please do your homework before making such statements, that is, if accuracy is of importance to you.

To ME – Don’t bother contacting AmEx for their support. Did you know that much of their Call Center business is now conducted off-shore like so many others? So much for American jobs.

I would never patronize a business owned or operated by those with the values of the Farbers. Just so you know, I am a middle-aged, straight WASP woman with no agenda other than a human agenda, where we’re all equal in every respect, no exceptions.

November 11, 2006 at 4:11pm
Michelle

IN my opinon I find the ones most upset and retaliative towards gay couples are the ones that are most insecure with thier sexuality.
OH MY GOD IF YOU LANDSCAPE FOR HOMOSEXUALS, YOU MIGHT CATCH THE GAY!!!
For the record, I’m straight.

November 11, 2006 at 4:11pm
Dave

J.R. Brown: I think you protest too much. Homosexuality is indeed an innate and immutable characteristic. There is nothing a person can do about the trait itself. The person can choose to live out their own nature or hide it. That’s the only area where there’s a choice.

It simply makes no sense to discriminate or punish someone for being born the way they are. Fortunately, the educational curve on this issue is increasing exponentially, and it won’t be long before the fundamentalists will have to move on to some other topic to keep themselves motivated.

Dave

November 11, 2006 at 4:11pm
Dave

I just thought of what would make a great bumper sticker or banner. It’s a bit long, though. In any case, here it is:

“Gay people are born the way the are, while fundamentalist bigots live a chosen immoral lifestyle. “

November 11, 2006 at 5:11pm
Nikki

When pharmacists across the country refuse to fill prescriptions for birth control because it is not consistent with THEIR beliefs, nobody really gets upset. When one landscaping company exercises THEIR right to refuse services, everybody throws a fit. Does that sound right?

November 12, 2006 at 11:11am
J R Brown

TO HB:

If you are going to quote someone, at least do it correctly. I did not say that they had the right to choose to not work for child molesters or drug dealers…I said if they had chosen to not knowingly do work for them, would there be as much fuss about it? You missed the point entirely. These people chose to live by the conviction of their religion and not knowingly support or endorse a lifestyle that their religious beliefs tell them is wrong. Our society is so “entitlement” oriented that we forget that one of the most basic rights that we have is the right to make choices. Most people who champion anti-discrimination policies are lemmings and seem to never actually put any real thought of their own into their beliefs. They follow the crowd and just want to fit in with what is “in” at the moment.

Back to the topic…businesses are owned and run by people. People all have their own values. I will never forget a time where I saw a young woman who was caught stealing a purse and she honestly thought she didn’t do anything wrong….that the person who owned the purse “deserved to have it stolen because she left it out”. What is “right” and what is “wrong” means different things to different people. Obviously, her version of what is “right” and what is “wrong” doesn’t match with society’s…and that’s my point. Society sets the standard of what is “right” and what is “wrong” and just because you make a law that prevents discrimination against gays, it doesn’t mean that it will change how people think about gays. Our laws used to be based on communal moral values…and those were mostly based on religious beliefs…but now our laws are increasingly being based on the “cover your ass” mentality. People (governments, businesses, etc.) dont want to get sued so they comply with the law…it doesn’t mean it changes how they think or what they believe.

Most people will always think that homosexuality is a deviation from normal behavior…BECAUSE IT IS. People will learn to smile and say nice things…but there is no sane rational human who will think that heterosexuals and homosexuals are equal but different. To do so would be to stick your head in the sand and ignore natural law. And, again, if homosexuality is a genetic trait…it’s a defective one. Some people have blindness, deafness, heart disease, malformations of limbs, etc….which are due to genetic defects. These people are not bad…it’s just a simple truth. Homosexuality is not “bad” in this case…just genetically defective. If homosexuals choose to be in denial of this fact, that is their choice…just don’t demand that I participate in the charade.

Dave:

Sorry that you think I protest too much. I have a gay sister who is “married” to her partner. They live in a house they bought together and are trying to get pregnant (through artificial means). I am not a person who has no real experience with dealing with these issues in a very personal way. I love my sister very much but it still doesn’t change how I think about these issues. I have had decades to contemplate these things since my sister came out ( she previously had been married to a man) and try to keep any religious “ideas” from influencing my opinions. I believes it’s only fair. I try to make rational, logical and objective arguments to define my position…unlike the majority of people who simply define their position by calling others names like bigots. It just shows me that these people resort to tactics like name calling and “political correctness” policing because they can’ t actually rationally explain their position.

November 12, 2006 at 2:11pm
Louis Tolchin

Hey , what needs to be made clear is that I dont see people being proud and boasting about fornicators pride or adulterer’s pride , nor thieve’s pride ,nor liars pride.
Being proud of sin and committing it is what Christian disagree with. We all sin , but to try and justify it is wrong. As Christians we confess our sins and pray for strength to over come it.

November 13, 2006 at 8:11pm
HB

To J R Brown – I see; you’re a geneticist.

