An Annapolis company whose old-fashioned trolleys are iconic in the city's wedding scene has abandoned the nuptial industry rather than serve same-sex couples.
The owner of Discover Annapolis Tours said he decided to walk away from $50,000 in annual revenue instead of compromising his Christian convictions when same-sex marriages become legal in Maryland in less than a week. And he has urged prospective clients to lobby state lawmakers for a religious exemption for wedding vendors.
While most wedding businesses across the country embraced the chance to serve same-sex couples, a small minority has struggled to balance religious beliefs against business interests.
Wedding vendors elsewhere who refused to accommodate same-sex couples have faced discrimination lawsuits — and lost. Legal experts said Discover Annapolis Tours sidesteps legal trouble by avoiding all weddings...
The story above reminded me of a quote from Professor Mark Rienzi I posted on my Facebook page a few days ago, a quote taken from this excellent NRO article: "Religious freedom is the birthright of every American. A waitress or gas-station owner has as much right to religious freedom as a monk or a nun. The administration has taken an extraordinarily narrow view of religious liberty: that as soon as someone enters the marketplace to earn a profit, he has surrendered his religious freedom."