November 13, 2006 at 11:11pm
Philip Chandler

To those who are uncertain as to whether or not Garden Guy actually sent out this email — put your minds to rest. I called Garden Guy a few days ago and asked whether there was any truth to the claim that Garden Guy will not accept business from gay clientelle, and the woman who answered the phone was emphatic that this was the case (i.e. gay people would not be served) and that this reflected “the owners’ choice” (as though this “choice” was some kind of trump card). So yes, indeed, this landscaping company does refuse to do business with gay potential customers. I heard it from an employee of the firm, so I have little doubt that this is absolutely true.

It is easy to overlook the tripe about attacks on marriage if you do not go to the Web page titled “About Garden Guy” or something to that effect. The rest of the site seems to be quite normal — it is only when you select that one page that the sentence about marriage being under attack jumps out at the viewer.

I emailed Sabrina and Todd for confirmation, and copied the email addresses of everybody from the APLD in the cc: section of the email.

Lois Tolchin writes above that he does not see “fornicators pride” or “adulterers pride,” so why should gay people be proud of their sin? I am always amused by this type of logic — Tolchin treats as axiomatic the notion that being gay is a sin, notwithstanding the emerging body of evidence that suggests that being gay is either the result of genetics or influenced by hormonal characteristics early in the life of the fetus. There is no “sin” to be proud of — and that is where so many people miss the point. Fortunately, more and more Americans are beginning to realize that gay people are, in a very real sense, a different creation, nevertheless entitled to the equal protection of the laws. Three state supreme courts have decreed that gay people should receive all of the benefits and responsibilities of marriage (of the three, one went so far as to include gay people in the institution of marriage in name), and one state legislature, without any prompting by the courts in that state, developed a system whereby gay couples enjoy all the benefits and provileges of marriage (Massachusetts provides for full gay marriage; New Jersey, Vermont, and Connecticut provide for gay marriage in all but name). Slowly, this country is awakening from the moral torpor in which Tolchin finds himself still slumbering.

God help the owners of Garden Guy.

Somebody made the remark that nobody gets upset when pharmacists refuse to fill prescriptions for birth control pills or Plan B. I don;t know where that person has been living, but I can assure him that many people have gotten very upset, and the ACLU has investigated several such abuses on the part of pharmacists!

Philip Chandler

November 14, 2006 at 12:11am
GOS

I agree, they shouldn’t have turned the gay couple away. that’s extreme. and totally not fair.

but they had every right to do it. we all have choices and rights that we make on our own, and/or that offend others. if i fought for all the rights i want, or convictions i hold, i’d get nowhere, but meet tons of resistance. everyone wants their own way.

we must learn to live with this tension, the conflict of convictions, and find common ground. that’s the boldest, most courageous move among differences. the range is only growing anyway. there are many shades of Christians out there… it’s frustrating but we should all get used to it! or move out of the south.

A Christian who thinks arguing and retaliation is a big waste of time

December 3, 2006 at 10:12am
Philip Chandler

>

************
Response:
************

I called this company, claiming to be a journalist researching this story. After being informed that the information is indeed correct — this firm does indeed discriminate against gay people — I asked why. I was told that this was “the owner’s choice.”

Certainly, in a state as morally backwards as the State of Texas (with respect to issues involving sexual orientation), the owners can choose to discriminate against gay people (I don’t know whether or not Houston has an ordinance prohibiting this type of discrimination, but suspect that it does not). However, we can choose to contact the owners of this company to express our opinions relative to the manner in which they denigrate an entire community through their actions. There is nothing “hateful” about contacting this company, by telephone and by email, to express disgust and outrage. The door swings both ways. They should be aware of this — if you wish to do business and if you choose to discriminate against an entire class of people because of an innate characteristic, then you should expect the consequences (in the form of angry protests, emails, and telephone calls). I view this form of discrimination as being as reprehensible as discrimination on the basis of race, sex, or national origin. This is a free country, and we are free to protest the actions of a company that embarrasses both itself and an entire state by acting as though gay people are immoral and undeserving of equal treatment in business transactions.

The only thing that shocks me about this company is that it is actually proud of the stance that it has taken. We do not live in a theocracy, notwithstanding the pious comments on the Garden Guy Web site. We live in a multicultural democracy, and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is wrong. It is because we tolerate bigotry such as this that it is continues to flourish. So I would say — contact Garden Guy and express your opinion, taking care not to become abusive or profane in your commentary.

Philip Chandler

December 27, 2006 at 2:12pm
Angela

Phillp Chandler, et al with an anti-Houston/Texas slant.

Can we all express ourselves on the subject at hand without slamming Texas in general and Houston specifically? Houston is very gay friendly.

This couple is mis-guided, and a bit silly. That said, it is a free country and we have to protect their right to refuse service where they do not feel comfortable so that our right to do the same will continue to be protected.

It’s hard to defend rights we don’t agree with, but it is imperative to maintain a truly free society.

Is there a gay-owned landscape service here??

Another Chandler

January 21, 2007 at 2:01am

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